#Thalmus Rasulala

[weirdlookindog]

Blacula (1972) - Italian Photobustas

#blacula #william marshall #denise nicholas #vonetta mcgee #gordon pinsent #thalmus rasulala #1970s movies #william crain #photobusta #horror movie poster

[gotankgo]

Pam Grier as Friday Foster (2975)

#pam grier #friday foster #1975 #Thalmus Rasulala

[of-fear-and-love]

Pam Grier in Friday Foster (1975)

#pam grier #friday foster #1975 #1970s film #70s movies #70s fashion #thalmus rasulala #paul benjamin #arthur marks #blaxploitation

[felicereviews]

Friday Foster (1975) 90 minutes, Rated R

I loved this one. For many reasons. The main reason being Pam Grier is so likable and wonderful and confident and in charge. No victim mentality here. She's up for it and engaged in her life choices and owning the screen.

I don't know who is paying attention but I'll remind readers that I am working my way through 2 books on cult films and one box set of 52 cult movies. None of the box set selections have made it to the blog yet. The book '100 Cult Films' is a good guide through what should be mentioned in the genre. Meaning I have substituted film after film - watching the selection in the book then watching and blogging about the selection I find more appropriate. But the 'TCM Underground' book - well - it's just got more class, more Va Va Va Voom, and less sexual violence. And, of course, I am listening to the TCM podcast this season which just so happens to be on Pam Grier.

So I was ready for Friday Foster, expecting more grit and violence but there was no revenge drama here. Just a professional photographer living her life who witnesses an assassination attempt and has to solve the mystery by stealing a milk truck and a hearse (loved those scenes).

And Pam is her usual and wonderful self but you know who else is tops? Yaphet Kotto! He is her friend and a private investigator and he is so dang funny! Considering the last time he was in a movie on this blog it was a very serious role I was tickled at how much I laughed at every scene he was in. One scene, he's chasing the bad guy, played by Carl Weathers, and he ducks down for cover and then says out loud, 'What am I doing here?' Like - really? Why are you chasing down a bad guy with a gun? Really good comedy - in the moment - laughing at himself.

Of course Friday has her two lovers - one a senator and one the 'black Howard Hughes'. She enjoys herself both times - seems happy and sexy. She fends off the neighborhood pimp who is constantly showering her with gifts to get her to work for him declaring that his girls are 'covered under a health plan'. (They seem happy too - the prostitutes I mean).

Scatman Crothers plays a minister, Eartha Kitt is a fashion designer, it's just a wonderful display of black culture at that time in history.

Have to mention Friday's little brother played by Tierre Turner. I had trouble finding his name on the IMDB page but that's it. Turns out Tierre is still working as a stuntman and actor - way to go. He was 15 when he made the movie but he looked younger. And he collects gifts for Friday and then re-sells them. Someone says, 'so you're a hustler' and he says, 'no - black capitalism'. Or something like that. He's just taking care of business is all. He was an underdeveloped character - like why is Friday living there with him and no parents? When does he go to school? Bla bla. But Friday Foster is a blaxploitation movie (said with all the admiration for the genre one can emote) - and that genre didn't always have all the ends tied together. Such is life.

I thought about substituting Friday Foster for Foxy Brown or Coffy but no - I'll leave this one in the cult series. It's a solid movie bringing in all the tropes of blaxploitation plus comedy. Really enjoyable.

As I was posting the hashtags - I realized another repeat player in cult cinema - Paul Benjamin. He played the senator in this film was in Across 110th Street also - playing the main guy who robs the mob. These sorts of discoveries are why I love blogging about movies.

#friday foster #pam grier #the plot thickens #tcm underground #yaphet kotto #carl weathers #tierre turner #scatman crothers #eartha kitt #thalmus rasulala #paul benjamin #cult films rule #cult classics

[mimi-0007]

#cool breeze #black cinema #thalmus rasulala #julian christopher #judy pace #margaret avery #lincoln kilpatrick #pam grier #rudy challenger #blaxploitation

[twilightzonecloseup]

5.33 The Brain Center at Whipple’s

Director: Richard Donner

Director of Photography: George T. Clemens

“There are many bromides applicable here: too much of a good thing, tiger by the tail, as you sow, so shall ye reap. The point is that too often man becomes clever instead of becoming wise. He becomes inventive, but not thoughtful. And sometimes, as in the case of Mr. Whipple, he can create himself right out of existence.”

