(Long Island, N.Y.) The movie business, just like most things in life, is rife with politics, and at times like these politics can prevent otherwise groundbreaking films from achieving the success they so richly deserve. Sometimes, they can be set up to fail by a studio bigwig looking to prove that his own mundane projects are the way to go.
Other times, they can fall prey to clueless marketing types who clearly don’t know what to do when something unusual comes along, and as a result simply do the bare minimum to promote it (which can be nothing at all). After all, in their minds, it’s best to save money on advertising and let the offending movie die a quick death at the box office so they can get to generic garbage they think the public really wants to see- usually something involving big explosions and lots and lots of computer graphics. It’s sad when someone’s had work ends up on the chopping block like that.
Now, along comes Black Dynamite. A spoof of “Blaxploitation” movies (an action genre created in the early 1970’s featuring black casts for black audiences, and one I‘m a big fan of), BD is one of the funniest and most original movies I’ve seen in years. But alas, I haven’t seen any posters for it in theaters, commercials on TV, or trailers attached to any of the movies I’ve seen recently (and I see an average of 1-2 a week). It’s also getting a very limited release- as of this writing, it’s only showing at two theaters on Long Island (Commack and Valley Stream) and a small handful in Manhattan. It’s obvious that, for whatever reason, Black Dynamite is a victim of the above-mentioned studio politicking, and it’s a total shame. Marketed correctly (read: at all), I think this could have done really well. It’s a damn fine movie.
First off: Black Dynamite, as played by veteran actor Michael Jai White, is perhaps one of the greatest bad-asses ever to appear on the silver screen. Why? I’ll list off why, point-by-point. Black Dynamite:
- Is cool
- Is tough
- Is buff
- Is an ex-CIA agent
- Is a Vietnam Vet
- Is a Kung-Fu master
- Has a big afro
- Drives an even bigger Caddy
- Owns a fine polyester wardrobe
- Has no qualms about beating up stubborn old ladies for info (always a plus)
- Can service 5 women at a time (!!!!)
- Wields a big Magnum (the gun, not…oh, never mind)
We’ll stop our little list there. This IS a family website, after all.
Black Dynamite, a suave ladies man who “drives a $5000 car and wears $100 suits,” is called back into action by the CIA when the Mafia kills his brother, delivers heroin to the orphanage, and floods the ghetto with bad malt liquor. To avenge his brother, protect the kids, and clean up the streets, Black Dynamite must use his wits, hands, feet, nunchucks, and an assortment of real big guns, eventually uncovering a conspiracy leading all the way to the White House! But if any man is up to the task, it’s Black Dynamite!
Calling Black Dynamite a “parody” wouldn’t be accurate- it’s more of a loving, tongue-in-cheek homage to the entire Black Action genre. Unlike 1988’s lackluster I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, BD doesn’t make fun of its source material- for the most part this movie plays it straight, while adhering to all the little details you’d expect from 70’s Blaxploitation- guns, bellbottoms, hot ladies, kickin’ tail, and stickin’ it to The Man! You can tell that writer/director Scott Sanders and co-writer/star Michael Jai White were big fans of movies like the late Rudy Ray Moore’s Dolemite and Richard Roundtree’s Shaft, and set to re-create that type of experience (fun, warts, and all) for modern audiences.
What’s really amazing is that this movie looks like it was actually shot back in the 70’s! Film grain, bad editing, wacky camera work, porn-style wah-wah music, stock footage, you name it. A lot of work obviously went into the production of Black Dynamite in terms of nailing its authentic Blaxploitation feel, and aside from some bad CG (which stands out rather harshly when everything else is so vintage), the filmmakers really pulled it off. In fact, if you were flipping through the channels one night and came across Black Dynamite, you’re never suspect it was a modern movie- you’d swear it was the best Blaxploitation movie you never saw.
And while the cast is great all-around (especially Byron Minns as Bullhorn, a character clearly inspired by Dolemite), the main reason that Black Dynamite succeeds is star Michael Jai White, in what SHOULD have been his big break-out role (had Apparition, the film’s lame-duck distributor, done ANYTHING to support this film). Unlike most actors nowadays trying to play tough guy roles, White actually possesses the charisma, physicality and legit real-life martial arts abilities to make pulling off such a character a breeze- Black Dynamite is one BAD man! Here’s a good example why: In one scene, Black Dynamite confronts a pool hall full of mean dudes who threaten him with a butt whoopin’ unless he leaves. BD turns and walks towards the door, but instead of leaving he slides the gate shut and flips the “closed” sign. Carnage ensues.
Of course, even a flick as awesome as Black Dynamite can have a few minor issues- it does have a few spots where it loses the authentic feel and goes a bit overboard on the spoof, and there are those aforementioned bad CG shots- there’s one scene where a man’s running around on fire that looks horribly fake. But overall, these are minor quibbles and not really worth dwelling on.
Here’s a quick story for you: I originally saw Black Dynamite over 4 months ago at a test screening in Manhattan. After the movie was over, questionnaires were handed out and 25 people were selected to be interviewed by the marketing people for their in-depth opinions. The focus group was kind of an odd insight to how the studios do some of their research- the 25 people were obviously cherry-picked, 25/25 loved the movie, and the marketing dudes seemed to have trouble understanding why. They were just so out of touch, despite asking us every question they could think of (why we all thought it was excellent, what made it excellent, what got us interested, what the best scenes were, what age group it should appeal to, if it would appeal to guys or girls, etc). No wonder Black Dynamite is getting no advertising.
So, in closing, I have to say that Black Dynamite is more than worth the effort you’ll expend in tracking down a theater it’s actually playing at. In going to see it, you’ll be accomplishing two things: One, you’ll be helping support an entertaining, independent film that’s getting no help whatsoever from its distributor; and Two, you’ll be telling The Man that he can’t tell you what movies YOU want to see! So don’t be no jive turkey, brothers and sisters- show Black Dynamite some love.
