Top 10 Historically Significant Black Films (Not According To Me)

Ok, here I is, lol. For those of you who like my blog, I am much, much, more active on Twitter (sadly) and my username is @BlkCinemaAtLarg. I guess I should put that on here, but I'm waiting for my new site design.

Anyhoo, while on the great twitterville I came across Entertainment Tonight's "10 Historically Significant African-American Films". And let me tell you, it was the best list I've seen so far from a mainstream outlet, which was surprising, cause I find ET about as deep and relevant to Blacks as Ryan Seacrest.

Here is the list:

Cooley High

Antwone Fisher

Ray

What's Love Got To Do With It

A Soldier's Story

Do The Right Thing

Eve's Bayou

Boyz N The Hood

A Raisin In The Sun

The Color Purple

This is a great list, admittedly. There are a couple on there though, that while I do think are significant, are not necessarily historical. In the Black community, maybe, but not universally, which I believe was ET's intended stance.

So I wanna talk about two a day, to kick off my theme weeks. I think I'll start with A Soldier's Story and Cooley High, since those two are grabbing me today.



A Soldier's Story

I agree with ET's assessment on this one. As a child who went to the movies with a father who was just as a voracious movie-lover as Ms. Invisibelle, I remember that this was the first post-70's drama that was well directed, well written, well photographed, and well acted. This was an excellent story that had elements of suspense, mystery, and drama. It addressed an array of factors; racism in the military, the pressure of even being in the military, and wearing masks to hide our true selves from others.

I was very young, but I was completely captivated by the story in front of me. It is also the first time I remember having on screen crushes; despite his personal life (that I found out about afterward), Howard Rollins was a very powerful and amazing presence, and for some reason I was drawn to a very nerdy-looking and bespectacled Denzel Washington way before he was really known for anything...I guess he was born with it.

This film opened up a door that relayed Black drama was just as compelling, intense, and brilliant as anything else that was out there in the 80's or any other decade. I think it's a shame that there are certain entities (that will remain unnamed) that will play "Soul Plane" ad nauseum as opposed to playing this even once.


Cooley High

What can I say about this film? For some reason I love everything about it, so I'm in agreement with ET. It is the only film that I have seen more than repeatedly next to "Friday", and I never get tired of seeing it. What Cooley High has is:

*A sense of nostalgia, even if you weren't alive or remember the time period

*Great music

*Characters that made you care

*Comedy and drama well-balanced--one was just as interesting and watchable as the other

*A very brief glimpse that, for at least one month, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs was fine as hell

*A very brief glimpse that, for at least one month, Glynn Turman was not weird and creepy as hell

*Arresting wardrobe and on-point set design

*The breeding ground of the classic song by Boyz To Men "It's So Hard To Say Good-Bye To Yesterday"

*A coming-of-age story that was realistic and relatable

This film was testament that a very fine, touching, and universally Black story could be made on a relatively small budget. This film speaks to generations, and everyone from your grandparents to your grandchildren love it, and I really can't think of another Black film like that.

Tomorrow two more.

I Always Loved The Way She Said Mamuwalde...

I wanted to write this post last week, but alas, your favorite slacker was caught doing what she does best.

Vonetta McGee passed away July 9th, and hearing the news made me lament on not just her, but many Black actresses in the 70's. People like her, Judy Pace, Rosalind Cash, etc...so naturally beautiful, stylish, and full of vibrancy, only to be treated practically like furniture for the most part.

Vonetta was one that actually got to be featured in a way that required real acting, even though her main films were considered "Blaxploitation". Her breakout was in "Blacula", as the object of Blacula's affection. Even though dude wore a cape and was a vampire, she saw beneath that for the sexy, intelligent, manly piece of lovely chocolate that he was....when she called his name "Mamuwalde" she said it with such sweetness and reverence, and it made a ridiculous film less ridiculous.


She was in "Shaft in Africa", "Hammer", "Detroit 9000", and "The Eiger Sanction" with Clint Eastwood, with the very tragic name of "Jemima". It was major for a Black actress to make a crossover like that back then....she could have been a Zoe Saldana today if this were her time. She also did a tremendous amount of television, but doesn't have any credits since 1998.

One film I remember in particular was a film called "Thomasine And Bushrod", which was kinda sorta like a Black version of Bonnie and Clyde in the old west. It was directed by Gordon Parks Jr., who also directed "Superfly". It was really a thin film, filled in with an inordinate amount of montages, but she was something to look at. She co-starred with her real life lover, Max Julian (The Mack), who talked to her like a pimp to his 'ho. He was kinda scary with that, and every time I've seen that film I could truly imagine their relationship being like that in real life. I seem to have read somewhere that she never married, and after being with Max Julian, it isn't hard to process why.


But I digress....peaceful journey, Vonetta; your memory will always be kept alive here and the projects I work on, beautiful one.

The trailer from Blacula:




Sorry, I couldn't find a trailer of Thomasine And Bushrod, but here is a clip from the film:

Lena...

I know I haven't lived up to my promise of posting, but I just haven't had the energy to do so lately. I had to pay my respects to the alpha mother of Black film, Lena Horne. I used this pic cause she looks almost exactly like my grandmother here--something I didn't notice until googling her picture. She looks so naturally beautiful, inside and out.

While I don't speak much on early Black cinema such as "Cabin In The Sky", etc. (though I really should), I have talked about Lena a few times. Like how sexy she was in that Gap commercial in 1997, though she was like 80, and wishing that if I'm blessed to live that long to be even half that sexy. I hope I am even half that sexy now!

Also, I talked about a biopic (which was supposedly confirmed by Oprah), that was to start filming in '08 with Alicia Keys playing Horne. Thank the most high that travesty didn't happen; sassy Lena was absolutely no joke, and didn't suffer fools easily, and to me, Keys would just not be the one for the job. But like I said back then--at least it wasn't Halle Berry.



I'm gonna sum up this tribute to "The Horne", as Fred G. Sanford of the respected Sanford And Son put it, by putting up the post from "D-Listed"

If you witnessed a tiny crystal bubble floating through Manhattan last night, it was Lena Horne gliding off to the Emerald City in the sky. Lena passed away on Sunday at the age of 92. Lena's rep wouldn't give anymore details.

Lena kicked down racial barriers when she became one of the first black performs to sing with an all-white orchestra in the 1940s. She was also the first black actress to land a long-term contract at a major movie studio. Lena starred in Panama Hattie, Stormy Weather, Cabin in the Sky and of course as Glenda the Good Witch in The Wiz. In the early 1960s, Lena became a prominent civil rights activist. If you haven't yet, you should read her obit at The New York Times.

Lena's Gap commercial:



And cause I'm a lover of Lena and Flip (TV Land, please bring back the Flip Wilson Show again!) here is another of her; singing a Kris Kristofferson song of all things:

Flashback Week: "Chameleon Street"

After watching a series of groan inducing "just why?" films like boiling hot mess "Armored" and the wretched "The Losers", it was quite refreshing to have a film like "Chameleon Street" thrown into the mix. Reader Tafari summed my current Black Cinema thoughts pretty well:

As for myself, the last good black movie I've seen since the fall of 2009 was Precious. Since then nothing good has been released. Thought about seeing the Funeral movie but decided to see Kick Ass instead and it was fucking AWESOME. So happy I followed my guts on that one!

Outside of Kick Ass, the only movie that I've seen since Precious and Avatar that I like/loved was Shutter Island. Everything else has been a total mess making me want my money back still.

What's a movie buff to do?

For reals! Now Chameleon Street isn't as much of a flashback as the others are in this series, since it was released in 1989, but it very much has the feel and tone of a Black film from the 70's. The difference is that instead of the foot to ass, get "the man" through violence films of the 70's, the main character uses his wits and resources to get by and through "the man".

It is the story of William Douglas Street, played by Wendell B. Harris Jr. (yes, he uses his full name at all times, lol) who, motivated by chasing the almighty dollar, finds himself assuming a number of different identities; surgeon, Yale student, a "Time" news reporter--all falsely assumed but accepted by everyone nonetheless. Everyone except his one weak spot and kryptonite, his self-involved wife. Though from humble beginnings, he is intelligent, has a razor sharp wit with a ton of charisma, and absolutely no time to suffer fools easily. This enables him to make the transitions, from jailbird to ultimately a political and social activist and everything in between, with ease.

While the budget limitations are obvious, and the transitions from one identity to the next can be a bit rough, I saw what the star/director was trying to do. It wasn't so much about the plot itself exactly, but was really more like a scathing observation of the hypocrisy and ignorance of America, and YT's ridiculous assumptions about Blacks and appearances. It also deftly handles the microcosms of Black male female relationships, and how difficult it can be to dedicate yourself to just one person. He had a lot to say, and he said it in this film....the narration is killer.

I have mostly seen Black men rave about this film--it seems to really resonate with them on some level for some reason. But this is what you would call a thinking person's movie; you can't just view it as is, you must see between the lines. It moves at a swift pace, and there are no spots in the film where nothing is happening, so you gotta pay attention. I recommend viewing with zero distractions, and zero expectations, and this movie will be thought about days afterward.


Read this in an article: "Instead of distributing the original film, studios wanted to make new versions with various actors. Harris remembers, “Each time it was given to a different person, it was given a different ambiance. For Wesley Snipes, it was changed into a kind of car chase movie. For Sinbad, it was changed into a kind of goof-ball character. For Arsenio, it was a hybrid of the two.” Will Smith also wanted to remake it, and has twice redone a scene from Chameleon Street where Harris solves a rubik’s cube to impress an employer."* Typical!!!

