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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Jamaa Fanaka's Soul Vengeance" or "Portugal Crime, Droga e Prostituição" or "Soul Vengeance" or "Terror Town")

 

Directed by Jamaa Fanaka

USA 1975

 

Before directing the legendary PENITENTIARY trilogy, Jamaa Fanaka helmed these two offbeat genre films, which helped catapult him to recognition as one of the most important black filmmakers working in 70s independent cinema.

In Fanaka’s debut feature, WELCOME HOME BROTHER CHARLES, a young black man is sent to prison, after being brutalized by a corrupt racist cop. Upon release, he takes deadly revenge against the cops, lawyers, and thugs who got him busted, using a most unusual weapon… As much a parody of exploitation films as it is a proud piece of genre cinema, BROTHER CHARLES combines horror and blaxploitation tropes with stirring social subtext resulting in a drive-in movie unlike any other.

Fanaka’s second feature, EMMA MAE, tells the story of a naive young woman who moves from the Deep South to Watts. Initially finding herself at odds with her surroundings, Emma eventually gains acceptance from a local drug addict and dealer. But when he’s arrested and jailed, she plans a daring bank robbery to bail him out… Featuring a cast of mostly non-professionals and shot entirely on location in Watts, this uniquely subversive action film is an insider’s view of black, working-class LA neighborhoods.

Posters

Release: November 1975 / 1976

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Review:

Vinegar Syndrome - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

   

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Distribution Vinegar Syndrome
Region FREE Blu-ray
Runtime 1:43:19.318 / 1:40:24.643    
Video

Disc Size: 47,572,946,053 bytes

Feature Size: 21,305,533,056 bytes

Average Bitrate: 24.99 Mbps

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

Disc Size: 47,572,946,053 bytes

Feature Size: 23,107,986,048 bytes

Average Bitrate: 27.47 Mbps

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
Bitrate Brother Charles Blu-ray
Bitrate Emma Mae Blu-ray
Audio DTS-HD Master Audio English 1087 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1087 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1679 kbps 1.0 / 96 kHz / 1679 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles English (SDH), None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Vinegar Syndrome

 

Welcome Home, Brother Charles:

Disc Size: 47,572,946,053 bytes

Feature Size: 21,305,533,056 bytes

Average Bitrate: 24.99 Mbps

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

Emma Mae:

Disc Size: 47,572,946,053 bytes

Feature Size: 23,107,986,048 bytes

Average Bitrate: 27.47 Mbps

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

Edition Details:
• "The History of the L.A. Rebellion & Jamaa Fanaka" - an appreciation by Jan-Christopher Horak, Director of the UCLA Film & Television Archive (31:08)
• Post film Q&A with actress Jerri Hayes from a 2017 screening of EMMA MAE at BAMcinématek in Brooklyn, NY (20:16)
• Original theatrical trailer (3:49)
• Two original teaser trailers (1:00, 0:31)
• Reversible cover artwork

Blu-ray  Release Date: March 27th, 2018
Standard Blu-ray case

Chapters: 6 + 6

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Vinegar Syndrome's Region FREE Blu-ray transfer is dual-layered with both films sharing the lone disc. Both1080P presentations are in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio and, while both are shot in 35mm. Welcome Home Brother Charles can look much grainier with Emma Mae being glossier and sharper. They are described by Vinegar Syndrome as "Newly scanned and restored in 2k from 35mm original negatives". I don't mind the extra texture on Brother Charles - it certainly suits the film - and there is damage (see capture samples below) in a variety of frame specific, emulsion, and moving vertical marks. Both transfers have reasonable bitrates and provide watchable presentations with the weaknesses in Brother Charles being acceptable. The captures speak for themselves. There are some pleasing black and white, prison flashback, sequences in Brother Charles that look quite artistic in the higher resolution. Blaxploitation fans will appreciate the HD presentations - occasional warts and all.

 

Vinegar Syndrome use DTS-HD Master 1.0 channel mono tracks (both 24-bit). Scores are credited to William Anderson (Penitentiary) on Brother Charles and H.B. Barnum on Emma Mae with The Theme From Emma Mae (Long To Be Back Home) and I'm In Love With You with vocals by Keisa Brown. The lossless tracks also appear valid representative of their original roots - flat, minimal depth but audible dialogue. Vinegar Syndrome add optional English subtitles - see sample below - on their Region FREE Blu-ray disc.

 

In the supplements, I really enjoyed the 1/2 hour "The History of the L.A. Rebellion & Jamaa Fanaka" appreciation by Jan-Christopher Horak, Director of the UCLA Film & Television Archive. It emboldens support for Fanaka's films, understanding and accepting his roots, and a encourages desire to see more of the genre. There is a very grassroots post film Q&A with actress Jerri Hayes from a 2017 screening of EMMA MAE at BAMcinématek in Brooklyn, NY that runs 20-minutes that is kinda fun. Lastly are an original theatrical trailer, two original teaser trailers and the package has reversible cover artwork.

What's not to love? The reputation of Welcome Home Brother Charles with it's hilariously outrageous snake-like-penis-chocking scene is... classical - and one for the books! Emma Mae is the more polished film - both visually and narrative-ly. Blaxploitation is its own unique experience - with fewer films to pull from - so we should cherish when one surfaces in this new format. The Blu-ray has great value with a double-feature from the genre and valuable extras - kudos to Horak. Certainly for fans this package is a must-own.     

Gary Tooze

 

Menus / Extras

 

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Damage
 
 

 

 

(aka "Black Sister's Revenge" or "Emma Mae in the Streets of L.A." or "Black Sister's Revenge")

 

Directed by Jamaa Fanaka

USA 1976

 

When her mother dies, Mississippi bumpkin Emma Mae (Jerri Hayes) goes to live with her cousins in Los Angeles. She quickly falls in with smooth-talking drug pusher Jesse (Ernest Williams II), but their romance is cut short when he's jailed for beating up a cop. Loyal to a fault, Emma tries to raise bail money by starting a car wash, and when that fails, resorts to robbing a bank with a shotgun. The plan works, but the newly freed Jesse proves unfaithful, pushing Emma to take revenge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Box Cover

   

CLICK to order from:

    

Distribution Vinegar Syndrome
Region FREE Blu-ray



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