Episode 96: Blaxploitation on Planet 8!

On this episode we look at a genre and a sub-genre within that - Blaxploitation horror films! Blaxploitation was a genre that existed for only a short time in the 70s, but had a major impact. Together with our guest, Lord Blood-Rah, we'll discuss the origins of the genre and then take a look at several horror films that spun out of it.

Blacula (1972) is probably the best-known of these films, and it's a well-done vampire story. William Marshall plays Prince Mamuwalde, who is turned into a vampire by Dracula himself. He awakens in modern day (1970s) Los Angeles and discovers what he believes to be his reincarnated wife. Of course, carnage ensues! It's a terrific, even scary film and you should see it if you haven't.

It was followed up the next year by Scream Blacula Scream, which saw Blacula brought back to unlife by means of voodoo. Blacula once again stalks LA, but he tires of being a vampire and seeks a cure via voodoo priestess Pam Grier.

Definitely the most unusual of the films we cover is Ganja and Hess (1973), which has been described as an experimental horror film or an art film. Whatever you want to call it, it is in a category all its own. The creation of writer/director Bill Gunn (who also acts in it), it tells the story of Dr. Hess Green, who is an expert on the ancient Myrthian people of Africa, who drank blood. He gets a new assistant who is completely insane and attacks him with a Myrthian artifact, which turns Hess into a vampire himself. Eventually Hess begins a relationship with Ganja, the wife of his former assistant, and she too becomes a vampire. The film is extremely moody and stark. Duane Jones, best known for his role as Ben in Night of the Living Dead, plays Hess.

We follow these up by looking at Abby (1974), a take on The Exorcist, Sugar Hill (1974), a zombie revenge flick, and last but certainly not least, Rudy Ray Moore's Petey Wheatstraw, The Devil's Son-in-Law (1977), where the Dolemite actor takes on Satan himself. Certainly a variety of films to choose from!

For our Sensor Sweep, Commander Larry shares a very appropriate book: Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to present by Robin R. Means-Coleman. This tome takes a deep look at the history of African Americans in horror films, and how their roles changed over time. There's also a documentary of the same name. Check it out!

Don't forget, you can catch Lord Blood-Rah on LordBloodRah.com. There you can find links to his long-running series, Lord Blood-Rah's Nerve Wrackin' Theater, as well as his podcast, his Patreon series, and more. If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, he will be hosting live sci fi and horror movies at the Orinda Theater every 3rd Saturday night of the month at 9:30 -there's a full bar too! Creature Features day is a daylong celebration of the original Bay Area Creature Features hosted by Bob Wilkins and later John Stanley, and will be held on April 24th at the Orinda Theater. More info can be found at LordBloodRah.com.

That's all for now folks. We hope you enjoyed this extra-long episode! Send us your thoughts, suggestions, coupons...

Episode 96: Blaxploitation on Planet 8!

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