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Ask Kirk Lockhart about Black Cinema History, Dallas, Arlington, TX (2025)

12/10/2025

Gordon Parks 👁️ iconic opening title sequence of the 1971 film Shaft, featuring the Oscar-winning theme song by Isaac Hayes. The visual and musical style of this introduction made it an influential piece of cinematic history.
The Shaft Film Intro
The opening sequence is famous for:
The Music: The "Theme From Shaft," a groundbreaking funk and soul song written and performed by Isaac Hayes, which won an Academy Award. The full album version was later edited into a shorter single for radio play.
The Visuals: The sequence features Richard Roundtree, in character as private detective John Shaft, walking the streets of New York City. The visuals captured the distinctive fashion and urban feel of the 1970s, solidifying Shaft's status as a style icon.
Cultural Impact: The theme and the character were central to the blaxploitation film genre and had a lasting influence on subsequent films and media.

Original Shaft intro.

12/10/2025

How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It) 🎥
Not Rated 2005 ‧ Documentary/War ‧ 1h 25m

How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company" is the title of a 2005 documentary film about the life and career of the groundbreaking African-American artist Melvin Van Peebles. It is not a literal guide on how to consume the fruit.
The phrase "how to eat your watermelon in white company" is a provocative, tongue-in-cheek reference to racist stereotypes that Van Peebles encountered throughout his life and career, and his determination to defy those limitations.
About the Documentary
The award-winning documentary, directed by Joe Angio, chronicles Van Peebles' unconventional and impactful journey as a:
Filmmaker, best known for the controversial 1971 film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song that sparked the Blaxploitation era.
Air Force pilot.
Novelist.
Musician.
Broadway playwright.
Wall Street stock trader.
Civil rights activist.
The film includes interviews with notable figures such as Spike Lee, Mario Van Peebles, and Gil Scott-Heron, who discuss Van Peebles' significant influence on art, politics, and pop culture.
Where to Watch
You can stream the documentary on various platforms, including:
Amazon Prime Video

Forty-five years after the release of Sweet Sweetbacks Baadasssss Song,� Mario Van Peebles looks back at his fathers illustrious career.

12/05/2025

AskKirkLockhartAbout The movie Purple Rain was primarily filmed in and around Minneapolis, Minnesota, with some scenes shot in Los Angeles, California. Principal photography occurred from October to December 1983.
Filming Locations and Dates
Filming began on October 31, 1983, and lasted for 42 days. Key locations included:
Minneapolis, Minnesota: The majority of the film was shot here, including exterior shots of the house Prince's character ("The Kid") lived in (3420 Snelling Avenue South) and the interior concert scenes at the famous First Avenue nightclub.
Henderson, Minnesota: The area along the Minnesota River near Henderson was used for the memorable "purify yourself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka" scene.
Eagan, Minnesota: An exterior barn location was used for some scenes.
Los Angeles, California: Exterior shots for the First Avenue club (at The Wiltern), Apollonia's hotel (752 S Main St), parts of the "Lake Minnetonka" scene, and the iconic motorcycle poster shot (on the Warner Bros. backlot) were filmed in Los Angeles.
Cast and Characters
Except for Prince and his on-screen parents, most characters in the movie are named after the actors who played them. The main cast included:
Prince as "The Kid"
Apollonia Kotero as Apollonia
Morris Day as Morris
Jerome Benton as Jerome
Olga Karlatos as The Kid's Mother
Clarence Williams III as The Kid's Father
The Revolution as The Kid's band (Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Bobby Z., Matt Fink, Brown Mark)
The Time as the rival band (Morris Day, Jesse Johnson, Garry "Jellybean" Johnson, Mark Cardenas, Paul Peterson, Jerry Hubbard)
Apollonia 6 as the female singing group (Apollonia Kotero, Brenda Bennett, Susan Moonsie)
Characters That Didn't Make the Cut (Casting & Scenes)
The main character who was originally intended for a major role but did not appear was the actress and singer Vanity (Denise Matthews).
Vanity: Prince originally intended to cast her as the female lead, then named "Vanity". However, she left her girl group, Vanity 6, and the project before filming began. The role then went to Apollonia Kotero, and the character name and script were revised.
Jennifer Beals: The lead role was offered to her, but she turned it down to focus on her college studies.
In addition, some scenes were filmed but ultimately cut from the movie or shortened due to time constraints and script revisions:
A physical fight between Prince and members of The Time at the rehearsal warehouse.
A more explicit s*x scene in a barn (the concept inspired the song "Raspberry Beret", which was on a later album).
Extended scenes of Apollonia meeting Morris and the full "Lake Minnetonka" scene were cut down, though clips appeared in the movie's trailer and music montages.
A kissing scene between Wendy and Lisa (The Revolution band members) was rumored to have been cut from the final edit.

