Confira os vampiros mais famosos da literatura e do cinema

Arquivo/AE

sábado, 14 de novembro de 2009, 13:48

SÃO PAULO - Veja lista dos vampiros mais famosos da literatura e do cinema.

Conde Drácula

O mais famoso vampiro cinematográfico de todos os tempos foi inspirado no personagem central da obra de Bram Stoker. Vários atores ficaram famosos com este papel no cinema, como Maximiliam Schrek, no clássico do cinema mudo “Nosferatu, uma Sinfonia de Horror”, de 1922. Até hoje, muitas pessoas acreditam que Schrek era mesmo um vampiro na vida real! Bela Lugosi, ator de origem húngara, foi o primeiro a imprimir garbo e elegância ao vampiro, marcando para sempre a imagem do personagem. Depois de Lugosi, Christopher Lee representou Drácula em mais de uma dezena de produções, sempre com total aprovação do público. Mais recentemente, Gary Oldman também entrou para este rol sinistro com a brilhante atuação em ‘Drácula de Bram Stoker’, dirigido pelo consagrado Francis Ford Coppola.

Lestat de Lioncourt

“Eu quero interferir nas coisas, fazer as coisas acontecerem!”. Este é o lema do vampiro mais famoso da literatura depois de Drácula: o sedutor Lestat de Lioncourt, narrador de quatro livros das “Crônicas Vampirescas” de Anne Rice. Nos cinemas, o personagem foi imortalizado por Tom Cruise em “Entrevista com o Vampiro”, de 1994. Lestat foi mordido ainda adolescente por Magnus, um vampiro de 300 anos, que se autodestruiu logo depois. Com isso, os poderes seculares da criatura passaram para o rapaz, e também toda sua fortuna. Apaixonado pelo jovem Louis, ele resolveu vampirizá-lo, assim como a menina Claudia. Entretanto, Lestat foi traído pelos pupilos e quase foi destruído. Séculos depois, resolveu contar a um jornalista toda a sua história, para transformá-la num livro. Nos dias de hoje, o egocêntrico Lestat decidiu se tornar uma estrela do Rock, na história que também foi levada às telas do cinema com o título de “A Rainha dos Condenados”.

Louis

Louis du Pontlac é descrito por Anne Rice, sua criadora, como um vampiro bastante suave, de cabelos negros e face inexpressiva, exceto pelos brilhantes olhos verdes… No cinema, o super galã Brad Pitt deu vida ao narrador da “Entrevista com o Vampiro”, que foi vampirizado por Lestat (Tom Cruise) aos 25 anos, depois de uma tragédia. A família de Louis prosperava com as plantações de algodão em Nova Orleans, até que seu adorado irmão mais novo veio a falecer. Louis ficou doente e se tornou uma vítima fácil para o apaixonado Lestat. Ao contrário deste, o jovem Pontlac é um vampiro contemplativo, um intelectual desesperançado em busca de respostas para sua condição maldita. Justamente por isso, o experiente Armand (Antonio Banderas), ao conhecê-lo, afirmou que Louis era o Vampiro mais fraco que ainda caminhava sobre a face da Terra…

Vlad

Em julho de 1991, o público brasileiro conheceu o terrível Conde Vladimir Polanski, um Vampiro que marcou época na televisão brasileira. Interpretado por Ney Latorraca, Vlad era o maior dos vilões da novela “Vamp”, escrita por Antônio Calmon e dirigida por Jorge Fernando, um dos maiores sucessos entre os jovens brasileiros. Na história, a cantora de rock Natasha (vivida por Cláudia Ohana) vende sua alma ao terrível Vampiro para conquistar um lugar no estrelato. Arrependida, a Vampira procura abrigo na cidade de Armação dos Anjos, onde acaba sendo perseguida pelo cruel Vlad. A atuação de Latorraca garantiu ao sarcástico Vladimir Polanski um lugar de destaque no rol dos vilões mais carismáticos da teledramaturgia brasileira, imortalizando bordões como o infantilizado “Gotooooso!”, que Vlad exclamava todas as vezes em que sugava um pescoço.

Natasha

Natasha foi a primeira vampira da dramaturgia brasileira, e deixou muitos marmanjos de queixo caído. A personagem foi interpretada pela bela Cláudia Ohana na novela Vamp, de 1991. Ela vendeu sua alma ao terrível Conde Vladimir Polanski para alcançar o sucesso como cantora de rock. No entanto, não era uma criatura do Mal: ao contrário, logo se arrependeu do pacto com Vlad e pôs-se a fugir dele, escondendo-se na cidade de Armação dos Anjos. Lá, ela reencontrou seu amor de vidas passadas, o capitão Jonas, personagem de Reginaldo Farias. Enciumado e receoso de que esse amor medieval pudesse voltar à tona, o Conde Vladimir passou a perseguir Natasha e a família do capitão, causando trapalhadas que renderam boas risadas ao público.

Angel

Este é o Vampiro mais adorado pelas adolescentes de todo o planeta… Protagonista de um seriado de TV americano, Angel é um Vampiro sedutor que usa todo o seu charme e inteligência para ajudar os oprimidos e tirar da consciência o peso de séculos praticando o Mal… Interpretado pelo galã David Boreanaz, o herói fez sua estréia em outra série televisiva, “Buffy, a Caça-Vampiros”. Depois de ser vencido pela protagonista, o Vampiro irlandês Angelus resolveu assumir o lado do Bem e a paixão pela mocinha, interpretada por Sarah Michelle Gellar. O grande sucesso do personagem lhe garantiu uma série própria, iniciada em 1999, que mostra a trajetória do Vampiro justiceiro após deixar a amada e a pequena cidade de Sunnydale para iniciar uma carreira de investigador particular em Los Angeles… Assim como Blade, Angel se tornou uma dor de cabeça ambulante para seus irmãos de sangue, e um verdadeiro colírio para as fãs mais animadas!