Also read this: "Harris shopped around many ideas in the 90s, including Negropolis, a version of ancient Rome where the emperor and ruling elite are all black and all the slaves are white. Roles were written for Oprah Winfrey as Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile and Cosmetology, Howard Stern as Alexander the Great and Harris as Canigula – Caligula with a ‘N.’"* Now that is a movie I wanna see!

Wendell B. Harris, Jr. is working on a sci-fi project as of late; I know that you readers have expressed multiple times how there is such a huge need for that in Black film. As such, whenever you hear or come into contact with his project, please do whatever you can to support!

Could not find a trailer, so here is a scene from Chameleon Street:



Some comments from Harris, and a scene from the film about "good hair":






*source: filmakermagazine.com

Old School Flicks 101

Hey all. I think I'm finally over my twitter obsession and can get back to blogging. Well, that's not entirely accurate. I know I said I wanted to start blogging regularly as a tribute to David Mills, but the biggest truth is that I've been uninspired. Yes.

There hasn't been a Black film this year that I've been excited about or in anticipation to see. I think I want to see them, then when they actually come out, I'm like "meh", and go about my business. Cases in point, "The Book Of Eli", with its overdone to death premise, "American Violet", "Death At A Funeral" (fine-ass James Marsden nonwithstanding), and don't even get me started on "Why Did I Get Married Too" or "Law Abiding Citizen". The one film that I was really looking forward to--"Brooklyn's Finest" was a major disappointment of epic proportions. I just watched "New Jack City" for about the 20th time yesterday, and it was still more gripping and compelling than Brooklyn's Finest.

And what is to look forward to? "Just Wright" with King Latifah and Common in a "romantic" relationship? Gimme a freaking break! To be fair, YT cinema hasn't been all that fantastic either--just saw a screener of "Chloe" with Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore, which was like an extremely watered down "Fatal Attraction" seen through fogged up glasses.

To be honest, the only Black films that have excited me lately are actually all from the archives. I know that some follow this blog to check on the latest happenings, but around here I kinda just write about what I'm feeling at the time. What I've been feeling are some fantastic films from the 70's, which I think are a must see for everyone, Black or non. And some not so fantastic ones that I think some should just flat out view to see the sheer nerve of some producers and directors in the 70's.

Each day I will talk about one of these films; "The Spook Who Sat By The Door", "Chameleon Street", "Mandingo", "The Legend Of Nigger Charlie" and the amazing and freaking fantastic "Ganja And Hess", a jewel of a film by a country mile.

So tune in once a day, every day, for the rest of the week and I will have some films on here that you can learn about, or if you've already seen them, discuss with me (I love, love, love your comments). A huge thanks to those who have stuck with me, and to my new followers who have come on board though I've been seriously M.I.A. See you tomorrow!

Oh, How I Miss Thee, Isaac Hayes...

Okay, so I just watched "Truck Turner" for the umpteenth time. Why? Yes, the plot is wholly ridiculous, and unbelievable, but the fact that it is so ridiculous is what makes it watchable to me. It also has a pimp with the worst perm in history (Yaphet Kotto is a pimp as well). That makes me watch, and also the fact that Nichelle Nichols aka Uhura (whose birthday was this week, she's 77) was going around calling everyone "nigga" like she was saying it for the first time. It sounds terrible....but ol' girl was looking great in her forties, yes?

But I really like it because of Isaac Hayes. He just had so much charisma...he was not good looking in any conventional sense at all, but was a master of smoothness, game, and charm. And that voice! He also seemed like a good guy with a genuine sense of humor...I am still lamenting his passing, and when I read who was at his funeral last year, it looked like a who's who list of Hollywood and music; he was obviously loved by many others as well.

For your viewing pleasure--"Truck Turner"--please catch it on cable this month and in January or below...I read that a new Truck Turner is in development--why does Hollywood insist on screwing with perfection?

The trailer:

How Bout Some Trailers?

Okay, regarding my last post--I thought Darktown Strutters would be interesting based on it's premise, but I must say I did not love it. At all. Any movie that randomly has The Dramatics pop up in a jail cell in full costumes doing a full performance with Temptations-like choreography gets a huge side-eye from me. Why were movies that weren't dramas in the 70's so effin weird? I know it was a time of rampant drug use, and a lot of films from that decade were hard evidence of that...from "Tommy" to "Heavy Traffic" to "Darktown Strutters" just to name a few--they were just so disjointed, so horribly edited and all over the place with zero cohesiveness. *sigh* Thank goodness for Fred Williamson...

Anyway, let's view a few trailers, yes? These films at least have a linear storyline, but let me know if you find them interesting (personally I can't wait to see "Brooklyn's Finest"). I will get around to writing about the zillions of films I've seen in the past month and a half.