Purple Rain, Prince's 6th album, was a monumental global success right out of the gate. The stellar soundtrack to the game-changing movie placed Prince at th...

12/05/2025

IronyOfTheTerm: BLACKLISTED 👨🏿
"Blacklisted" means being deliberately excluded or barred from a group, activity, or opportunity, often due to perceived disrepute, suspicion, or being deemed undesirable, originating in the early 17th century from "black" (signifying disgrace) and "list" (a roster), though its cultural meaning has evolved with racist connotations, leading some to prefer "blocklist".
Meaning of Blacklisted
Exclusion: Being put on a list to be boycotted, denied work, or prevented from participation, as seen in historical examples like the Hollywood blacklist of suspected communists.
Undesirability: Signifying someone or something as bad, untrustworthy, or harmful, like a "blacklisted" IP address blocking spam.
Origin of the Word
Early 17th Century: First recorded around the 1610s, combining "black" (meaning shame or disgrace, seen in "black book") and "list".
In Hollywood: ⚠️‼️⛔️⚠️

Sub if you love Black actors!00:00 - Mo'Nique01:56 - Cuba Gooding Jr.04:05 - Bill Cosby06:35 - Stacey Dash08:45 - Isaiah Washington10:48 - Spike Lee12:47 - J...

12/02/2025

The best blaxploitation soundtracks, widely celebrated as classics of 1970s soul and funk, include Isaac Hayes' Shaft, Curtis Mayfield's Superfly, and Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man. These albums are renowned for transcending their cinematic origins to become influential musical masterpieces in their own right.
Iconic & Influential Soundtracks
Isaac Hayes - Shaft (1971): This album is arguably the most famous and culturally significant blaxploitation soundtrack, earning an Academy Award for the iconic title track, "Theme from Shaft". The album features quintessential funk and soul grooves that defined the genre's sound and launched a wave of similar scores.
Curtis Mayfield - Superfly (1972): Considered a masterpiece of soul and funk, this album is one of the few soundtracks that actually out-grossed its accompanying film. Mayfield's socially aware lyrics, addressing poverty and drug abuse in tracks like "Freddie's Dead" and "Pusherman," combined with his signature wah-wah guitar, made it a critical and commercial hit.
Marvin Gaye - Trouble Man (1972): This sophisticated and jazzy score features Gaye's smooth vocals and compelling instrumentals that perfectly captured the film's tone. The title track, "Trouble Man," became an enduring hit and the album is praised for its rich, cohesive sound.
Bobby Womack & J.J. Johnson - Across 110th Street (1972): Womack's raw, powerful title track is a classic that sets the gritty urban tone for the film. The score, co-composed with J.J. Johnson, is a highly regarded work that has been sampled and featured in later films like Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown.
Willie Hutch - The Mack (1973): Willie Hutch provided two memorable soundtracks for the era, with The Mack being particularly notable. Tracks like "Theme of the Mack" and "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" are beloved for their sharp lyrics and funky arrangements.
James Brown - Black Caesar (1973): The "Godfather of Soul" delivered a first-rate funk score for this crime drama. The album features high-energy tracks like "The Boss" and "Mama Feelgood" (featuring Lyn Collins), which have been heavily sampled in hip-hop music.
Roy Ayers - Coffy (1973): Roy Ayers' work on Coffy is one of the era's most beloved for a female-led blaxploitation film. The tracks are a vibrant mix of funk and jazz, capturing the strong and tenacious spirit of Pam Grier's character.

Blaxploitation films didn’t just change cinema — they changed the sound of America.When the 1970s hit, Hollywood was still clinging to orchestral scores. The...

11/21/2025

The original Super Fly was released on August 4, 1972, in the United States. Its box office performance was successful, with initial US grossing of around $24.8 million.
Release Date: August 4, 1972
Box Office: Initially grossed around $24.8 million in the US. The film was also noted for generating significant profits, with one source reporting $4 million in profits for the production and the soundtrack earning about $5 million.
While many share the opinion that Ron O'Neal gave a remarkable performance in the 1972 film Super Fly, he did not receive an Oscar nomination for the role.
At the time, his performance as Youngblood Priest, a charismatic and classically-trained Harlem drug dealer seeking to exit the criminal life, earned him rave reviews and generated significant "talk of an Oscar nomination". However, this critical praise was overshadowed by controversy surrounding the film, as some critics labeled it as "blaxploitation" that glorified drug culture.
O'Neal, who was a respected and versatile stage actor trained in Shakespeare, later said the negative press soured his career and led to his being typecast in roles as pimps and drug dealers, preventing him from exploring his full range as an actor.
Though he never received an Academy Award for the role, his performance has since been recognized as iconic, and the film itself was preserved in the United States National Film Registry in 2022 for its cultural significance.
I Hereby Honor: Ron Oneal 👨🏿: BestActor August 4, 1972 For The 🎥
Superfly 😁!
AskKirkLockhartDotCom.com

What did most fans never figure out about Super Fly and Ron O'Neal? In this video, we revisit the 1972 cult classic, the rise of Youngblood Priest, and the d...

