Podcast: Blacula
Looking at a foundational piece of black horror for Black History Month
Bring Me The Axe! Horror Podcast
Episode 67: Blacula
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Bring Me the Axe! is a comedy podcast celebrating the best (and worst) horror from a time when the video store ruled the night. Every other week, brothers Bryan and Dave White (and the occasional guest) heed the call of nostalgia and evaluate the classic 70s and 80s horror movies they loved in their childhood to determine whether the movies are still relevant today or should be allowed to fade into obscurity.
This week we take a look at one of the standout features of the 70's blaxploitation age, William Crain's seminal vampire movie, Blacula, starring William Marshall, Vonetta McGee, and Thalmus Rasulala. Blaxploitation is a troubling topic to take on as the bad movie outnumber the good movies three to one and definitely play up the worst black stereotypes but for a little while there blaxploitation movies and their arty cousin, the LA Rebellion, pushed forward black power narratives and power fantasies that spotlighted black talent and provided black audiences with great characters that reflected their values and dreams.
Blacula as a horror movie is also a standout picture, being every bit as riveting and spooky as Hammer's best outings. William Marshall absolutely dominates the screen as doomed Prince Mamuwalde and Vonetta McGee is hard to take your eyes off of. Give this episode and listen and do chill out. Bryan realized too late that yes, All The Colors of the Dark is a Sergio Martino movie and What Have You Done To Solange was by Massimo Dellamano.
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