Speechless...

Iont even know what to even say about this, except when is it coming to a theater near me?




h/t stopbeingfamous

Just Why, Hollywood?

Is this why they picked Terrence Howard to play Nelson Mandela in "Winnie"? I do see a resemblance, and for the life of me I see absolutely no other reason why they did.

Pretty flimsy excuse for casting someone to play such a monumental man...I don't believe he's up to the task. Exhibit A:




ps: why does he still have that quivering, crybaby voice thing going even in his atrocious south african accent? and why does jennifer hudson sound like count chocula?

For Halloween: "The Black Exorcist"....

I've heard of this movie, "Abby", aka "The Black Exorcist" (not to be confused with "The Blaxorcist") for years, but have never been able to find it. I've learned you can watch some very classic and rare Black films online (though I can't say where, I don't want them to be taken down). If you snoop even a bit, I'm sure you can find them.

So I watched "Abby", and it is an absolute miracle that they did not get sued by anyone and everyone associated with "The Exorcist". Made in 1974, it was snapping on the heels of the original. But maybe once they saw the film, and how horribly ridiculous it was, they probably just sucked their teeth and kept on stepping. Carol Speed's laughable demonic "possession" and preschool lip-syncing is source of hilarity, as well as making the viewer indulge in much lip twisting and head shaking at the scenery chewing performances.

William Marshall, better know as "Blacula" (who would have absolutely been my husband had I been of age in the 70's), tries to keep the proceedings above middle school stage play level, but unfortunately, fails miserably. The 4th rate acting, paper thin plot, mangled editing and cinematography, and rip-off storyline are beyond saving. But I say watch it anyway, just to see what Black horror films were about back in the day. This is the synopsis from IMDB:

"A possession film about a marriage counselor who becomes possessed by a Demon of Sexuality, when her father in law, an Exorcist, freed it while in Africa. He returns home, along with his son and a policeman to perform an African Exorcism on her."

Alrighty, then. Here is a sampling:



UPDATE: Just read this from You Tube...

Obscure 1974 blaxploitation "Exorcist" rip-off flick from Kentucky-bred zero budget auteur William Girdler ("Grizzly"). Warner Bros sued over the similarities, and the movie was quickly withdrawn from circulation shortly after its release. Jesus, what a bunch of killjoys! Starring blaxploit regular Carol Speed as Abby, and co-starring William Marshall - esteemed African American stage actor, Mr. "Blacula", and future "Pee Wee's Playhouse" King of Cartoons (one of 'em, anyway). The movie may be no great shakes, but it beats the hell out of 99% of the leaden Italian "Exorcist" rip-offs that followed and where were the damn lawyers then, huh?

A Peaceful Journey...

To Zakes Mokae, one of those actors you were extremely familiar with, but never really knew their name. He's been in films forever (he was 75), but I seem to remember him in movies that involved always voodoo, witchcraft, and supernatural shenanigans.

His roots were in South Africa; this from an excerpt from the NY Times:

"Mr. Mokae, who was black, and Mr. Fugard, who is white, were part of a drama collective in South Africa in the 1950s. In 1960, when they performed together in Mr. Fugard’s play about brothers with skins of different hues, “The Blood Knot,” it was the first time, Mr. Fugard said in an interview Monday, that black and white performers had appeared on the same stage in South Africa. The play not only defied a national taboo, but also propelled Mr. Fugard to international fame as a playwright and Mr. Mokae to a rich and varied career in theater, film and television."


h/t: thembi

A Jackson Special....

Sorry for the posting delay...my internet worked for about two days last week, then was down until today...I am not one to blog by phone, only Twitter. And speaking of Twitter, I now know where some of my regular commentors are, and why your blogs are updated like once a month now---everyone is on crack, oops I mean Tweet, lol. I got a little taste of why last night following a trend: #futuretylerperrymovies . I got so caught up in it; it was freaking hilarious--there are some very, very funny people out there, for reals.

