Inspired by Colson Whiteheads’s 2016 novel, “The Underground Railroad” has been adapted into a live action television series by writer/director/showrunner Barry Jenkins for Amazon Prime Video. As noted by Jenkins,
“It’s a groundbreaking work that pays respect to our nation’s history while using the form to explore it in a thoughtful and original way. Preserving the sweep and grandeur of a story like this requires bold, innovative thinking, and in Amazon, we’ve found a partner whose reverence for storytelling and freeness of form is wholly in line with our vision.”
So I remember hearing about this film back in Summer 2020, and I was very much intrigued. Ever since the WGN series Underground was not renewed, I always hoped that the story of the Underground Railroad would get picked up and/or given another platform for it to be highlighted. There have been various showings about this amazing movement in a few mainstream and independent (Underground Railroad: The William Still Story [2012]; Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad [1994]; Harriet [2019]; The North Star [2016]; Woman called Moses [1978]; Freedom [2014]). So it very refreshing to see a modern, compelling take on this early to mid-19th century network of secret routes and safe houses.
Check out the trailers below that help set-up the series!
Now what you will find captivating about “In Aeternum” is that it plays in reverse. According to Jenkins (via Twitter), “They say history is written by the victors, so… let’s run it back” (for a more detailed response see here).
The Underground Railroad is set to stream later this year!!
**Sidenote: Let me also say Amazon Prime Video has been on a roll with their original television shows and movies….Sylvie’s Love [2020], One Night in a Miami [2020], The Wilds [2020], Flack [2021], Bosch [2015], The Boys [2019], just to name a few!
Black Future Feminist 