Heads High

The viral marketing for Black Dynamite has been pretty sticky to say the least. Its been a few months now since Apparition signed the deal to domestically distribute the Blaxpolitation spoof first aired at Sundance’s 2009 film festival (due to regulations, I cannot post the trailer on this site, so click the picture below to view the official trailer, if you haven’t yet seen it, its well worth it).

Online advertising has become somewhat status-quo for the slowly evolving film industry. Pioneers of this technique go back as far as Donnie Darko or Snakes on a Plane whereby the online geeks played a role in the co-creation and hype of the film prior to its release. However after new benchmarks were set with The Dark Knight’s Alternate Reality Game, smaller independents are tapping into the online world as a tool to promote beyond their tangible resources and Black Dynamite is no exception.

Blaxploitation as a genre has been integral to the development of black culture and how it is represented in the mainstream. Classics such as Super Fly (‘72), Black Ceasar (‘73) and Coffy (‘73) (to name a few) are responsible for allowing the once under-represented and creatively repressed black actors of the 70s a platform to be supercool. In an age where sex, drugs and money were becoming key factors in black urbanisation, the messages from these films were aggressive and non-apologetic. Blaxploitation symbolised the end of an old struggle and the beginning of a new one.

Along with the entertainment industry’s attempt to continue ‘hiding’ its black artists on records or unrealistically portraying black people on the big screen in subservient roles, the social state of America was also as bleak as ever. Martin Luther King’s promises had fallen by the wayside, people were broke and the Vietnam war continued to dampen spirits. These turmoils resulted in a cultural turning point where the young began rebelling: leaving Negro and becoming Black. Nothing provided a better form of escapism than music and film and this was expressed, in turn, by the all-black casts portraying exactly what their white contemporaries were, except in a smoother, sexier and more powerful way.

Blaxploitation fully manifested itself in the 70s, spawning legends (Gordon Parks) and a series of phenomena that has left its mark on modern-day America such as crack, funk, pimps, players and hos. Most of the films in the genre are predictable and sensationalised but to an extent, more representative of the complex issues that black city dwellers faced during that time. The movement, however does come with its antagonists who believe that Blaxploitation negatively depicts all black Americans as gun-slinging, pimp-hustling, drug-taking criminals and bitches.

Regardless of the moral stance one takes, Blaxploitation should be applauded for its contribution to black entertainment on the whole. When we think about Isaac Hayes, Bobby Womack, Curtis Mayfield and even James Brown, we can attribute some of their success to the genre. We must even acknowledge the influence Blaxploitation has had when we look at the success of black actors and directors such as Sidney Poitier*, Richard Pryor, Pam Grier and today’s Spike Lee – who’s films usually focus on issues revolving around black urban life. To show the extent of its potency, even non-black folk have been able to appreciate the highly stylised genre. Quentin Tarantino continuously borrows from Blaxploitation when making his blockbuster films today.

So, back to Black Dynamite… Here we have an amalgamation of every Blaxploitation film ever made, spun on its head with the dash of ironic humour that not many intelligent spoofs can boast. Coined as the ‘Austin Powers of Blaxploitation films’ – Black Dynamite is Shaft with chilli sauce and extra mayo.

Without divulging into the specifics of the film, Scott Sanders directs the film and Michael Jai White plays the protagonist. He’s pretty slick or as the trailer puts it: “Drives a $5000 car with a $100 suit.” When a bad turn of events result in the death of his brother and the mafia pump heroin into orphanages, Black Dynamite is called back into the CIA to sort shit out.

The film aired at Edinburgh’s Film Festival ealier in the year but since then has struggled to clinch a UK distributor. The Blaxploitation story is an American one and despite its impact over the Atlantic in the 70s and beyond, it remained relatively niche in the UK. Side-stepping this fact, many reputable British film websites have been demonstrating the power of the internet by circulating “Fighting Smack In The Orphanage” teasers and other ‘official-yet-unofficial’ virals. These have spread like the plague from Facebook to public blogs and in essence have proven that the UK is ready for Black Dynamite.

Following its October 16th US release, Icon have agreed to bring the film across the waters. A date is yet to be confirmed.