Anyway, there was a movie at the L.A. Downtown Film Festival called "Jackson 5 In Africa" (narrated by fine ass Robert Hooks), about Michael and his brothers touring and experiencing Dakar, Senegal in the 70's. I thought it would be interesting to see them react to the continent, cause though they were no doubt very talented, they never struck me as being particularly educated or culturally aware (except for Michael). The film is rare, and hadn't been shown since the 70's....I'm sure that now it will definitely come out in some form or another; probably on DVD. This is some info from IMDB:

"This films was made by a group of African investors in 1974 who ran out of money trying to complete it. In 1982, the owner of the film, an international businessman, bartered with one of the original producers, acquiring a 16mm print of this rare documentary, in exchange for a rough diamond. After Michael Jackson died in 2009, the film's owner contacted a nonprofit organization to find a distributor for the footage."



Interesting. Speaking of Michael, Spike Lee is having a block party for Michael, now in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, from noon till 5pm on the 29th. It sounds so fantastically fun---I wish I could be there--my New York folkses get busy!



Hmmm....I was gonna talk about some other stuff, but let's just stick with the Jacksons now, yes? There is just too much going on with them, and I want to share. Like how they ruled Michael's death a homicide....ummm, really? I don't think anyone on this planet ever had plans to murder Mike, actually saying "I think I'm gonna kill Michael Jackson today"--I mean, how the eff would you get away with it? Manslaughter, maybe....nothing sinister going on, just recklessness, stupidity, and greed. I howled when I saw Bygbaby's tweet: "wonder if they will have Michael Jackson's body at his own murder trial. Might as well at this point" Indeed--why would anyone wait so long to bury somebody like that?


Speaking of greed, the remaining Jackson brothers are having their own reality show. You know you are trifling when your sibling's death is quite possibly the best thing that ever happened to you. What are they gonna show? Randy fixing cars? Marlon stocking shelves at Von's? Tito on his eleventeenth martini with his Jackson cover band? (all of which was widely reported on last year). All I know is mediawhore Jermaine must now have a 24 hour hard on....maybe now he can afford some real hair instead of that graffiti spraypaint he's been using...I mean, WTF?


Now Jermaine also won't have to come out with that book he tried to shop around a couple years ago, where he called Mike gay, a drug addict, and sneaky and devious (among other things), and how he excused living at his parents' house most of his adult life as being "needed", though most of the other sons were usually there as well...maybe it's time for at least a one bedroom, 'Maine.



Let me leave you with this tidbit that I found on Dlisted, which I watched with a sort of horrified fascination....earlier this year, I alluded to the fact that Marlon might be a bit....uh..."slow", and the more I see and hear LaToya, the more I think she might have that gene, too. This video does not help; it is her performing at a club in Slovenia (?!) in front of what looks and sounds to be about 7 people. Check out the end, where she comes out in a robe like she just performed in front of a stadium like Mike....now this is what reality shows are made of--A&E are you listening? Oh wait--I forgot--she said that she couldn't do "Dancing With The Stars" because of the "timing", but in the very same sentence said she would like to be a judge on "American Idol". Simon Cowell, are you listening?



Just curious; when someone asks you what you do for a living, how do you explain that you are one of Latoya Jackson's backup dancers?




dr.conrad pic from bossip

Transformations....

I'm sitting here watching "Car Wash"...dang, that soundtrack was fiyah, for reals! It's so interesting to see folks as they were 30 years ago...Antonio Fargas played the sweetest gay flame to a tee, Bill Duke was the young rebel, and The Pointer Sisters were the joint. Did you know that Joel Shumacher (director of The Lost Boys, Batman Forever, etc.) of all people, wrote this movie? By himself. He also wrote "Sparkle" and the screenplay for "The Wiz". Who knew?

There are many transformations that happen in 30 years, some for the better...some well....ummm, you know, not so hot.

Black film has gone through both extremes--the "not so hot" downgrades from the 70's with the Ice Cube legacy (see the upcoming film "Lottery Ticket" with said Cube and Bow Wow, and any "Are We Whatever Yet" films), and the upgrades being the new class of thoughtful Black films, i.e. "Medicine For Melancholy".

