Search - Down in the Delta on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Profanity, Substance Abuse Movie Release: 1998 DVD Release: 07/20/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 52 mins Studio: Miramax Total Copies: 1 Genres: Drama, Americana, Childhood Drama, Coming-of-Age, Rural Drama

Poet Maya Angelou made her feature directorial debut with this African-American family drama, shown theatrically but originally produced for the Showtime cable network. Unemployed single mother Loretta (Alfre Woodward) lives with her mother, Rosa Lynn (Mary Alice), in a Chicago apartment. Drugs and alcohol lead Loretta to neglect her autistic daughter, Tracy (Kulani Hassen). Her teen son Thomas (Mpho Koaho) brings in money by photographing tourists. Rosa Lynn pawns a family heirloom in order to send Loretta and the kids off to their Mississippi Delta hometown where Loretta's Uncle Earl (Al Freeman Jr.) runs his diner. Earl lives in a dry county, so Loretta is reluctant. However, she has no choice after Rosa Lynn threatens to contact child-welfare authorities if she doesn't go. Earl takes in the trio even though he already has enough problems with Annie (Esther Rolle), an Alzheimer's victim under the supervision of caregiver Zenia (Loretta Devine). Toronto locations substitute for Mississippi. Shown at the 1998 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide

Alfre Woodard - Loretta
Al Freeman, Jr. - Earl
Mary Alice - Rosa Lynn
Esther Rolle - Annie
Loretta Devine - Zenia

Gifted poet Maya Angelou's directorial debut Down in the Delta debuts on DVD with a widescreen 1.85:1 image that faithfully reproduces the original theatrical aspect ratio. The English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1 and is closed-captioned. There are no subtitles available on this disc. Though the disc is without extra features, the film's subtle performances and fine cinematography make this DVD one worth owning. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide