Short Eyes (film)

Short Eyes is a 1977 American film adaptation of Miguel Piñero's play of the same title, directed by Robert M. Young.[1] It was filmed in the Manhattan House of Detention for Men, otherwise known as The Tombs.

For other uses, see Short Eyes (disambiguation).

Short Eyes
Original window card
Directed byRobert M. Young
Written byMiguel Piñero
Starring
CinematographyPeter Sova
Edited byEdward Beyer
Music by
Distributed byFilm League
Release date
  • September 28, 1977 (1977-09-28)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Wu-Tang Clan sampled dialogue from the film for the songs "Let My Niggas Live" and "Gravel Pit" in 2000.[2]

Plot

Short Eyes is set in an unnamed prison in New York City, whose inmates are predominantly African American or Puerto Rican. One day, Clark Davis, a young, middle-class white man accused of raping a young girl, arrives on remand. His fellow prisoners immediately turn on him—child rapists are considered the lowest form of prison life—except for Juan, one of the institution's older prisoners, who treats him with some dignity. "Short eyes" is prison slang for a prisoner convicted of child sex abuse.

Davis insists he doesn't remember raping the girl, but he admits to Juan that he has molested several other children. The prosecution's case against Davis is weak and, unless Juan tells prison authorities about Davis' confessions to him, it is only a matter of time before he is set free. As Juan struggles with what to do, the other prisoners plan to get rid of Davis permanently.

Cast

Music

Curtis Mayfield wrote the film's score, and appears in the film as a prisoner performing the song "Do Do Wap Is Strong In Here". The soundtrack was released on Mayfield's Curtom Records.

References
  1. Canby, Vincent (September 28, 1977). "Film: 'Short Eyes' Eloquently Adapted". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  2. Blanco, Alvin (2011). The Wu-Tang Clan and RZA: A Trip Through Hip Hop's 36 Chambers. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 138. ISBN 978-0-313-38442-4.


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