Saw a couple of pictures in the past few days that are prime examples of the upgrades and downgrades from the 70's.

Remember Freddy "Boom Boom" Washington? Remember Cochise? He was so fiiiiiine in "Cooley High", sexy, sexy, sexzay. To be fair, Laurence Hilton Jacobs was severely compromised even in the 90's; he chased after my redbone girlfriend for the longest, and she never even gave him the time of day....there were many more traces of Joe Jackson (whom he played in the "Jacksons" mini-series) than Cochise by that time. Here he is today--call me mean, but I'm sorry, it's disturbing.


On the other end of the spectrum is super super-model Iman, who called Michelle Obama "not a great beauty" (btw, I disagree). Well, if being a "great beauty" means wearing blond plastic Barbie hair against your dark African skin, with a couple of (or more) surgical facial procedures, along with wearing foundation lighter than your natural skin tone, she may have a point. Either way, still much better than 1975, yes?

MMM (mini movie marathon)...

I went on one of my MMM's the other day--I'll talk about them in relevance to the subject matter of this blog.

The first one I'll keep short and sweet; "Volver" starring Penelope Cruz. It garnered a great amount of hype, most of it revolving around Penelope's performance. I wasn't buying into it, but if the movie is right there on your TV for free, and there's nothing else on, why not?

I must say, I was deeply impressed. Pedro Almodovar has to be one of the greatest storytellers in our history, and I always become completely immersed in all of his films--so far as to say I usually forget I'm watching one until it's over--it has me that involved. Cruz does seem to be a genuine actress despite my misgivings...it is a story of deep family secrets, what loneliness and betrayal can manifest, and how family ties, no matter how eroded, can be healed with kind words, understanding, and genuine love. Despite the description, it was by no means a "chick flick" (which I loathe). I highly recommend it.


Next up is another film I should have seen way before now--the South African movie"Tsotsi". Tsotsi is an African term for thug, or gangster, and is the name of the anti-hero in this film. In a nutshell, Tsotsi car jacks a wealthy woman, and when she protests, he shoots her in the stomach. As he drives away, he discovers that her infant son is in the back in a car seat. For reasons unknown even to him at the time, he takes the baby boy home with him.

This is not a perfect film, but it is an arresting one. Through the baby, Tsotsi finds his way from a hardcore, unapologetic criminal life to one of redemption, compassion, conscience, and consequence. I would have liked more backstory, and a bit more of what lead him to redemption, but considering the choices in films we have these days, I'll take what I can get. The performances are natural, understated, and completely affecting---the actors don't seem like actors at all, but regular folks plucked to be in this film. Think "City Of God"....if you enjoyed that one, you'll definitely get what Tsotsi is aiming for. I recommend this one as well.


We'll save the most questionable for last, which is "Divine Intervention". I confess, I sometimes have this morbid curiosity to view some DVD's that look like complete and total garbage. I think it's the same gene that makes me look at stuff like "New York Goes To Hollywood" on VH1, and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta".

Anyhoo, Wesley Jonathan is a very young guy who takes the place of the very older guy as pastor of a church. Shenanigans ensue. Honestly, there is not much to say beyond that, except for the women in the congregation's relationships with God seemed to be in direct linear context with how low their cleavages go. I didn't know if it was a church or Magic City (if you don't know what Magic City is, ask your nearest Southern friend or relative).

Oh yeah, Jazmine Lewis' acting skills seem to consist of how many ways she can style her hair in one week, and it is beyond sad to see the once promising Cynda Williams reduced to being Luenell's sidekick as a weedsmokin' heathen of the church (screen time about 8 minutes). Wesley Jonathan has a way of delivering his lines like he's talking to someone in real life, and trust me, in this context, it is not a good thing. This one is not even worthy of purchase from the bootleg blanket. Lord let us pray....

Yummo At The Pan African Film Fest

I talked about Tyson in this movie the other day, and will actually be the closing film for the PAFF. Hmmmm.

