THE OBENSON REPORT

Covering Cinema From All Across The African Diaspora

'Black Dynamite' Is Going To Fight The Man!

Wow! I don't know how this didn't register on my radar... until now! Some of you may already be aware of it, but I think this is the first I'm hearing/seeing anything about it.

This will either be incredibly brilliant, or a complete bust! Let's hope it's the former!

The film is called Black Dynamite. Here's it's synopsis, straight out of a 70s Blaxploitation film DVD liner: This is the story of 1970s African-American action legend Black Dynamite. The Man killed his brother, pumped heroin into local orphanages, and flooded the ghetto with adulterated malt liquor. Black Dynamite was the one hero willing to fight The Man all the way from the blood-soaked city streets to the hallowed halls of the Honky House.

However, it's a film made this century, scheduled for release later this year, starring Michael Jai White as "Black Dynamite," and an unlikely cast of co-stars, including, Arsenio Hall who plays a character called "Tasty Freeze," Tommy Davidson (from In Living Color) is known as "Cream Corn" and Sally Richardson as "Gloria." Intriguing to say the least!

No release date yet, but I'm definitely curious based on what I saw in the trailer below. It even has that washed out, cheap look that many films from that era are known for, along with the stilted acting, cheesy dialogue, and all-around sloppy production values. It really had me fooled, because it does look like it was made decades ago, with actors from that time period. But it's a 2007/2008 production with a 2008 release schedule planned.

The filmmaker, by the way, is Scott Sanders. Never heard of him? Neither have I! I don't even know whether he is black man, although his IMDB resume says he got his start writing for A Different World in the early 90s, as well as the Charles Dutton series, Roc. But none of that certifies anything.


As I said, this could be a genius tribute to Blaxploitation flicks, or just another waste of space and time. I found write-ups on several other sites that were really siked about it, but we won't know anything with certainty until it actually makes its way to theatres (assuming it does) or DVD.

See for yourself:

7 comments:

  1. The Wendilicious Wonder said...
     

    This is some kind of joke, right...? Some elaborate ruse posted to see how many people fall for it.

    70s blaxploispoof, replete with super saxy n!gga who can keep it up for all the ladies of the world... in one night! LOL. Because, hey, he wouldn't be a bonefide black man other wise, right...?

    I call complete bust! With cheese on it!

    And um... is it just me, or is there a scene from 'The Spook Who Sat by the Door' at 1:53...?

  2. Anonymous said...
     

    Blaxploitation flims are already egregious spoofs. Why spoof a spoof?

  3. Anonymous said...
     

    At first I thought, this looks like it'll make a funny 5 minute MadTV skit not a feature film. but the more it sits, the more I watch the clip, the more curious I am. So I'm not ready to throw it in the trash just yet. Anyone bold enough to make a film like this in 2008 has to be either really foolish or slicky smart.

  4. Invisible Woman said...
     

    Dang--I thought this was part of the trailers from that Quentin Tarantino "Death Proof" movie awile back, where they were showing retro trailers before the movie.

    Weird.

  5. The Obenson Report said...
     

    Haters, all of you :o)

    I'm kidding, of course.

    But I'll keep my eye on it as more info is revealed. I'm curious.

  6. The Wendilicious Wonder said...
     

    @ catch: Why spoof a spoof...?

    Um, I dunno. Ask Keenan Wayans of 'I'm Gonna Get You Sucka' fame.

    And, as egregious as they were, were the original blaxploitation movies spoofs or B movies with predominantly-black casts?

  7. Anonymous said...
     

    I am writing on behalf of Ars Nova Entertainment, the production company for BLACK DYNAMITE. It is not a joke! Visit BlackDynamite.com for more, soon to be updated information.

    ATTN The Obenson Report author: To express our appreciation, we would like to offer you a free limited edition Black Dynamite T-shirt. If you are interested, please advise us of your size preference and a street address.

    Sincerely,

    Samuel Bauer
    assistant@arsnovaent.com

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