For someone like me, who’s been involved in punk rock and anti-racist politics for over two decades, seeing an all-black hardcore band re-purpose songs by notorious white power band Skrewdriver is especially satisfying. But that’s just what Memphis’s Negro Terror did – and a whole lot more. Made up of an eclectic group of three young black men, Negro Terror burned their mark quickly on the Memphis scene and soon began branching throughout the southeast and beyond. John Rash’s film, which interweaves the band’s history, politics, and experiences with that of Memphis itself, is a refreshing look at a city, a scene, and a movement.
Hardcore and punk are often chaotic and wild, but Rash’s film is not. Quite the opposite, really. Negro Terror has a near meandering and ethereal quality to it – it’s laid back, which, surprisingly, serves the subject matter well. This presentation form allows us to get to know the people behind the band – the real people, not just their potentially wild stage presences. Negro Terror is unique in another way: it chronicles the band as it’s happening. It’s not a reminiscence – it’s an action as it progresses in the here and now. As it turns out, not even death can stop this band and their momentum.
The film opens with the funeral of founding member and heart and soul of the band, Omar Higgins, who passed away shortly before the film’s release. This unexpected twist could have easily cast a dour shadow over the project, but it doesn’t play that way. These events may sadden the story but do little to lessen the impact. Negro Terror is a celebration of a life, not the mourning of one.
If you’re uninitiated with punk, hardcore, or skinhead subcultures, some of the idiosyncrasies of Negro Terror may be lost on you. However, the feeling and the message are there – so is the heart and the culture – which leaves plenty to latch onto even if you’re not familiar with the scene or its history. The sheer size of Omar’s personality and the comments and observations of fellow band mates Ra’id and Rico reveal an irresistible and fascinating world. In my many years in punk, I’ve run across dozens of people who have expressed interest in getting involved but were afraid to for this reason or that. Negro Terror – the band and the movie – may have an intentionally provocative name, but this film and its positivity will welcome you with open arms.
Watch Negro Terror totally own a Skrewdriver song:
James is a writer, skateboarder, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.