Episode 614: Welcome Home Brother Charles (1975)

Special Guest: Sam Ingraffia
Guest Co-Hosts: Gary Phillips, Jackie Stewart

We conclude Black History Month with a look at Jamaa-Fanakaa’s Welcome Home, Brother Charles. Released in 1975 it’s the story of our titular Brother Charles (Marlo Monte) who is picked up by the police and possibly castrated for being too “uppity”. Amid the crime and corruption of mid-seventies Los Angeles we follow Charles as he’s railroaded into jail and swears revenge upon his release.

Gary Phillips and Jackie Stewart join Mike to discuss this bizarre story of vengeance. Sam Ingraffia talks about his role in the film (as well as his work on Barney Miller).

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Listen to "Episode 614: Welcome Home Brother Charles (1975)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Welcome Home, Brother Charles on Blu-Ray

Music:
"A Big Hunk O' Love" - Elvis Presley
"Monster" - Fred Schneider & The Shake Society

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Episode 612: Top of the Heap (1972)

Special Guest: Christopher St. John
Guest Co-Hosts: Gary Phillips, Samm Deighan

Our Black History Month coverage continues with a look at Christopher St. John's Top of the Heap. Released in 1972 the film stars St. John as George Lattimer, a DC police officer who’s confronted with pressures from his job, his wife, and his daughter. When his mother dies, George undergoes a bit of a breakdown where he starts fantasizing about another life including being an astronaut.

Gary Phillips and Samm Deighan join Mike to discuss this sorely under-seen film while Christopher St. John talks about how Top of the Heap came together despite interference from the film's producer.

The Code Red Blu-Ray of Top of the Heap is out of print. In the meantime, you can see the film via Shout Factory TV, Tubi, and other streaming services.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 612: Top of the Heap (1972)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Watch Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier on YouTube

Music:
"Speak Out" - J.J. Johnson Orchestra & Chorus
"Theme From "Top Of The Heap" - J.J. Johnson Orchestra & Chorus

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Episode 610: Ganja & Hess (1973)

Special Guests: Sam Waymon, Christopher Sieving
Guest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain, Leon Chase

Heather Drain and Leon Chase join Mike to kick-off Black History Month with a look at Bill Gunn's 1973 film Ganja & Hess which stars Duane Jones as Dr. Hess Green, a scholar who is stabbed with an ancient dagger by a crazed house guest, the husband of Ganja Meda (Marlene Clark). Hess is resurrected and helps Ganja be reborn as well. The two are now addicted to blood in one of the most unusual vampire films around.

Special guests musician Sam Waymon and author Christopher Sieving (Pleading the Blood: Bill Gunn's Ganja & Hess) discuss the behind-the-scenes of Gunn's seminal sophomore film.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 610: Ganja & Hess (1973)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Become a supporter of The Projection Booth
Buy Ganja & Hess on Blu-Ray
Watch Blood Couple on YouTube
Buy Da Sweet Blood of Jesus on DVD
See all fifty feet at Leon's 50 Foot Movie website

Music:
"Ganja & Hess" Soundtrack - Sam Waymon

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Episode 405: Super Fly (1972)

Guest Co-Hosts: Rob St. Mary, Chris Stachiw

We wrap up Black History Month 2019 with three white guys talking about one of the pillars of the blaxploitation pantheon, Super Fly (1972). Directed by Gordon Parks Jr., written by Phillip Fenty, and produced by Sig Shore, the film stars Ron O'Neal as Priest, a drug deal who’s looking to get out of the game. The film was derided for its glorification of drug use and lauded for its soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield.