First up, Chris Rock's remake of "Death At A Funeral", with Danny Glover, Tracy Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Martin Lawrence, and my next husband, fine ass James Marsden.. I've had the original on Tivo for the longest, but still can't get myself to watch it....I would like to see the original before viewing this one with a Black cast-I'd like to see if they made it any different--or better:




Then we have this one, which is not really a Black film, but Sanaa Lathan (down with the swirl once again) was tweeting about how "proud" she was of it. When I first read about this film a year ago, it also got the side-eye from me, and after viewing this trailer, it now has a bigger one; Michael K. Williams from "The Wire" nonwithstanding. I dunno...:




I will be working with the publicity team on this one, so expect to see more about this film--hope you likey, at least for the novelty of seeing Wesley Snipes with back-length cornrows..."Brooklyn's Finest" (Michael K is in this one too, as well as The Cheadle, who I always like a lot more in crime thrillers):




Btw, here is a clip from Darktown Strutters; watch at your own risk (and yes, that is Roger Mosely...the chick is actually the first Black Bond girl for you trivia buffs):

TIVO ALERT! You want to see this...really!

Hey guys: will be back later today--wanted you all to please, please Tivo this if you can....thanks Dennis from Reelblack!

TIVO ALERT

DARKTOWN STRUTTERS ON TCM TONIGHT! Greetings!
Turner Classic Movies' UNDERGROUND series shine the spotlight on two long neglected musical comedies from the blaxploitation era. At 2am, they will air DARKTOWN STRUTTERS (1975), which is filmmaker Mike D's favorite guilty pleasure movie from the 70s. At 3:45 they will screen THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY, a miserable film which featured Donna Summer in her acting debut, and won an Oscar for the disco classic "Last Dance." Between the two films, they will screen a rare featurette starring Redd Foxx about the making of his feature film, NORMAN IS THAT YOU (1976).

From IW: Here is the trailer for "Norman Is That You?" with Redd Foxx and Pearl Bailey. How do you think this movie would fly if it were made today?

In Praise Of Precious....

This is a repost of a guest blog I did on my blogging brother Rippa, aka Rip Dem Up's spot: "The Intersection Of Madness and Reality". Please check him out...he mixes things up over there on a daily basis. Warning--he may piss you off and he loves to do that! PS Thanks to my new followers for doing so, tho I haven't posted in a millennium--love you!



I haven't blogged in a long time--it's not that I haven't wanted to, or had writers block, but somehow I couldn't seem to make the effort. Rippa challenged me to write my thoughts regarding the movie Precious, and the hoopla surrounding it, after reading my heartfelt tweets/anger about the sad folks that started a website to recruit people not to see the film. I mean WTF??

Listen people. I am what you would call the hugest Black Cinema enthusiast. I am completely involved in it every day, whether directly or indirectly via the internet. And for the life of me I cannot understand this backlash on Precious on any level--especially because the bulk of it seems to come from folks who've never even bothered to see it.

I have a blog on Black Cinema, entitled Black Cinema At Large...and on it we have discussed quite often and many times over the problem with Black film today. Most of the common complaints that I have read on my blog are actually addressed and handled beautifully in this film. Want some examples? Here we go:

All we ever get to represent us on screen is either a Tyler Perry film or a Black man in a dress.

This one is easy. Though Tyler Perry executive produced this film, there is absolutely no whiff whatsoever of any Perryism, and only real women play the women, and even 99% of them weren't wearing dresses.


1) Why can't we have a film starring Black people that is just a story? 2) Why do we always have film that puts our pain on screen?

The themes in Precious are universal. There are far, far too many people in the world that are suffering because of poverty and ignorance, not just us. Incest, poverty, and violence are real, in every culture, and happen every single day. Are they never to be addressed on film? This story could happen to anyone, and director Lee Daniels keeps the scenes involving the incest and violence to a minimum, if only just to show the challenges Precious had to break away from. The very focal point of the story is Precious' journey toward enlightenment from darkness. Would it have been easier to view if Precious was light, or was thin, or had long hair? Be honest when you answer that.


1) We are so tired of rappers and singers instead of Black Hollywood actors getting all of the roles in Black film. 2) We never get to see any up and comers given a chance, we see the same actors over and over.

Okay, so Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey are in it. But guess what? Their parts are small, and they actually added some good performances to the story. Lee Daniels made sure that they earned their place in his film--they were not missteps. The main roles are played by someone who has never sang or rapped, Mo'nique, and by newcomer Gabby Sidibe. As I'm sure you've heard or saw by now, both of these actresses put their FOOT in it. Even Paula Patton, who I've never been particularly impressed with as an actress, did an amazing job as Precious' teacher. The students, all unknowns, were completely natural and believable.



When we get a decent Black film made, it never gets any hype or publicity and fades away. All we are left with is coonery.

Ummm...even if you haven't seen this film, you know that it has gotten publicity in a major way, along with tons of major accolades. It broke box office records in it's limited release, and has slowly been expanded it all major markets. This film causes us to actually think, which Americans are probably not used to when watching a movie, and is a Black film that is completely coon free as well--can most wrap their mind around that?


The music and soundtracks in Black film are so awful--what happened to the soundtracks we wanted to buy in the 70's (and 90's)?