11/19/2025

Spike Lee/40Acres…🎥🎬📼1995***
Tales from the Hood (1995) - IMDb
Tales From The Hood is a 1995 horror anthology film featuring four segments that explore social issues within the African-American community, such as police corruption, racism, and domestic abuse, framed by a wraparound story with an eccentric funeral director. The film is known for its blend of horror, humor, and social commentary, and has spawned two sequels, Tales From The Hood 2 (2018) and Tales From The Hood 3 (2020).
Core facts
Genre: Horror anthology film with social commentary.
Release year: 1995.
Director: Rusty Cundieff.
Themes: The film uses horror tropes to address real-world issues like police corruption, racism, domestic abuse, and gang violence in the African-American community.
Wraparound story: A group of drug dealers is hired by an eccentric mortician, Mr. Sims (played by Clarence Williams III), to retrieve something from his funeral home. He then tells them four stories about the deceased.
Legacy: The film is considered a cult classic for its unique and often frightening take on social issues through the horror genre. Its themes remain relevant today.
Key segments and details
"The Wake": A story about a politician who is haunted by the ghost of a lynched man.
"Rhyme & Reason": A story about a rapper who is caught in the middle of a gang war.
"K*K Comeuppance": A story about a man who inherits a collection of haunted dolls from his racist, white supremacist father. The dolls are made by the Chiodo Brothers, who also worked on Team America: World Police.
"Boyz N the Hood": A story about a father and son who are abused by the father's ex-girlfriend.
Sequel information
Tales From The Hood 2 (2018): Features Keith David in the role of Mr. Sims..
Tales From The Hood 3 (2020): Features Tony Todd as the narrator.

Join Heit & Cheri for a FULL breakdown and analysis of the wraparound story and the final tale in the 1995 film, Tales from the Hood. JOIN THE NEWSLETTER: ht...

11/10/2025

Rather Serious 🧐 intent or Not.?.?.?
Katt Made his Feelings Known✊ . Many Fans Agree 👍 in Principle. Maybe Q. T. Made his Feelings known 🙈🙊🙉also in his Screenplay(s) Featuring NWord prolifically 😧. All Jokes Aside. This is America. Both Free Speech Activists

Quentin Tarantino has explicitly stated he has no regrets or apologies regarding his frequent use of the N-word in his films and scripts. When asked about the backlash in a 2022 interview, his response to critics was, "You should see something else. Then see something else. If you have a problem with my movies then they aren't the movies to go see. Apparently, I'm not making them for you".
Tarantino's stance on the issue is rooted in his belief in writing dialogue that is authentic and honest to his characters and the historical context of his films.
He argues that his job as a writer is to portray characters as they would genuinely speak, without "softening," "whitewashing," or "massaging" the language to appease critics.
Regarding films like Django Unchained, set in the Antebellum South, he maintains the language, including the high frequency of the N-word, is historically accurate to the time period.
He believes that his characters' dialogue is an element of the story and context is crucial.
Tarantino has received support from several Black actors who have worked with him, including Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Foxx, who have defended his creative choices and argued that the language is necessary for historical truth and character integrity. The controversy has never changed his approach to writing, and he has consistently dismissed social criticism on this matter.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

11/10/2025

Jordan Peele and Daniel Kaluuya have collaborated on two feature films:
Get Out (2017)
Nope (2022)
In Get Out, Kaluuya starred as the lead character, Chris Washington, a role for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Peele made his directorial and screenwriting debut with the film, winning the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
In Nope, Kaluuya again starred in the lead role, O.J. Haywood, an animal wrangler who attempts to capture evidence of an unidentified flying object. Peele wrote and directed the film.
Kaluuya also served as a producer on the film Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul. (2022), on which Jordan Peele was an executive producer under his Monkeypaw Productions banner.

Jordan Peele and Daniel Kaluuya create cinematic magic every time they work together.

