This week, we learnt a lot about the blaxploitation era of cinema. We also screened William Crain’sBlacula (1972), and it was great. 

Blacula was dominated by an all-around great cast lead by William Marshal as Prince Mamuwalde, Vonetta McGee as the fitted Tina, and Thalmus Rasulala as Doctor Gordon. Prince Mamuwalde is an African prince who travels to Transylvania in an attempt to settle the slave trade with Count Dracula. Later in there, Count Dracula gives Prince Mamuwalde the curse of the eternal lust for blood after a century long slumber. When woken up in ’70s Los Angeles, Mamuwalde finds his first two victims, an interracial gay couple who purchased the castle and imported the coffin. After some mischievous mischief Mamuwalde finds a woman named Tina who has a striking resemblance to his past wife (and Beyoncé). Mamuwalde later convinces Tina that they should start seeing each other. Meanwhile, her sister’s boyfriend, Doctor Gordon is investigating a serious that resemble that of vampire killing. After many deaths and new vampires, Gordon realizes that Mamuwalde is a vampire and finding a picture taken of him where he can not be seen. After a climatic ending feature the death of Tina and Mamuwalde’s dramatic suicide ending in a skull full of maggots. Mamuwalde dies a martyr. 

Blacula had to be my favorite film of the semester (so far) because of the really groovy soundtrack! The music by Gene Page was absolutely outstanding! It was funky, it was delicate, it was perfect. The cinematography and the title sequence animation was just as incredible. The way William Marshall handled the role of Prince Mamuwalde so well and so maturely gave the role (and the movie) a serious tone and real sense of a true horror movie. The best-dressed actress I’ve seen, Vonetta McGee, and the better-acted cops Thalmus Rasulala also helped to carry the film and support William Marshall across all aspects of the film.

Blacula was very progressive for its time, with regards to the blaxploitation movement. It did not make use of many of the stereotypes which were used in other blaxploitation films, besides Mamuwalde having some really random martial arts training and improbable aiming skills. 

Although the film’s sequel, Scream, Blacula, Scream wasn’t as progressive or thought-out as the first film. The sequel basically took two steps back from what the original Blacula had tried so hard to accomplish. Scream, Blacula, Scream makes use of most of the blaxploitation tropes and stereotypes. For example, there’s a scene inScream, Blacula, Scream where Mamuwalde and his new vampire “roommate” close in, fangs bared, on a white girl, the only sexualized emblem of white femininity in either of the Blacula films. 

This week, my two film icons, Talulla and Chris, has a led a wonderful reading discussion on the readings about Blacula, Blaxploitation and the Cult Cinema Marketplace. The cult cinema marketplace is a confusing and unpredictable world consisting of production culture, funding, distribution and marketing. Sam also gave a great presentation.