When I worked for The Studio That Will Henceforth Remained Unnamed, I was always saying that the soundtrack is an essential tool in creating and effective and compelling film. Daniels seriously knows the value in it as well, and weaves throughout the story added layers of amazing narrative through music; Labelle, Mary J. Blige (produced by Raphael Saadiq), Mahalia Jackson, Queen Latifah; all strong and talented women that came from humble beginnings. And he didn't take the easy way out by filling it with Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey.


The Black Hollywood elite never use their money or clout to back Black films.

Oprah and Tyler Perry? Nuff said



The fact is, if you are paying attention at all, you would know that Precious isn't all about pain, or being ghetto, or fathers raping their daughters, or Black stereotypes. It is about Precious breaking through a foundation of generations of ignorance. Her mother has no value for anything but the basest human functions--food, sex, and TV. Her mind cannot expand beyond what is happening inside of her house, and can barely expand beyond her own animal instincts and thought. Precious lives in the peripheral vision of her mother's mind, only to be recognized when she is hungry, angry, or horny.

The sheer weight of the legacy Precious has to handle, not alone her real weight, make her life almost unbearable. The only difference between Precious and her mother is that Precious has a small ray of hope (though she has no reason to), that she desperately clings to like a life preserver, hoping that one day someone will pull on it and lift her up. She escapes her real life through daydreams and fantasies, until the real life and daydreams start to meld. Yes, tragedy does bring her to a place of enlightenment, but isn't that the case with everyone on this planet? Isn't that why we're here? Does anyone learn anything from having it easy all the time? If you know someone like that, I would be interested to hear about it.

The ignorance of parents passed on to their children is absolutely real. I have been blessed in this life to have two parents that both have their master's degrees, and I have had some very hard and severe challenges in my life with both of them and in life, even on that foundation. But doing some volunteer work in West Oakland (historically a poverty ridden area for a few decades) years ago brought my awareness to a new level....I had always taken for granted so many things that the youth in the community had no knowledge of---the level of ignorance was absolutely crushing....it made me very sad, and very reflective for quite some time. Most of the sadness came from knowing that most of these kids were good, and had so much potential, but it would never be realized because these kids would never be able to move beyond the tools their parents gave them, which was barely above survival level. Most of them had never even been to San Francisco, across the bridge and only 4 miles away.


Precious was able to break free, and the joy of this film is seeing her journey--how when she hears her teacher and her lover speak, she says that "they sound like a channel I don't watch" and instead of being intimidated, strives to be more like them. We see her in a fantastic scene--where the images and sounds surrounding her from all angles; Malcolm X, Shirley Chisholm, the race and civil rights struggle--are slowly but surely chipping away her blindness. Her sheer determination and inexplicable force of will propel her to a life outside of the one she inherited, and though her life does not end up being challenge free, she is a testament that our lives are what we make them to be, and we are the ones solely responsible. And if that is cause for protest, then I got nothin'.

On an added note, anyone who knows anything about producer/director Lee Daniels knows that he consistently and repeatedly steps out of the box. I actually started my blog because of his film "Shadowboxer", because of the unfairness I felt is received from the critics. From that film (with elements of stepmother, son incest), to the very excellent and underrated "The Woodsman" (with pedophilia) to "Monster's Ball" (interracial love and sex) to Precious, Daniels creates images and themes that stir up a myriad of emotions in folks--admiration, reflection, sadness, excitement, anger--everyone has their own interpretation.....and after all, isn't that what art's ultimately supposed to do? If you can't support the content of his films, just be glad that something creative is being done by and for Black people--the studios are watching your every move!

To all of the people who still hate this film, and continue to be vocal about it, I invite you all to marinate on all of the recent studio greenlit Black films coming to a theater near you: Why Did I Get Married 2, Big Mamma's House 3, and Beverly Hills Cop 4---carry on!

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?

Now THIS Is What I'm Talkin' Bout!

Usually it takes my beloved Mr. Howard (aka Terrence) to wake me out of my blogging beauty sleep, but even his laughable "Cleanse And Protect! You Gotta Wash Your Hands!" public fuckery campaign in Philly that takes his love for baby wipes to the next level couldn't wake me this time. I love you guys to death, and have wanted to share a bunch with you, but could not seem to put fingers to keyboard.

Until the very lovely Jez at "Shook" Magazine from in UK sent me this amazing 2 CD masterpiece "Can You Dig It? The Music and Politics of Black Action Films, 1968-75".

Oh. My. God. Let me tell you this--I was in a Radiohead stupor for the past 2 weeks--literally I have listened to nothing but Radiohead very single solitary day at home, at work, and in the car. Only a small miracle could have moved me from Radiohead and my blogging slumber, and that is what I consider this compilation--a small miracle. The gatekeeper of this blog, Pam Grier, graced the cover of the CD, piquing my interest, and I was absolutely hooked from the very first song--Roy Ayers' "Coffy". Need I say more? Well, maybe for the young folk I do, lol. But I don't think I can ever say enough about this spectacular collection.