✨Support✨

#Twilight Zone #the twilight zone #season 5 #the brain center at whipple's #Richard Donner #george t. clemens #Rod Serling #richard deacon #paul newlan #ted de corsia #jack crowder #thalmus rasulala #1960s #the sixties #Classic TV #classic television #Classic Horror #Classic Science Fiction #scifi #science fiction #speculative fiction #robots #tv #Tv History #cinematography #close up #close-up

[erstwhile-punk-guerito]

#blacula #william marshall #vonetta mcgee #denise nicholas #gordon pinsent #charles macaulay #thalmus rasulala #william crain #1972

[gancanagh]

"Kunta Kinte. Behold, the only thing greater than yourself."

Roots (1977)

#Roots #Roots: The Saga of an American Family #Roots (tv miniseries) #Roots (1977) #Omoro Kinte #Kunta Kinte #powerful #black culture #Thalmus Rasulala #Youtube

[streamondemand]

'Blacula' – an African prince finds eternal life on Criterion Channel and AMC+

‘Blacula’ – an African prince finds eternal life on Criterion Channel and AMC+

The “blaxploitation” films of the 1970s—the term referred to exploitation films featuring African-American heroes and anti-heroes—leaned heavily on urban crime dramas and gangster movies but soon reached out to other genres, including westerns and horror films. The first and most successful of these was Blacula (1972), directed for American International Pictures by William Crain and starring…

View On WordPress

#1972 #AMC+ #Blacula #Blu-ray #Criterion Channel #DVD #Elisha Cook Jr. #Thalmus Rasulala #VOD #Vonetta McGee #William Crain #William Marshall

[ogtombrown]

                                                           ��    Blacula

           When watching Blacula I expected a comedy based on the title and the trailer, and while the film does start out a little campy, it quickly turns serious. Although it's humorous when someone yells "Blacula" for the first time in the movie, the rest of the movie is portrayed as straight horror and grows rather gloomy. Director William Crain is listed by Wikipedia as "one of the first black directors to achieve commercial success" after graduating from a prestigious film school. The screenplay by Joan Torres and Raymond Koenig, who appear to have only ever written it for this film and its sequel, Scream Blacula Scream, is essentially a Dracula retelling that takes place in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. The film has a funk soul vibe that is propelled by Gene Page's peppy rhythm and blues score and resembles a Gothic romance.

             Because the movie portrays itself as something lot lighter and sillier and fills itself out with song and dance routines, it makes for a generally perplexing viewing experience. But, William Marshall does a fantastic job as the hero, and the result is a solid Supernatural Horror/Vampire film with Blaxploitation origins. The dark vampire movie Blacula was made in the 1970s, and one of the most obvious differences between then and now is that it was actually played straight. This isn't Rudy Ray Moore in a cape. When I discovered that this was a horror film, I was really shocked.

          So, this guy escapes and begins sucking blood all over El Lay in genuine horror murder scenes. The plot is the same as in Dracula, but the soundtrack features far more wah-wah guitar, bass, and horns. A slick, alluring vampire who can transform into a bat and wears a cape goes about his business and develops an obsession with a woman (Vonetta McGee, who also plays his wife from three hundred years previous). There is no Van Helsing in this case, but there is a curious police detective (Thalmus Rasulala) who begins to think outside the box as he investigates this bizarre trail of bloody bodies.

            I appreciate how seriously this film takes things. This is enjoyable. William Marshall gives his all in the major role, even if inexperienced director William Crain struggles to keep the camera in focus. At the time, Marshall was a theatrical veteran who performed in everything from Carmen Jones to Shakespeare. He was close to 50 years old. His commanding screen presence and thunderous voice make the ground slightly tremble whenever he speaks. No matter how ridiculous some of his lines may be, Marshall has a job to do and is determined to do it well.

[elvira-movie-macabre]

Movie Macabre 106 - Blacula (1972)

Movie Macabre Season 01 - Episode 06 (006) Original Air Date: 01 November 1981

Blacula (1972) Directed by William Crain Written by Joan Torres and Raymond Koenig

"An ancient African prince, turned into a vampire by Dracula himself, finds himself in modern Los Angeles." (IMDB)

Starring: William Marshall Vonetta McGee Denise Nicholas Thalmus Rasulala

Blacula was the sixth movie featured on Elvira's Movie Macabre first season. Equal parts supernatural horror and Blaxploitation film, Blacula is a film that continues to have an important spot in horror history. Though I had never seen Blacula, cultural osmosis led me to believe I knew more about this movie.