From Black Talent News:

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival (PAFF) has announced that its closing night gala will feature the world premiere of "Kings of the Evening" on February 18. PAFF also announces that on February 22 The African Channel will broadcast the festival's Night of Tribute in a two-hour special that will air in the U.S., the Caribbean and the United Kingdom."Kings of the Evening" stars Lynn Whitfield, Glynn Turman, Tyson Beckford, Bruce McGill, James Russo, Reginald T. Dorsey, Justin Malloy and Linara Washington. The premiere will take place on February 18 at the AMC Magic Johnson Crenshaw 15 Theaters in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles. The film tells the story of Homer Hobbs, after serving two years in jail, returns home to a bleak town caught in the depths of the Great Depression - no jobs, no prospects and no hope. He is thrown together with four strangers, each struggling to survive and dig their way out of poverty. As they try to survive during this troubled time, they are forced to face their problems and ultimately learn, by way of an unusual fashion contest, that the only thing a man really owns is his pride and self-respect. Cast members will be present and there is an after-party immediately following the screening.

PAFF's Night of Tribute will be held on Saturday, February 9 at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center and hosted by actor Jimmy Jean-Louis ("Heroes," "Phat Girlz"). The tribute event will honor the lives and bodies of work of pioneering film and visual arts talent including independent filmmaker Charles Burnett, who will receive the Pioneer Award; Rev. Dr. Della Reese, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award; Actor Idris Elba receiving the Canada Lee Award; Actress Taraji P. Henson receiving the Beah Richards Award; Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks Sr., who will receive the PAFF Community Service Award; Diana Shannon-Young receiving Artist Achievement Award. The tribute will air on The African Channel on February 22. The network will also present a posthumous Creative Achievement Award honoring Ousamene Sembene.

The Africa Channel is the new 24/7 independent television network dedicated to delivering quality content and bringing the rich and diverse perspectives of Africa and its people into U.S. homes.

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival runs February 7-18, 2008 in Los Angeles, CA. For more information, visit http://www.paff.org/ or call (323) 295-1706.

Nigerian Film....

Last week I'd mentioned that I didn't know much on African Film. I wrote a little blurb yesterday about "Nollywood" the explosion of Nigerian film.

Papa Shango, who has a blog called "I'm An African In New York" left this comment:

'Nollywood has become indeed the World 3rd largest movie industry. It seems to me that Nollywood is more interested in quantity these days than quality though. I suppose it's the result of low cost requirements, similar to horror movies in the US (very cheap to make, that's why there's so many of them year round).One naija movie stands out though, it's The Amazing Grace, probably the most successful Nigerian to date. Unlike its predecessors, it was released in theaters throughout the African continent and even the UK recently. Check it out here:http://www.theamazinggracefilm.com/agf/en/home.html '

From IW: This is the film's synopsis:

The Movie "The Amazing Grace" is the most ambitious project to come out of the Nollywood (Nigerian) stable. The first major international feature film from the Nigerian movie industry highlights the epic story of the British slave trader John Newton’s Voyage to Nigeria in 1748, and how this experience helped inspire him to compose the world famous hymn, Amazing Grace.

Black Cinema Information From Charlotte....

Since I am interested in all things North Carolina at the present time, I was looking at The Charlotte Greasy Guide and came upon a couple of interesting tidbits....

The Pan African Film Festival:

America’s largest and most prestigious Black film and arts festival, has announced that it will extend its call for accepting film submissions for their 16th Annual signature event taking place February 7-18, 2008 in Los Angeles. Until October 5, the PAFF is accepting submissions of independent features, shorts, narratives, and documentary films made by or about people of African descent. Submissions postmarked between July 16 and October 5 must be accompanied by a $40 submission fee for shorts (less than 70 minutes) and a $50 submission fee for features (70 minutes or more). Submission fees for submissions made after the October 5 deadline are $65 for shorts and $75 for features. In addition, the PAFF is accepting applications for vendors for its Artist Market. Along with its film festival, the PAFF presents one of America’s largest fine art shows featuring prominent and emerging black artists and fine crafts at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza. Applications are available via the PAFF website at www.paff.org or by calling (323) 295-1706.

