S3E11 Blaxploitation Feat. Odie Henderson w/ Blacula (1972) & Darktown Strutters (75)

Boston Globe movie critic ODIE HENDERSON joins us to talk about his new book, BLACK CAESARS AND FOXY CLEOPATRAS: A HISTORY OF BLAXPLOITATION. For this, Odie has programmed two equally stony but very different examples of the film movement that further funkified the 1970s. First, Shakespearean actor William Marshall brings dignity and pathos to the title character of the horror classic, BLACULA from American International Pictures in 1972. (Where would this podcast be without AIP???) We debate how to pronounce the name of BLACULA costar Thalmus Rasulala and Odie explains why Count Dracula is a redneck. Blaxploitation musical interludes, cool Los Angeles locations, and just how scary this classical horror movie really is are also discussed at length. Then Odie chooses the strangest and trippiest Blaxploitation movie of all time for our B-feature with DARKTOWN STRUTTERS (1975), and yes, Bob concedes that it's even weirder than HUMAN TORNADO!!! Which means is pretty f--in weird, stoners. You will want to be high AF for this sci-fi, funk, disco, biker-babe slapstick comedy all mixed together with subversive social satire. It melted all of our minds so bad that we don't even know what movies are going to be in our next episode! The ancestors were definitely telling the filmmakers how much spice to put into this one, and it was a lot. We went long for this episode so it violates our unwritten rule that no episode of OMFYS should be longer than a b-movie, but Odie has a lot to say and all of it was terrific and deep. What do you cut out? NOTHING! In our extended opening segment, Odie explains his personal connection to Blaxploitation and recalls trips to the grind houses of New York's 42nd Street (the Deuce) during his childhood. We also got a great fan letter from Larry Clow and Cory and Odie give him awesome ideas of things to do during his upcoming trip to Los Angeles. Thank you writing to us Larry! Hosts: Bob Calhoun, Cory Sklar Greg Franklin and Philena Franklin are on assignment Guest: Odie Henderson Get your SIGNED copy of his book, "Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras" at Matt Zoller Seitz's bookstore. It's ON SALE!!! https://mzs.press/SIGNED-Black-Caesars-and-Foxy-Cleopatras-Hardcover-NEW-p618328058 OMFYS theme by Chaki the Funk Wizard used with permission "Groove Tube" by Audio Hertz courtesy of YouTube Audio Library Trailer audio courtesy of Archive dot org BREAKING: Ngaio Bealum and Ajax Green will be joining us for our next episode. Movies TBD. Web: www.oldmoviesforyoungstoners.com Instagram/Facebook (Meta): oldmoviesforyoungstoners Bluesky: @oldmoviesystoners.bsky.social Twitter (X): @OM4YStoners Contact: oldmoviesforyoungstoners AT gmail DOT com