Prince Mamuwalde is a cultural ambassador sent to open relations with Transylvania and the rest of the world. Dracula, a racist who delights in enslaving people, takes offense to Mamuwalde's demand that he stop all slave trade in Transylvania. So Dracula turns Mamuwalde into a vampire, and curses him with a terrible name.

Luckily, no one calls him Blacula. What follows is a quintessential story about a vampire trying to reunite with their lost love while wrestling with their demons. William Crain's directing tends more towards action than horror, which I think benefits the film greatly. Elements that could seem cheesy come off more exciting. The film makes excellent use of light and shadow.

The story is very character-driven. The four central performances are all captivating in their own ways. We get to know a lot about these characters just based on how they carry themselves or interact with others. These are strong, intelligent, confident characters.

Overall, Blacula was a highlight of these first six Movie Macabre features. It's easy to see how Blaxploitation films, their casts, and their creators influenced so much of American pop culture at the time. Add Blacula to your watchlist if you enjoy supernatural action and character driven stories.

This film also features The Hues Corporation. Most well known for their song "Rock the Boat," the group recorded three songs for Blacula. I saw a lot of reviews complaining about the almost complete performance of "There He Is Again" in the middle of movie. I loved this moment. The song feels like a message, both to the audience and the characters. It doesn't slow the pace of the film. And look at the joy. This is a group of people doing what they love to do. I love to see it.

#elvira #elvira mistress of the dark #elvira's movie macabre #elvira movie macabre #horror host #horror film #70s horror #horror movie #horror #movie macabre #vampires #blacula #william crain #movies #the hues corporation

[visplay]

Chris: I have seen Blacula several times before and this time on Svengoolie, a classic 70’s horror film and a great choice for Svengoolie, this film has many interesting scenes, Watch: When Free.

Richie: It’s a classic, I love it, Watch: When Free.

#movie review #blacula #svengoolie

[antoniorichardsonblog]

Watch "Blaxploitation Clip: Bucktown (1975, starring Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, Thalmus Rasulala)" on YouTube

#Youtube

[of-fear-and-love]

Title cards for Friday Foster (1975)

#friday foster #title card #1975 #1970s film #70s movies #pam grier #godfrey cambridge #yaphet kotto #thalmus rasulala #eartha kitt #jim backus #arthur marks #starring

[lastchancevillagegreen]

The Twilight Zone Season 5 Episode 33: The Brain Center At Whipple’s

Richard Deacon and Thalmus Rasulala (billed as Jack Crowder in the credits)

[lboogie1906]

Thalmus Rasulala (born Jack Crowder; November 15, 1939 – October 9, 1991) was an actor with a long career in theater, television, and films. Noted for starring roles in films, he was an original cast member of the soap opera One Life to Live from its premiere in 1968 until he left the show in 1970. Born in Miami and a graduate of the University of Redlands, he appeared in many films and made guest appearances on television shows. He attended some classes at Shaw University. Notable film roles include Sidney Lord Jones in Cool Breeze, Dr. Gordon Thomas in Blacula, and Robert Daniels in Willie Dynamite; he was the assistant director of The Slams. On television, he was known as Skeeter Matthews on Sanford and Son, Ned in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Lt. Jack Neal on One Life to Live, Bill Thomas on What's Happening!!, and Omoro Kinte in Roots. He appeared on the first-season episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Richard Pryor as a priest in the "Exorcist II" sketch. On the Broadway stage, under his original name Jack Crowder, he appeared as Cornelius a Hackl in the hit musical Hello, Dolly! He was a leading member of the all-black cast. The Bailey Company opened on Broadway on November 12, 1967, and was recorded by RCA Victor for a best-selling cast album in which he is featured in several songs. He appeared on Perry Mason, Mannix, The Twilight Zone, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and The Sophisticated Gents. His other film roles include Cornbread, Earl and Me, Mr. Ricco, Bucktown, The Last Hard Men, For Us the Living: The Medgar Evers Story, The Boss' Wife, and New Jack City. His last film role was as General Afir in Mom and Dad Save the World. He died shortly after completing his scenes, and the film, released a year after his death, is dedicated to his memory. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck-5x8jLZay/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#africanhistory365 #africanexcellence