When Sony Pictures asked Director X to remake 1972 blaxploitation classic “Super Fly,” he had never seen the original. He had also never helmed a studio feature — just a 2015 indie, a Lifetime movie (“Center Stage: On Pointe”), and some of the most memorable music videos of the past 20 years, from Sisqó’s “Thong Song” to Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” viewed more than 1.4 billion times on YouTube.
However, while Director X created visuals for Jay-z, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, and Lil Wayne, “Lethal Weapon” and “Matrix” franchises producer Joel Silver struggled to get his “Super Fly” revamp made. “Joel had the rights, he had a studio that wanted to make it,” Director X told IndieWire. “The studio told him, ‘We don’t want to call it ‘Super Fly,’ and we don’t want it to be about anything that the original movie was about.'”
From that bizarre pronouncement,...
However, while Director X created visuals for Jay-z, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Justin Bieber, and Lil Wayne, “Lethal Weapon” and “Matrix” franchises producer Joel Silver struggled to get his “Super Fly” revamp made. “Joel had the rights, he had a studio that wanted to make it,” Director X told IndieWire. “The studio told him, ‘We don’t want to call it ‘Super Fly,’ and we don’t want it to be about anything that the original movie was about.'”
From that bizarre pronouncement,...
- 6/22/2018
- by Jenna Marotta
- Indiewire
There is a fine line between stereo-typing and the honest portrayal of criminals in cinema. Films such as Public Enemy (1931), Goodfellas, and both versions of Scarface (1932 and 1983) are examples of films both under attack and praised for its portrayal of criminals. Brian De Palma’s version of Scarface especially divides audiences and critics as to whether the character of Cuban import Tony Montana is a racial caricature or an honest look at greed and corruption. Blaxploitation cinema’s portrayal of criminals is no different drawing criticism from the African-American community, especially Rev. Jesse Jackson and the NAACP. The pimps and drug pushers in Blaxploitation cinema are considered just the same, walking the line of stereo-type and being socially conscious.
#5 The Candy Tangerine Man (1975)
Written by Mikel Angel
Directed by Matt Cimber
“Your cash ain’t nothin’ but trash.”
The Baron is a Sunset Blvd pimp that pushes his women to...
#5 The Candy Tangerine Man (1975)
Written by Mikel Angel
Directed by Matt Cimber
“Your cash ain’t nothin’ but trash.”
The Baron is a Sunset Blvd pimp that pushes his women to...
- 11/4/2012
- by Gregory Day
- SoundOnSight
The scene below is from the 1977 black film The Baron with Calvin Lockhart, Marlene Clark (who I just profiled in a recent piece about her interview in Shock Magazine Here) and Beverly Johnson – yes the model Beverly Johnson). It was written and directed by Phillip Fenty who wrote the 1973 blaxploitation classic Super Fly, and deals with a filmmaker trying to make a black film but winds up in over his head when he borrows money from the Mafia to make it.
Fenty is currently restoring his film for a 2011 DVD release of the remastered version compete with commentary and extras; below is a very brief scene from the film where Lockhart gets a friend to loan him some money. Now that I know how easy it is, I’m going to be doing it all the time…...
Fenty is currently restoring his film for a 2011 DVD release of the remastered version compete with commentary and extras; below is a very brief scene from the film where Lockhart gets a friend to loan him some money. Now that I know how easy it is, I’m going to be doing it all the time…...
- 12/19/2010
- by Sergio
- ShadowAndAct
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