Blacula, Black Belt Jones, Trouble Man, Cleopatra Jones...you name it, all the classics are here repped by some of the finest jewels in music; James Brown, Issac Hayes, The Impressions, Joe Simon, The Blackbyrds, Marvin Gaye...by the time I got to "Brothers Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch from the classic Blaxploitation "The Mack", I was completely, thoroughly, and absolutely in love, lol. Did you know Sweet Sweetback's Theme was by Earth, Wind and Fire? I might have, but forgot--it's tidbits like that that make this even more of a treasure. All of my memories of these films came rushing back, and I was very grateful to the people behind this project for having the amazing foresight and what must have been a good deal of patience for licensing. I even loved the fact that they called it a homage to "Black Action Films" as opposed to Black Exploitation, or Blaxploitation, two terms I never really cared for.

I wish I could print the entire site here, but I can't--it might take you a while to read, plus it would take up about three pages of this blog...here is a bit more info (trust me, it will be the best gift to yourself you can possibly get all year, for reals!). Purchase and have one of your best parties ever!:

Can You Dig It?’ charts the rise of ‘Black Action Films’ from 1968-75. As well as featuring a double-CD collection of the stunning music from these films, ‘Can You Dig It?’ comes with a 100-page booklet, mini-film poster cards and stickers. For images, more info please call Karen or Angela on 020 7734 3341. Or email us on angela@soundsoftheuniverse.com or karen@soundsoftheuniverse.com

Here is the opening segment to the song "Brothers Gonna Work It Out", taken from an actual scene in "The Mack". Loves it.

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?

Urkel, Is That You?

This is a repost of a piece I did 2 years ago on crazy critic Armond White. I reposted it so you can get a bit more of a feel of what I'm talking about on the post above...

I thought that Armond White was a bit rough on "Talk To Me" and Kasi Lemmons....sure, it wasn't the greatest film, but it was no "Soul Plane" either. (I posted his review yesterday).

So I did a bit of snoopin' around on dude, and found some interesting tidbits. Even though they kinda speak for themselves, I will give up a bit of commentary:

-He is known for his support of Steven Spielberg, Brian DePalma, D.W. Griffith (?!!), and Charles Stone III (who directed the classics "Mr. 3000", "Drumline", and "Paid In Full") *1

-He started at the New York Black weekly newspaper "The City Sun" extolling the virtues of Morrisey, The Pet Shop Boys, and Erasure. *2

-Goes on about people like Spike Lee "sullying the Black Experience". *3

-Gave high praises to the films "Torque", "Little Man" (?), "Sahara", and "Against The Ropes" *4

-Had the audacity to write a book about Tupac. *5

*1 He gives big love to the richest man in Hollywood, a misogynist director who has never featured anyone black in his films, the director who made "Birth of a Nation", the most racist film in history, and some bootleg director to show he is "down"? Dude seriously knows what side his bread is buttered on.

*2 That's like your grandmother buying Jet magazine to find out about all the latest going-ons of Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton, and Jessica Simpson.

*3 Huh?

*4 No comment necessary

*5 Do we really want someone who was writing reviews before I was born and who emulated Pauline Kael to write a book about the effects of Tupac on the world?

He reminds me of another mainstream "expert" who also had his origins in the non-black world decades ago, whose "expertise" is also questionable, but not his ability to generate controversy. "Stylist" Andre Leon Talley:

Obscurities...

There've been some things floating around on my radar recently that came into view several times, and actually made your favorite slacker curious enough to investigate them further (something rarely done, haha).

First up is this dude Eamonn Walker that folks are talking about as Howlin' Wolf in Cadillac Records. I first heard of him when UBM said "he was like the Idris Elba of the 90's". I saw from Thembi that he was on "OZ", but I have reported on this blog that I never really watched that show, and why.

He does seem to be a good choice to play Howlin' Wolf, as he has the old school manly look about him, good to play someone from the southern back woods of the 40's and 50's like Wolf was. This role may propel him to the mainstream stardom that seemed to escape him, as I see he's done an awful lot of TV (and British at that) and not too much film. He was in "Unbreakable" with Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson, but I don't really remember that....


The next dude is way more obscure...at least to folks born after 1975. I have been watching a lot of throwback movies on cable, and this dude kept popping up with his big bubblicious eyeballs..."Across 110th Street", "Gordon's War", "Body And Soul"...there he was, with his intense stares and super-dooper fly "threads"--always the bad guy putting foot to ass. Who was this guy, anyway? Well, it turns out his name is Gilbert Lewis, and he was also in "Cotton Comes To Harlem" and "Fort Apache The Bronx", two of my faves, tho not in prominant or memorable roles.

Just as obscure seems to be pictures of him from back in the day...I could only find the blurry one of him above, and even in that one he's in the background. He's done a lot of guest starring stints on TV, but guess what? He was "The King Of Cartoons" on "Pee Wee's Playhouse". I thought that was the dude from Blackula? Hmmm...maybe both of them played him. Someone on that show was obviously a Blaxplotation fan with a wicked sense of humor....high five!


