Post by klep on Feb 1, 2016 7:40:23 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 2/1: Black Dynamite
Sex. Drugs. Soul. Pimps. Hos. Brothers. The Man. The Streets. These are all features of that glorious and problematic genre of blaxploitation. It's a genre that's not typically aiming for anything more than cheap thrills (though there are exceptions), and cheap is the operative word in more ways than one. Because blaxploitation films were often shot for little money, you would often see dramatic differences in picture quality between scenes, obvious mistakes by the cast or crew, stock footage, or any number of other errors or shortcuts. The people making them wanted to give everyone a good time, but they frequently didn't have the resources to do more than one or two takes and had to make do with what they had.
Black Dynamite is not a satire of blaxploitation. Nor is it an homage in the way a Tarantino film might be. Instead, it is more a loving attempt to recreate the magic of those 70's pictures for a modern crowd, warts and all. The film is intentionally full of errors. A boom mike drops into the frame. Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) struggles to hang up a phone. Actors read stage directions or are suddenly replaced mid-shot. They mark a creative team that's in love with their subject no matter how ugly it may look, and they want us to love it too.
Which isn't hard. Because Black Dynamite is also very fun to watch. Black Dynamite himself has tons of quotable lines, the plot is entertainingly wild with appropriately broad acting, and cliches are played straight and to the hilt. It's always a pleasure to see a team with so much belief in what they're doing and having so much fun doing it.
So let's dig in. What are your favorite bits or lines? Your favorite "errors"? What are your favorite cheap blaxploitation movies that lovers of this film might be able to go back and enjoy? Are there any other examples of this kind of recreation of a bargain-basement genre to share?
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 2/8: O Brother, Where Art Thou
For the second time this year, the Coen Brothers win the Movie of the Week as we settle in for their latest, Hail Caesar. I believe this also makes them the first directors to get to three Movies of the Week (counting the ones on The Dissolve). O Brother, Where Art Thou is available for rental on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 2/2: John Carter/The Martian
We'll devote this Wednesday to discussion of the former and next Wednesday to the more recent film. Both are available for rental on Amazon Instant Video, though neither are free for Prime Members.
Sex. Drugs. Soul. Pimps. Hos. Brothers. The Man. The Streets. These are all features of that glorious and problematic genre of blaxploitation. It's a genre that's not typically aiming for anything more than cheap thrills (though there are exceptions), and cheap is the operative word in more ways than one. Because blaxploitation films were often shot for little money, you would often see dramatic differences in picture quality between scenes, obvious mistakes by the cast or crew, stock footage, or any number of other errors or shortcuts. The people making them wanted to give everyone a good time, but they frequently didn't have the resources to do more than one or two takes and had to make do with what they had.
Black Dynamite is not a satire of blaxploitation. Nor is it an homage in the way a Tarantino film might be. Instead, it is more a loving attempt to recreate the magic of those 70's pictures for a modern crowd, warts and all. The film is intentionally full of errors. A boom mike drops into the frame. Black Dynamite (Michael Jai White) struggles to hang up a phone. Actors read stage directions or are suddenly replaced mid-shot. They mark a creative team that's in love with their subject no matter how ugly it may look, and they want us to love it too.
Which isn't hard. Because Black Dynamite is also very fun to watch. Black Dynamite himself has tons of quotable lines, the plot is entertainingly wild with appropriately broad acting, and cliches are played straight and to the hilt. It's always a pleasure to see a team with so much belief in what they're doing and having so much fun doing it.
So let's dig in. What are your favorite bits or lines? Your favorite "errors"? What are your favorite cheap blaxploitation movies that lovers of this film might be able to go back and enjoy? Are there any other examples of this kind of recreation of a bargain-basement genre to share?
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 2/8: O Brother, Where Art Thou
For the second time this year, the Coen Brothers win the Movie of the Week as we settle in for their latest, Hail Caesar. I believe this also makes them the first directors to get to three Movies of the Week (counting the ones on The Dissolve). O Brother, Where Art Thou is available for rental on Amazon Instant Video, though it is not free for Prime members.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 2/2: John Carter/The Martian
We'll devote this Wednesday to discussion of the former and next Wednesday to the more recent film. Both are available for rental on Amazon Instant Video, though neither are free for Prime Members.