Chris Stachiw and Rob St. Mary join Mike to discuss the film, its two very uneven sequels, and the 2018 remake from Director X.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 405: Super Fly (1972)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Super Fly (1972) on Blu-Ray
Buy The Return of Superfly (1990) on DVD
Buy Superfly (2018) on DVD

Music:
"Pusher Man" - Curtis Mayfield
"Superfly" - Peter Duchin
"Freddie's Dead" - Fishbone
"Super Fly Meets Shaft" - John and Ernest
"Funky Super Fly (Pts 1 & 2)" - Bobby Williams
"Superfly" - Curtis Mayfield

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Episode 404: Trouble Man (1972)

Special Guests: Robert Hooks, John D. F. Black, Mary Black
Guest Co-Hosts: Heather Drain, Maurice Bursztynski

Black History Month 2019 continues with a look at the 1972  film directed by Ivan Dixon and written by John D. F. Black, Trouble Man . Robert Hooks stars as cool cat Mr. T. That’s T that rhymes with P and this cat is great at pool. He does his business out of a billiards parlor where he holds court like a Sicilian on the day of his daughter’s wedding. Mr. T runs afoul a plot hatched by Chalky and Pete (Ralph Waite & Paul Winfield), a salt and pepper team of criminals who put T on the outs with Big (Julius Harris) and the cops.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 404: Trouble Man (1972)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Trouble Man on Blu-Ray
Buy the Trouble Man soundtrack by Marvin Gaye
Buy the Trouble Man novelization by John D. F. Black
Read Trouble Was His Business: 50 Years of Trouble Man by Michael Gonzales
Listen to our episode on The Spook Who Sat By The Door

Music:
All songs taken from the soundtrack by Marvin Gaye

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Episode 403: Get Rollin' (1980)

Guest Co-Hosts: Benjamin Buxton, Leon Chase

We continue Black History Month with the 1980 film from director J. Terrance Mitchell, Get Rollin'! It’s the story of three very colorful people and their lives in and around a roller rink in Brooklyn; Vinnie Vinzerrelli of the "Jigaboo Jammers", Pat The Cat, and Inez Daniels. At some point the film becomes less of a documentary and more of a drama about Vinzerrelli ‎ and Pat the Cat taking their roller boogie skills to England.

Filmmakers Benjamin Buxton (On the Rink) and Leon Chase (Suzy Hotrod: Roller Derby Star) join Mike to discuss rollerskating, Brooklyn in the late '70s, and more.

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 403: Get Rollin' (1980)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Listen to Cinespia founder John Wyatt on Trailers from Hell
Read Meet Bill Butler, the Godfather of Roller Disco by Julia Carmel
Check out the Skategroove website and the National African American Roller Skating Archives Project
Subscribe to the Getyoursk8on YouTube channel

Music:
"Skate Dancer" - Vinzerrelli
"A Roller Skating Jam Named "Saturdays" - De La Soul

Bonus Music Track by Grapefruit 45


Watch:

on the rink from benjamin buxton on Vimeo.

Episode 156: Black Dynamite (2009)

Special Guests: Scott Sanders, Byron Minns

For our third anniversary show, we're taking a look at Black Dynamite (1999), one of the baddest muthas to ever take down kung-fu treachery. Our guests include director/writer Scott Sanders and writer/actor Byron Minns (Bullhorn).

Links:
Buy Black Dynamite on Blu-Ray
Learn more about Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca's Afrodisiac
Buy Afrodisiac
Buy Black Dynamite: Slave Island
Buy the Black Dynamite soundtrack
Learn more about Fight Smack in the Orphanage
Visit the official Black Dynamite website

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 156: Black Dynamite (2009)" on Spreaker.

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Episode 155: Bone (1972)

Special Guest: Larry Cohen
Guest Co-Host: Joe Bannerman

We're rounding out Black History Month with a look at Larry Cohen's Bone (1972) (AKA Housewife and Dial Rat for Terror), the story of a mysterious visitor (Yaphet Kotto ) who tears apart the facade of suburban couple Bill (Andrew Duggan) and Bernadette (Joyce Van Patten).

Joining us this week is author Joe Bannerman of the Daily Grindhouse podcast.

Links:
Visit the official Larry Cohen website
Buy Bone on DVD
Buy Joe Bannerman's It Follows
Listen to the Daily Grindhouse Podcast
Watch The Shout free on Amazon Instant

Listen / Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 155: Bone (1972)" on Spreaker.

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Episode 154: Bamboozled (2000)

Special Guests: John Strausbaugh
Guest Co-Host: Jay Scott Smith

Burn some cork, put on your tap shoes and get ready to put on the "coon show" to end all "coon shows" as we talk about Spike Lee’s 2000 satire of African-American representation in culture, Bamboozled. The film stars Damon Wayans as a TV writer who wants to get fired, so he creates the most racist show in history. Only to discover, it’s a massive hit!