11/07/2025

A Rage in Harlem is a 1991 movie based on a 1957 novel by Chester Himes, featuring a cast led by Forest Whitaker, Gregory Hines, Robin Givens, and Danny Glover. The story is set in Harlem, New York, and was filmed in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Book
Title: A Rage in Harlem
Author: Chester Himes
Publication Date: 1957
Series: The first of the nine-book "Harlem Cycle" series
Plot: The naive Jackson is persuaded by the beautiful Imabelle to give all his savings to a conman who promises to return it tenfold.
Movie
Title: A Rage in Harlem
Director: Bill Duke
Release Date: May 3, 1991
Location: Harlem, New York (set in)
Filming Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Cast
Forest Whitaker as Jackson
Gregory Hines as Goldy
Robin Givens as Imabelle
Danny Glover as Easy Money
Zakes Mokae as Big Kathy
Badja Djola as Slim
John Toles-Bey as Jodie

15 Weird Facts About A Rage in Harlem (1991) You Never KnewDid you know a feature film about 1950s Harlem was actually shot in Ohio, or that the director and...

10/28/2025

1986 Richard Pryor 🎬 Exposed all of his Secrets to Confront and Purge his Inner Demons . Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling 📽️
R 1986 ‧ Comedy/Drama ‧ 1h 38m filmed in Peoria, Illinois, Richard Pryor's hometown, and Los Angeles, California. The Peoria scenes were used to depict both Jo Jo's and Pryor's shared background, including the brothel where they grew up. Key elements from Richard Pryor's life reflected in the film:
The fire incident: The story is framed by the drug-fueled incident in 1980 when Pryor, like the character Jo Jo, set himself on fire while freebasing co***ne. In the movie, as in real life, the character survives the severe burns.
A troubled childhood: The film depicts the character Jo Jo growing up in a brothel in Peoria, Illinois, raised by his grandmother. This mirrors Pryor's own upbringing, as he was raised in his grandmother's brothel.
The rise to fame: The movie chronicles the character's early career struggles, transition from clean-cut comedy to a more raw and honest style, and ultimate rise to superstardom. This parallels Pryor's own path as a comedian.
Substance abuse and addiction: The film explores Jo Jo's ongoing struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, a central theme rooted in Pryor's real-life battles with substance abuse.
While the film serves as a confessional and deeply personal work, Pryor himself noted the creative liberties taken. He once commented, "Throughout the picture, I felt I was walking a narrow edge between my own reality and Jo Jo's fantasy. Which is which? I'm still not sure". 🤔
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling' Set Biopic Bar Sky High
Yes, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling has a cast including Richard Pryor in the lead role, Debbie Allen, Art Evans, Fay Hauser, Barbara Williams, and Carmen McRae. Richard Pryor plays both the main character, Jo Jo Dancer, and his alter ego, and also directed and co-wrote the film.
Richard Pryor: Plays Jo Jo Dancer and his alter ego
Debbie Allen: Plays Michelle
Art Evans: Plays Arturo
Fay Hauser: Plays Grace
Barbara Williams: Plays Dawn
Carmen McRae: Plays Grandmother
Paula Kelly: Plays Satin Doll
Diahnne Abbott: Plays Mother
Scoey Mitchell: Plays Father
Billy Eckstine: Plays Johnny Barnett
Wings Hauser: Plays Cliff

15 Weird Facts About Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) You Never KnewRichard Pryor's forgotten directorial debut hides bizarre production secrets, fr...

10/25/2025

A selection of films featuring actor Bill Nunn includes his notable roles in Spike Lee's movies, the original Spider-Man trilogy, and many others across several decades.
Spike Lee collaborations
School Daze (1988): His credited film debut, in which he played the character Grady.
Do the Right Thing (1989): Best known for his powerful role as Radio Raheem.
Mo' Better Blues (1990): Appeared as the bass player, Bottom Hammer.
He Got Game (1998): Played the character Uncle Bubba.
Spider-Man trilogy
Nunn played the Daily Bugle editor Joseph "Robbie" Robertson in Sam Raimi's trilogy.
Spider-Man (2002)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
Other major film appearances
New Jack City (1991): Played the intimidating bodyguard Duh Duh Duh Man.
Sister Act (1992): Portrayed Lieutenant Eddie Souther.
Canadian Bacon (1995): A comedy in which Nunn appeared as Kabral Jabar.
Kiss the Girls (1997): Played Detective John Sampson.
The Legend of 1900 (1998): Portrayed Danny Boodman, the adoptive father of the main character.
Runaway Jury (2003): Played Lonnie Shaver.
Won't Back Down (2012): Appeared as Principal Holland.

Happy Heavenly Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 (Oct. 20, 1953 – Sept. 24, 2016) He was a highly acclaimed actor, recognized for his iconic roles as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing, Robbie Robertson in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man film trilogy, and as Terrence.

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