And last on my current obscurity list is a film called "Proud". When Spike was going around talking ish while promoting "Miracle At St. Anna" he was saying how there were no films available about Black WWII heroes and their battles. Well, lo and behold, he showed Pete Chapmon's "761st" to his cast of "Miracle" for inspiration (?) and when I thought about it, there was also the movie about the Tuskegee Airmen, with Laurence Fishburne, Allen Payne, Malcolm- Jamal Warner, Andre Braugher, Courtney B. Vance, Mekhi Phifer, and Cuba Gooding, Jr. I believe that last time I looked, they were Black.


Then there's the film "Proud" which is being shown on cable all this month, with the plot described as this:

Lorenzo DuFau (OSSIE DAVIS) is a hero. As a World War II sailor, he helped save the world in 1944. As a black man, he had to fight to get in the fight -- yet his country ignores him ...

His son dismisses him as a failure ...

His grandson hardly knows him ...

Until late one night when he finally tells his grandson Larry (ALBERT JONES), and Larry's two college friends Kevin (ERIK LARAY HARVEY) and Marcus (JEFFREY NASH), about his ship, the USS Mason.

In the segregated Navy, with the vast majority of black men relegated to duty as stewards or laborers, DuFau and his shipmates were the only crew to take a warship into combat.

From IW: You can read the rest of the plot, as well as read the film blog and get inside information about the movie HERE. It also stars Denise Nicholas, Kidada Jones, and Keisha Whitaker (Forest's wife).


Madame Invisible may have to do some detective work and find some more Black war hero stories....

**Update**: Blacula did also play "The King Of Cartoons". His name is William Marshall....you're welcome. :-)

7 Questions With Screenwriter Barry Michael Cooper....

"About five years ago, I accepted the fact that I had fallen off.

Let me be clear: I knew I fell off in 1998, when I couldn't sell a script, couldn't get a call-back from a studio, producer or a manager, and my agency--William Morris--decided to drop me, all because I slapped a call girl in the lobby of the Sofitel on Beverly Boulevard, a call girl who I had a relationship with and promised to blow up like MJB.

Oh, of course I was married and had two young children while I was why?-lin' out in Hollywon't. Don't let me forget that."

That is the opening of the cautionary confession that Barry Michael Cooper, aka BMC, wrote in an article that you can read HERE. His journey has been one of success, trial and tribulation, lessons learned, and triumph. After penning such community favorites as "New Jack City", "Above The Rim", and "Sugar Hill", he enjoyed fame followed by infamy, then a crushing career flatline...only to rise like a phoenix out of the ashes.

His honesty is beautiful, and a morality tale that one should never take anything for granted. I am honored that he took the time to participate on my post of "7 Questions":


Question #1

The films that you wrote were staples of the nineties. It is pretty well documented how you came up with the idea for "New Jack City", but how did you come up with the screenplay for "Sugar Hill"?

Sugar Hill came about after I had seen a Cassavetes retrospective in the East Village in the summer of 1991. I actually watched the film "Faces" maybe 3 times in one day: I was blown away by the freedom of the narrative and the acting, and the neo-realism of the cinematography. I began to research and study John Cassavetes, who I remembered from the film "The Dirty Dozen", which also starred Lee Marvin, and Jim Brown. I also read that Cassavetes was also influenced by Black filmmaker William Greaves, and all of the groundbreaking documentaries and films like "Symbiopsychotaxiplasm", that he had done.

It was at that point I wanted to write a piece that was urban but still kind of a existential character study of a street dude who wanted more than the dead end life he had chosen for himself. I also watched the George Cukor version of "A Star Is Born" which starred James Mason and Judy Garland. So a myriad of narratives were tracking in my head. The first draft of "Sugar Hill" was a script I wrote in 1991 called "Skeezer", and it was from the p.o.v. of this party girl who was a struggling actress by day and a phone sex operator at night, who meets this drug dealer and they fall in love in the midst of two lives that were burning from the flames of bad choices. And the title "Skeezer" did not refer to this woman, Melissa: it described the guys she was meeting at the Chelsea bar/club called Nells. Actors, ballplayers, boxers, ghetto celebs, who weren't just sexual whores, but life-whores: the debauched. Dudes whose mindset was, "I want the world and everything in it, and I will do anything to get everything." These dudes were the real "skeezers".

But Beacon-Fox thought that subject matter was a little bit much, and the title as well, so needless to say, the movie went through a few changes. But it is my favorite film, hands down.


Question #2

Tupac made only a few films, each one showing his immense potential as an actor. What was your experience like on the set with him on "Above The Rim"?

I wasn't on the set of "Above The Rim", and the day I was supposed to meet Pac, I was editing a music video for the singer Jeff Redd, in Soho. By the time I arrived to the Rucker Basketball court on 155th Street and 8th Avenue, Tupac had gone. I think that guy is an acting legend. So tragic that he is not with us anymore. GOD Rest his soul.