Joining us this week as special guest co-host is writer/radio personality Jay Scott Smith.

Links:
Buy the Bamboozled DVD
Buy the Bamboozled soundtrack
Visit the official Spike Lee website
Buy Black Like You: Blackface, Whiteface, Insult & Imitation in American Popular Culture by John Strausbaugh
Buy Chris Rock's Bring the Pain
Learn about the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia
Read Jay Scott Smith's Knowing Your Place: A Commentary on Jordan Davis and My "Black" Life
Visit the official John Strausbaugh website
Follow guest co-host Jay Scott Smith on twitter
Follow Spike Lee on Twitter
For a similar satire of media and African-Americans, check out our Putney Swope episode

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 154: Bamboozled (2000)" on Spreaker.

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Episode 153: Hit! (1973)

Special Guest: Sidney J. Furie
Guest Co-Host: Daniel Kremer

We're looking at the 1973 action film HIT! from director Sidney J. Furie. The film stars Billy Dee Williams as federal agent Nick Allen. When Nick's sister takes a hot shot, he goes on the warpath for the people that put the smack on the streets. Rather than dealing with two bit hustlers and thugs, Nick takes it all the way to the source, making a real French Connection with a group of drug kingpins in Marseilles.

We're joined by filmmaker Daniel Kremer who's writing Furie's biography.

Links:
Buy Hit! on DVD
Read about Daniel's quest to save A Cool Sound from Hell
Follow Daniel Kremer's Confluence Film Blog
Read Martin Scorsese's 11 Scariest Horror Movies

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 153: Hit! (1973)" on Spreaker.

Watch:

Working the Angles: The Films of Sidney J. Furie from Daniel Kremer on Vimeo.

Episode 152: Watermelon Man (1970)

Special Guest: Estelle Parsons & Joe Angio

It's time for the uppity movie.

Jeff Gerber has a problem. He used to be a White insurance salesman. But, now, he’s a Black man. Maybe it was too much soy sauce? Either way, it’s a brand new world for this suburban bigot in Watermelon Man. Join us as we talk about this 1970 satire from Melvin Van Peebles.

Our special guests include Estelle Parsons, the Oscar-winning actress who played "Althea Gerber" and Joe Angio, Director/Producer of How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It) - a feature documentary on Melvin Van Peebles.

We're joined by Bill by Force from Outside the Cinema as we talk about this Melvin Van Peebles joint.

Listen / Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 152: Watermelon Man (1970)" on Spreaker.

Links:
Buy Watermelon Man on DVD
Buy the Watermelon Man soundtrack
Check out Melvin Van Peebles wid Laxative (his band)
Learn more about Estelle Parsons in The Velocity of Autumn coming to Broadway in April 2014
Visit the official How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (...and Enjoy It) website
Get your Rated X by an All-White Jury t-shirt
Learn more about Revenge of the Mekons by Joe Angio
The official Badasssss! movie website

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Episode 102: Song of the South (1946)

Special Guests: Bruce Bickley, Jim Korkis, Jason Sperb

We celebrate Black History Month by looking at the controversial Disney film Song of the South. Based upon Joel Chandler Harris's Uncle Remus tales, we discuss Ralph Bakshi's satire, Coonskin, and the complicated history of the Zip A Dee Doo Dah movie.

Links:
Download Song of the South from archive.org
Buy Bruce Bickley's Joel Chandler Harris: A Biography and Critical Study
Buy Jim Korkis's Who's Afraid of the Song of the South? And Other Forbidden Disney Stories
Buy Jason Sperb's Disney's Most Notorious Film: Race, Convergence, and the Hidden Histories of Song of the South
Buy Joel Chandler Harris's The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus
Buy Ralph Bakshi's Coonskin on DVD
Buy Song of the South on DVD
Visit the Song of the South fan site
Visit the Uncle Remus fan site

Listen/Download Now:

Listen to "Episode 102: Song of the South (1946)" on Spreaker.

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