Review by Leonard Norwitz
Studio:
Theatrical: Destination Films & Ars Nova
Blu-ray: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Disc:
Region: 'A'-locked
(as verified by the
Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player)
Runtime: 1:24:14.049
Disc Size: 36,386,281,105 bytes
Feature Size: 23,317,585,920 bytes
Video Bitrate: 31.15 Mbps
Chapters: 17
Case: Standard Blu-ray case
Release date: February 16th, 2010
Video:
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio:
DTS-HD Master Audio English 3591 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3591
kbps / 24-bit (DTS
Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
/ Dolby Surround
Subtitles:
English (SDH), English,
French, none
Extras:
• Commentary with Director/Co-Writer Scott Sanders,
Actor/Co-Writer Michael Jai White & Actor/Co-Writer Byron
Minns
• The 70s: Back in Action – in HD (14:08)
• Lighting the Fuse: Making-Of Black Dynamite – in SD
(22:40)
• The Comic-Con Experience – in SD (18:00)
• Deleted & Alternate Scenes – in SD (25:06)
• Movie IQ
• BD-Live
The Film:
6
Blaxploitation! The term conjures up a picture of big
gestures: loud clothes with louder colors, big hair, big
guns, big shoes, big boobs and, by extension, big cocks. The
movies that were a part of that mid-1970s phenomenon were
made on the cheap and, thanks to a largely black audience
who went to see these movies again and again, helped
resuscitate a flagging industry – so we're told in the extra
features. (Before I forgot to mention it, the Blu-ray
exclusive bonus feature "The 70s: Back in Action" is
required viewing for anyone who thinks of themselves as a
film buff, and is a pretty good idea to watch before the
feature film – gets you right in the mood.)
The heroes of those bygone movies were badass black men who
were fast with the wisecracks, their weapons and their
fists. The women didn't fare so well and were often there to
help the men feel like "men" – if you know what I mean. Just
about everyone was pimping, using, killing or whoring. The
good guys did less of those things, but the line that
separated the one from the other was not always clear.
Those were the days of Richard Roundtree, Jim Kelly, Pam
Grier, Fred Williamson and Melvin Van Peebles (whose Sweet
Sweetback's Baadasssss Song I was lucky enough to see uncut
in 1971.) But most of the material in those movies was
pretty lame. The scripts and production values were often
unintentionally laughable, and the final prints looked like
they had seen better days even in their first run. Even I,
who cringes at what passes for politically correct these
days, shiver at the politically incorrectness that litters
those movies.
Actor and black-belter, Michael Jai White thought it was
high time to return to those days and, together with
actor/writer Byron Minns and director Scott Sanders,
concocted a satirical stew that tosses in just about every
Blaxpoiltation plot device, misproduction cue, acting
posture, and turn of phrase in the vaults. Added to this are
make-up and costumes that are right out of the 70s attic (or
cellar) and original music (by Adrian Younge) that pinpoints
the time.
The plot centers on a one-man army known to just about
everyone on the streets – and the CIA – as "Black Dynamite."
When his brother is killed, "Black Dynamite" seeks revenge.
His investigation leads him, kicking and shooting, from big
and little jive turkey drug pushers all the way to the White
House. Couldn't get bigger than that. And I would say "More
power to 'im" except that a little of such indulgent homage
goes a long way, and I suspect I would have been more amused
if the picture quality weren't trying so hard to be faithful
to its roots.
Image:
7/7
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
The first number indicates a relative level of excellence
compared to other Blu-ray video discs on a ten-point scale.
The second number places this image along the full range of
DVD and Blu-ray discs.
I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the transfer. I didn't
notice any issues that I couldn't have been attributed to
deliberate, cold-blooded intention: The color is often miles
off, too yellow or too red; exposure is too over or too
under; noise and speckles come and go; blacks gobble up the
frame like a great white going after a seal. The filmmakers
are so faithful to the genre that the look of the movie
dominates just about every other aspect. And when it doesn't
dominate, it competes. The bit rate is higher than the 16 mm
stock may have deserved.
CLICK EACH
BLU-RAY
CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio & Music:
7/7
In keeping with the roots of the genre, the audio mix tends
to be front-directed, except for the music score and the
action sequences involving guns, which open things up into
the surrounds some. The lossless DTS-HD MA track permits a
clarity Blaxploitation never knew (so I had to ask myself:
why have good audio but awful image?)
Operations:
6
The menu design employs some sweet cartoonish moves and
takes over the frame nicely with information at each click.
We find hidden pages, however, for the extra features (why
there, but not for the chapter search, I wondered?)
Extras:
6
The Commentary and Bonus Features for this Blu-ray are
generally helpful and/or entertaining, except for the
deleted scenes, which by then I had had enough. I especially
recommend "The 70s: Back in Action" for its retrospective,
if a little uncritical, look at Blaxploitation.
Bottom line:
7
As mentioned above, I had a hard time with the deliberate
faithfulness to Blaxploitation bad production values. It was
a joke that wore out its welcome long before its genuinely
amusing script and over the top camp action sequences could
keep me from raiding the fridge. On the other hand, if
you're fairy unfamiliar with the genre, Black Dynamite makes
for a fun beer and pizza flic.
Leonard Norwitz
January 29th, 2010