Storyline "A Black Man can't catch a cab in New York." Written by Anthony B. Major (Super Spook), Bill Jay stars in this silent short film of his trials and tribulations on trying to catch a cab in the Big Apple. He starts with just trying to signal one down, but when that fails he offers money to a passing by Marki Bey (Sugar Hill, The Landlord) to catch one for him. When that fails he dressed up in a variety of costumes to try and catch a cab. Music for the film is done by Rheet Taylor.
"Anthony B. Major
wrote and directed the Award winning short "Off-Duty", segments for the
NBC-TV syndicated That Teen Show and directed and produced, based on his
original idea, the nationally and internationally distributed feature film, "SuperSpook", a parody on super heroes."
Blaxploitation Pride Review
I couldn't resist entering this show on to the website as Modern Blaxploitation. To be fair, I will exclude any opinion I have on the Marvel Comics aspect of the show, but explain why this show fits the mold of Blaxploitation.
The show takes place in Harlem, New York, which is home to some of the most famous Blaxploitation films ever made, such as Across 110th Street, Black Caesar, Cotton Comes To Harlem and Hell Up In Harlem. Even many of the Race Films that have been posted on this website is home to the great city of Harlem. But it's not just Harlem that makes Luke Cage a Blaxploitation film, but all the elements that we seen from characters like Black Belt Jones, Tommy Gibbs, Cleopatra Jones are found in the show. The coolness, smooth talking, gangster mentality, pride in Black American culture, style, music, jive talk, disposition are common elements of the show that gives such a Blaxploitation feel.
The plot of the show is rather simple in that Luke Cage, a mysterious man residing in Harlem, has found his purpose in life unexpectedly to him and those that he is around. Somewhat indestructible to the average human, he becomes the 'Robinhood' of the hood after a close friend is killed by a goon of Luke Cage's nemesis, Cottonmouth, owner of the luxurious club, Harlem's Paradise. Cottonmouth is a gangster with close ties with the unforgiving, Willis Stryker (a.k.a. Diamondback) whose vengeful hate for Luke Cage leads to a classic hero versus villain action. Cage looks to help the people of Harlem keep corruption and detriment from the streets, but his mysterious ways have spark an obsessive pursuit by NYPD detective, Misty Knight because wherever Cage goes, trouble closely follows.
But what really set the show in the mood of Blaxploitation, which is an important element of Blaxploitation films, is the music. Produced by Adrian Younge (from the Black Dynamite soundtrack) and A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammad, the soundtrack offers the hard hitting funk and dramatics we love to hear in Blaxploitation films. True to the nature of library and production music of the 70s, these producers enlightened the show with some of the most brilliant display of versatility of a Blaxploitation movie soundtrack that you'll ever hear. It's obvious that these producers are talented, but they also have studied and paid much respect to their predecessors of Blaxploitation music producing. The producing features a mixture of hip-hop elements, which is true to the modern African-American culture, so while the music could have an out-dated feel, the hip-hop aspect keeps it very relevant to 2016.
Tracklist 01. Good Man 02. Mesmerized (Original Soundtrack Version) 03. Ain't It a Sin 04. Stop And Look (And You Have Found Love) 05. 100 Days, 100 Nights 06. Diamondback Arrives 07. Final Battle - Part 1 08. In the Wind 09. Diamondback's Trap 10. Blue Fusion 11. Final Battle - Part 2 12. I'm Luke Cage 13. Street Cleaning 14. The Ambush 15. End Theme 16. Coffee at Midnight 17. Red-Handedly Blameless 18. Always Forward Pops 19. Unveil the Bride 20. Shameek's Death 21. The Plan 22. Requiem for Phife 23. We Had Coffee 24. Pops Is Gone 25. Theme 26. Greed Becomes Me 27. Bulletproof Love feat. Method Man 28. Microphone Check Five'O 29. Luke's Freedom 30. Uptown Claire 31. Shades Beware 32. Misty Resolute 33. Fresh Air 34. Kinda Strong 35. Big Man Little Jacket 36. Scarfe's Dying 37. Claire's Wisdom 38. Gun Threat 39. Bad Love 40. Finding Chico 41. I Am Carl Lucas 42. Crispus Attucks 43. Hideout 44. Cuban Coffee 45. Like a Brother 46. Cottonmouth's Clamp 47. Survival 48. Cottonmouth Theme 49. Luke Cops 50. Crushin' On Reva 51. Beloved Reva
Overall, this show fits the mold of how Blaxploitation is defined here at BP. The Blaxplotiation era may be nearly 40 years past, but that doesn't mean that we can't have an ode to the genre from time to time.
The film is primarily in Italian with English in various parts of the film. I done my best to translate the storyline of the film. The film offers an interesting perspective on Blaxploitation as this film was not made for American release, but filmed in urban areas across the United States while showing the political fight for African-American rights and justice.
Storyline John Bonfiglio (Paolo Villaggio) was sent to attend to some business in the United States by his employer, a wealthy industrialist from Busto Arsizio. Already located there, John is also in charge of hiring a promising American basketball player of color, Ben Ferguson (Sterling St. Jacques, the son of famed blaxploitation actor Raymond St. Jacques) for the Corporate basketball team, which is in need of a player that makes them invincible. Ferguson is immediately available, but before leaving for Italy, he forces Bonfiglio to accompany him on a tour across the United States to settle some personal matters. During the journey, John discovers that the basketball champion actually has not only the interest of the sport, but also politics...
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