As both a satire & blaxploitation fan I have really been looking forward to seeing BLACK DYNAMITE ever since I saw a perfect trailer for it months ago. It was in the theaters for about a day, but I finally saw it last night, and believe me when I tell you it kicked some serious **s.
Essentially a parody of the entire 1970’s blaxploitation genre as a whole, this movie really gets it right. Cheesy dialogue, horrible choreographed fight scenes, boom mikes in the shot, tacky over-the top period clothing, gratuitous nudity…it’s got it all. They even shot it on grainy 16 mm film stock, and edited it so the story is very choppy and mildly hard to follow.
The main character Black Dynamite is a broad parody of Shaft. He’s a former government agent who plans to clean up the ghetto from drug dealing, cops & other villains of the genre, all who want him dead, all whilst avenging the death of his recently slain brother.
Along with the shaft parody, many of B.D.’s friends are satires of characters from other films that fans will recognize, including Black Belt Jones, and my favorite, “Bullhorn” who sends up my favorite star of the blaxploitation scene, DOLOMITE!
Black Dynamite got everything right…including a very funky soundtrack, and an animated sequence when Black Dynamite is getting his lovin’ on that, well, you’ll just have to watch it.
This is a very funny satire/homage to some great films of yesteryear, and I loved it. We have it new at Moviecycle to own right now, and will have it to rent very soon. Put it on yer list.
Here’s a trailer to whet your whistle you Bad Muther****ers!
Grr
It’s another beautiful sunny pre-spring day here in Ballard, so get out there and enjoy it while you can! And while you’re out there, be sure to stop into the store to pick up a movie or two before the evening cool turns to cold.
New release this week is the retro-blaxploitation comedy Black Dynamite:
“…the smoothest, baddest cat on the street. He’s a ladies’ man and the man with the plan. He’s also a former CIA agent out to avenge his brother’s death. Whether he’s taking down drug dealers or sweet-talking foxy mommas, he’s the man out to stop The Man. Take a wild ride from the mean streets of the ghetto to some funky clubs downtown, all the way to the “Honky House” with this bad-ass, tough-as-nails action hero.”
How can you not want to see this?
Other recent arrivals include the not-nearly-as-campy Death Wish, the original bad-ass vigilante flick starring Charles Bronson and his mustache, Hellraiser, To Catch A Thief, The Amityville Horror (original 1979 version), Die Hard 2, Mean Streets and Ronin. Huh. I just noticed we have a little mini Robert DeNiro section going on, with the above-mentioned Ronin and Mean Streets, plus Raging Bull and Goodfellas.
Anyhow… sunny day, new releases, fresh air and an awesome assortment of movies right here in Ballard!