From I.W.: For all of you aspiring filmakers, etc., the Pan African Film Festival is very high profile, and attended by a slew of Black Hollywood and executives...get busy with your submission. Found this as well:

Where In The World is Nollywood?

For years, people in the global film industry have chosen to ignore a very vibrant business that is said to have become a multi-billion dollar asset. Why have we not heard of Nollywood like India’s Bollywood or America’s Hollywood?

The answer might be as simple as the fact that “Nollywood” was created from nothing in the African Nation of Nigeria. It seems that the promotion of an idea that something other than hungry children with swollen bellies and flies swarming around them coming out of Africa is not very newsworthy. To know that Africa is open for business and very viable could show a sense of independence from African people that could very well change perceptions.

African Entertainment has been huge business and in the United States, online properties like Palmwine radio and Naijalife Magazine are among some of those keeping up with this massive industry. New York recently played host to the Nigerian Entertainment Awards saluting both main stream and grassroots Nigerian born entertainers from all aspects of the industry. There is even a documentary entitled “This Is Nollywood,” promising to give insight into this booming multi-billion dollar enterprise.

“Hala Gorani and Jeff Koinange formerly of CNN, report that Nollywood is churning out some 200 “home videos” every month to become the third largest in the world after the United States and India (visit cnn.com/transcripts and isop.ucla.edu). In just 13 years, Nollywood has grown from nothing into an industry that employs thousands of people.”

Nollywood, along with my direct links to the continent have moved me to begin a new category, “From The Africa Files” where you will be able to find relevant information from and about the continent. Hopefully, these posts will help YOU identify new opportunities!

So, Folks, welcome to NOLLYWOOD!

Help Raise Awareness For Our Fellow Africans...

I had a small blurb about this earlier in the week, but most of y'all probably missed it, so I'll reprint the post my blogging buddy Yobachi wrote over at Black Perspective:

HBO did a commendable thing recently in purchasing what is purported to be a powerful documentary on the history leading to the Darfur crisis. Yet then with something as time sensitive as present genocide, and despite the rising crescendo of public outcry here in the U.S. and elsewhere for something to be done in Darfur; HBO decided to shelve the doc until December.

The documentary, "Sand and Sorrow", which is narrated by George Clooney “provides an inside look at the situation on the ground and examines the international community’s “legacy of failure” to respond to such profound crimes against humanity in the past”, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In conjunction with Darfur: An Unforgivable Hell On Earth and UltravioletUnderground we want to launch a letter writing campaign to HBO, urging them to air the documentary now. The people of Darfur don’t have the time to wait for support that is already years too late. They need the public consciousness awakened now, and HBO could help with that by simply airing a property they already own.

It is of no undertaking for HBO to simply put something on air; so we are not asking anything the least bit extraordinary or burdensome of them.

Please take a couple of minutes and call or write:

Richard Plepler VP Admin Service/Public Relations1100 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036 212-512-1000

If your not very familiar with the Dafur issue you can get a synopsis in my post A Million Miles Away

If you’re reading locally here in Nashville, you can join with: TAG: Tennesseans Against Genocide

National resources include My Sister’s KeeperSave Darfur coalition and Darfur Amnesty

New South African Movie

One of my fellow bloggers Ohmyword, who has a blog by the same name, Ohmyword (extremely witty), sent this over to me:

"By the way - I have a gig now - doing the online marketing, blogging, community building for a new South African film. It's controversial - dark and horribly funny, about poor white trash in Triomf. During apartheid the govt "rehoused" 60,000 blacks from a town called Sophiatown, renamed the town Triomf, and put poor white people there. Now it's a slum, the people are inbred. Anyway - check out the blog if you can: http://triomfmovie.blogspot.com/ Lemme know what you think."

I looked at the blog, and think it's important to put out the info. I'm ashamed to say that I'm not as up on Africa as I should be, and this site has some wonderful pictures and insights about the daily life of a certain class of South Africans, as well as a blow by blow perspective of making a film at a grassroots level. I support them 100% in their ambitions.

Above is the picture of two of the South African production team....dude is pretty easy on the eyes :-)