University of Oklahoma | School of Art | Independent Film Project at OU

Press Release: Black Marshal For further information contact:
Carmen Hill
Tel. (405) 325-4670
carmenhill@ou.edu

NORMAN--The Independent Film Maker Series in the School of Art presents a preview screening with cast and crew of Black Marshal: The Hunt for Dozier, on Saturday, October 26 th , 7 p.m., at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, located on 2401 Chautauqua in Norman.

The movie is based on the life of U.S. Deputy Bass Reeves, a black marshal in the Oklahoma Indian Territory in the years of 1867 to 1883, and his successful hunt for the elusive Dozier. A man of great valor who spoke several Indian dialects, Reeves was a deputy U.S. marshal for over thirty years and retired as a policeman in Muskogee.

Marlon Edwards, a native of Edmond and known by the stage name of Lee Newton, wrote, directed, and stars in the role of Bass Reeves. Marlon wanted to do a western, focusing on a lawman. After intensive research, he found the life of Bass Reeves fascinating. Of Reeves, Marlon said, "he is not in the history books, but he should be." Fair recognition is due to the number of black U.S. marshals, and this is one of the aims of Marlon's film. "People don't know that one out of three cowboys was black," said Marlon. Having decided to pay tribute to this U.S. deputy, he embarked on a project was filmed entirely in Oklahoma, including Sipokni West in Reagan, the Reed Ranch in Chandler, the Harn Homestead in Oklahoma City, and the Pawnee Bill Ranch in Pawnee. Black Marshal: The Hunt for Dozier is the first western film written, directed, produced, and starred by an African American filmmaker in the State of Oklahoma. Victor Reed performs as the notorious outlaw Bob Dozier. Also with starring roles are Ricci Jett and Carol Pratt.

Marlon is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, where he received a master's degree in creative writing, and has a bachelor's degree from Langston University. Marlon has been in several television commercials and plays, including the feature film, "All in Time," also filmed in Oklahoma and directed by Brian Sabolich. Black Marshal is his second film, the first being a short video production.

The Independent Film Maker Series at the University of Oklahoma "is open to regional independent filmmakers seeking to screen their productions. Some films will be shown as a finished product, others as a rough cut, or as works in progress," said Producer/Director and Filmmaker in Residence, Shawnee Brittan. In addition to Oklahoma , The Independent Film Maker Series will include the four surrounding states of New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, and Kansas. Screenings with cast and crew will be held once or more per semester. "I see it as a way to offer support to independent filmmakers by providing a venue for showing works in progress and a forum for initial showing of their work," said the former Director of the School of Art, Dr. Andrew Phelan. "No place exists that does this in Oklahoma."

The Independent Film Maker Series seeks to give students and all those interested in independent films an opportunity to meet real world, real life filmmakers. "These films are very low budget and it is a way for our students to learn how a low budget movie is made," Brittan said, "and in many cases they will learn what to do, and, in other cases what not to do."

"I am very excited about The Independent Film Maker Series and the film industry in Oklahoma ¾ it is really on its way up!" said Edwards. "People like Shawnee Brittan are doing a very, very good job," Edwards said, "and great things are going to come out of it."

Black Marshal: The Hunt for Dozier will be followed by a dialogue with the filmmaker, moderated by Shawnee Brittan.

The program is free and open to the public. For more information and accommodation on the basis of disability, please call the Independent Film Project @ OU at 325-4670 or e-mail carmenhill@ou.edu