Question #3

You seemed to have worked through the betrayal on your career in Hollywood, but many other shining and revered black auteurs in the same period in the nineties seemed to have faded away as well; Matty Rich, and The Hughes Brothers, just to name two. What is your take on that supposed Black film renaissance and resurgence just disappearing into thin air?

The Cinematic Black Renaissance of the 90s is a unique epoch: we may see a resurgence of Black film in the age of President Barack Obama, but not like what we experienced two decades ago. Check it: nineteen films between 1989 and 1992-3, that had either Black producers, directors, and screenwriters? Nah. I think it was a phenomenon that kind of dovetailed with what the great author and cultural critic Nelson George wrote about in his book Post Soul Nation: we found our voice and our gravity as Black people in the oppressive and dismissive years of the Reagan era.

It was Jesse Jackson, it was Michael Jackson, it was Michael Jordan, it was Prince, it was Al Sharpton, it was Spike Lee, it was Barry Michael Cooper, Greg Tate, and Nelson George at the Village Voice. It was David Dinkins as mayor of New York. Reagan and the Reagan era had an intense disdain for Black folk, and Black folk responded by rising to the challenge and excelling in all endeavors, and that sense of pride and work ethic transposed itself to the world of film, too. However, I think we became complacent during the Clinton era. I believe rap and Hip Hop found a darker but profound voice during the Clinton era, but in film, we had a foolish sense of entitlement. And a lot of us--and I am speaking for myself--we lost our way. We thought the gates at Sony, Warners, Fox, etc., would stay open forever. But Hollywood not only eats its' young, Hollywood eats anything that's green. And when it's not green its not part of their menu anymore. So I believe a confluence of those factors led to a lot of folk losing their way.

Question #4

Do you think there is a double standard in Hollywood with bad behavior? Non-black Hollywood's DUI's, car crashes, drug addictions, and other even more questionable behavior seem to be overlooked--indeed sometimes even garnering more support for the persons involved. Hollywood and it's ilk usually seem to rally around those that have deep personal issues. Do you feel that Black Hollywood doesn't offer the same support systems? Is that why you weren't able to even work with your own community?

I don't think the double standard has anything to do with race: it lends itself to who makes the most money for the studios or networks. If you are a cash cow, you can almost kill with impunity, and get away with it. That's what fixers are all about, the highly-paid "sin eaters". If you are making money, you are valuable. It not, you become expendable. It has nothing to do with race. Look at the gossip blogs, look at the blind items, and if they are to be believed, then a lot of our popular icons in the Black community are living more off the hook than Caligula, lol. But as long as they make money for the studios and networks, their negative behavior will not only be protected, but encouraged. Once the dollar dries up though, their mugshots will be online, along with the tearful confessions on YouTube and Access Hollywood. You know the routine...

Question #5

A subject that comes up here quite often is the dissatisfaction with what "The Hollywood Machine" is producing in the way of Black Cinema. What, in your opinion, can the public at large do to change things? (Everyone gets asked this question, btw)

The public can support idiosyncratic Black film, be it online, on cable, at the local art house cinema, or just buying the Dvd online at Amazon or Barnes and Noble. We can support these kind of films. Because at the end of the day, that ka-ching is the lever in the voting booth of Hollywood. We vote with our dollars and Hollywood needs that vote!

Question #6

What projects are you working on now? Anything we can look forward to in the future?

I have transitioned into television: TV is really hot right now, and a gold rush for filmmakers, especially cable. Like the real estate mantra, "Location, location, location", in TV it's "Content, content, content". I produced the Season Three premiere of BET's crime doc series "American Gangster". The episode focused on the 80s Bronx gunman Larry Davis, and that particular episode was the biggest Original Series premiere in BET history, with 2 million viewers thus far. The episode aired 23 October 2008, but you can see the episode and the other episodes American Gangster on iTunes. Please order it! (lol) I also have an indie movie playing on the web titled "Blood On The Wall$" which can be viewed at www.citypaper.com/go/botw

I am also blogging for Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barry-michael-cooper I am also doing a few more films and TV shows that will premiere online. When they are about to happen, IW, I will give you the scoop before anyone else.

Question #7

Any thoughts or advice you would like to leave for the readers? We have filmmakers as well as film lovers on this blog regularly.

My advice to other filmmakers out there is never, ever give up. With the advent of online cinema, the playing field is wide open. Do your own films, and premiere them online. If you post it, they will come, to paraphrase the catchphrase from "Field Of Dreams". And know that Providence will make a way out of no way. Even if you don't believe in GOD, believe in the Essence of this life that's bigger than you. Because cinema is about the belief of the unbelievable. So keep grinding, and don't give up.


From IW: Veeeery interesting. A testament that one should never give up, and keep it moving and keep it positive no matter what....loves it. Look for him on The Huffington Post HERE. Be blessed BMC!