On this episode we look at a genre and a sub-genre within that - Blaxploitation horror films! Blaxploitation was a genre that existed for only a short time in the 70s, but had a major impact. Together with our guest, Lord Blood-Rah, we'll discuss the origins of the genre and then take a look at several horror films that spun out of it.
Blacula (1972) is probably the best-known of these films, and it's a well-done vampire story. William Marshall plays Prince Mamuwalde, who is turned into a vampire by Dracula himself. He awakens in modern day (1970s) Los Angeles and discovers what he believes to be his reincarnated wife. Of course, carnage ensues! It's a terrific, even scary film and you should see it if you haven't.
It was followed up the next year by Scream Blacula Scream, which saw Blacula brought back to unlife by means of voodoo. Blacula once again stalks LA, but he tires of being a vampire and seeks a cure via voodoo priestess Pam Grier.
Definitely the most unusual of the films we cover is Ganja and Hess (1973), which has been described as an experimental horror film or an art film. Whatever you want to call it, it is in a category all its own. The creation of writer/director Bill Gunn (who also acts in it), it tells the story of Dr. Hess Green, who is an expert on the ancient Myrthian people of Africa, who drank blood. He gets a new assistant who is completely insane and attacks him with a Myrthian artifact, which turns Hess into a vampire himself. Eventually Hess begins a relationship with Ganja, the wife of his former assistant, and she too becomes a vampire. The film is extremely moody and stark. Duane Jones, best known for his role as Ben in Night of the Living Dead, plays Hess.
We follow these up by looking at Abby (1974), a take on The Exorcist, Sugar Hill (1974), a zombie revenge flick, and last but certainly not least, Rudy Ray Moore's Petey Wheatstraw, The Devil's Son-in-Law (1977), where the Dolemite actor takes on Satan himself. Certainly a variety of films to choose from!
For our Sensor Sweep, Commander Larry shares a very appropriate book: Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to present by Robin R. Means-Coleman. This tome takes a deep look at the history of African Americans in horror films, and how their roles changed over time. There's also a documentary of the same name. Check it out!
Don't forget, you can catch Lord Blood-Rah on LordBloodRah.com. There you can find links to his long-running series, Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve Wrackin' Theater, as well as his podcast, his Patreon series, and more. If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, he will be hosting live sci fi and horror movies at the Orinda Theater every 3rd Saturday night of the month at 9:30 -there's a full bar too! Creature Features day is a daylong celebration of the original Bay Area Creature Features hosted by Bob Wilkins and later John Stanley, and will be held on April 24th at the Orinda Theater. More info can be found at LordBloodRah.com.
That's all for now folks. We hope you enjoyed this extra-long episode! Send us your thoughts, suggestions, coupons...
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Oh, man: I loved this show so much, because a) I'm a big fan of Blaxploitation films and b) despite my general avoidance of a lot of horror, I've actually seen four of the films you discussed.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Blacula and its sequel are really solid horror films, and much of their re-watchability over the years has to do with Marshall in the lead role. Although I have to complain that while the always amazing Pam Grier got a shout for her appearance in the sequel, nobody even mentioned the lovely Vonetta McGee as the female lead in the first one.
I've also seen Ganja & Hess and while I apparently don't like it as much as Larry and Lord Blood-Rah, I didn't hate it as much as Karen and Bob did. However, I would definitely say that it is not at all Blaxploitation - I'd classify it an art horror film instead.
Sugar Hill is another one I really enjoyed - it's a great, just barely horror film (I think it's more of a straight-forward revenge story). I tend to prefer voodoo zombies over zombie apocalypse stories (with all that eating of human flesh) and, yes, I *loved* the Baron Samedi character. (By the way, as far as I know, in voodoo mythology Samedi can roughly be considered something of a combination of a lord of the dead, like Hades, and a trickster god, like Loki or maybe the coyote in various Native American mythologies.)
Otherwise, your observations about the way homosexuality is treated in Blaxploitation films are pretty spot on: it's one of the chief criticisms I'd make of the genre as a whole, as negative depictions of mainly gay men often crop up in them, and anti-gay slurs are used quite liberally in many of those I've seen.
And also, 'Bohunk' is a derogatory term that initially referred to Czech immigrants (just like 'Polak' was used for Polish immigrants). It's derived from the name of the main Czech territory in the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, Bohemia. As far as I know, it was also used against Slovaks and even (non-Slav) Hungarians.
And finally, in response to Bob's speculation about pigs: yes, they can be really, dangerously vicious, esp. if they haven't been fed in a while. And feral pigs - basically the same thing as wild boar - are best avoided.
Okay, I've droned on long enough - but I guess that's a testament to your show...
- Edo Bosnar
Edo, thanks for the comments and for listening. I agree with everything you’ve said here. So glad you enjoyed the podcast!
ReplyDelete