Jerry Dandridge

Apesar de serem monstros da escuridão, os Vampiros quase sempre foram representados no cinema como galanteadores incorrigíveis, homens elegantes que não perdem a chance de seduzir uma bela mocinha, para só depois revelar a horrível face do mal… E Jerry Dandridge, o vilão de “A Hora do Espanto”, um blockbuster de 1985, vestiu com perfeição este estereótipo marcante dos sanguessugas. Vestido sempre de modo impecável, perfumado e polido, a máscara de Jerry (interpretado por Chris Sarandon) só não foi capaz de enganar o jovem Charley, que desconfiou desde sempre da boa educação de seu novo vizinho… Com seu estilo doce e sexy, Jerry Dandrige conseguiu vampirizar a namorada do jovem, Amy, e seu melhor amigo, Ed, além de arrancar muitos suspiros da maior parte do público feminino, especialmente quando assobiava romanticamente o clássico “Strangers in the night” (tudo a ver, não é mesmo?), de Sinatra.

David

“Dormir o dia inteiro. Zoar a noite toda. Nunca crescer. Nunca morrer. É divertido ser um vampiro!”. Foi com este lema que o sensual vampiro David conquistou diversos seguidores no filme Garotos Perdidos (Lost Boys, 1987), clássico dos anos 80 estrelado por Kiefer Sutherland. As estripulias bizarras de David e sua turma vampiresca escandalizaram uma pequena cidade da Califórnia. Como em um ritual, suas vítimas precisavam beber vinho de sangue e comer vermes. Foi o caso de Emerson (Jason Patrick), que por amor a Star (Jami Gertz), aceitou o rito de passagem e se tornou um ser das trevas, passando a integrar a primeira gangue de sanguessugas bad boys do cinema!

Bento Carneiro

“Minha vingança será maligna!” – Quem já ouviu esta frase pode até não se lembrar da origem, mas os fãs de Chico Anysio jamais vão esquecer de Bento Carneiro, o Vampiro Brasileiro, o único ser das trevas que morava “aquém do além adonde que veve os mortos”… O personagem, um vampiro atrapalhado, simplório e desprestigiado, foi criado pelo humorista na década de 80 e logo se tornou um dos maiores sucessos de seu “Chico Anysio Show”. Sempre ao lado de seu fiel escudeiro, Calunga, Bento Carneiro fez do mito do Vampiro um veículo perfeito para brincar e ridicularizar, sempre com muito bom humor, as mazelas e contradições da sociedade brasileira.

Os Monstros

Na década de 60, a CBS americana produziu um seriado para a TV que marcou toda uma geração de telespectadores. A exemplo da família Addams, da rival ABC, realizada na mesma época, os Monstros faziam piada com os costumes exóticos de uma família sinistra… O pai, Herman (Fred Gwynne), era filho de um certo Dr. Frankestein. Vovô (Al Lewis), de apenas 370 anos, gastava a maior parte de seu tempo em loucas experiências de laboratório. Os filhos eram Eddie (Butch Patrick), verdadeiro monstrinho de pele verde, orelhas pontiagudas e caninos afiados, e Marilyn (Beverley Owen/Pat Priest), loira, esbelta, de olhos verdes, isto é, um verdadeiro horror para os padrões da família! A única vampira da história era a esposa de Herman, Lily Dracula, uma dona de casa sempre preocupada com a criação dos filhos… Cancelado nos EUA em 1966, o seriado foi exibido no Brasil ainda na década de 60, e reprisado em meados da década de 70, fazendo mais sucesso do que os Addams! As trapalhadas dos Monstros divertiam pessoas de todas as idades, principalmente quando Vovô resolvia dar uma voltinha com seu veículo: um caixão sobre rodas!

Varney

Sir Francis Varney era uma criatura literalmente repugnante. Criado pelo escritor inglês James Malcolm Rymer em 1847 (antes mesmo de Drácula!) no livro “Varney, o Vampiro ou o Banquete Sangrento”, a maior arma dessa criatura era a sua feiúra! Com sua face pálida e mórbidos olhos cor-de-lata, Varney hipnotizava suas vítimas apenas com o olhar… Com unhas e dentes pontiagudos, esse vampiro arranhava as vidraças das casas, fazendo o ruído de granizo. Por isso, também ficou conhecido como o “Vampiro das Tempestades”, agindo sempre em dias chuvosos ou com neve. Esse monstro pavoroso tinha preferência por jovens indefesas, que eram atacadas sem dó nem piedade. No entanto, Varney era um ser bastante temperamental, e se dava ao luxo de se sentir desgostoso com a imortalidade de vez em quando… Então, quando os raios da lua o acordavam e seu humor não estava dos melhores, o vampiro se escondia no Monte Vesúvio, onde nenhum feixe de luz poderia despertá-lo.

Blade

Além da Vampirella, outro herói dos quadrinhos também ficou famoso pelos seus poderes vampirescos. Ele se chama Blade e nasceu das idéias de Marv Wolfman, então roteirista da Marvel Comics. A grande diferença é que o herói negro não é bem um Vampiro de verdade, e sim uma mistura de ser humano com um Filho das Trevas… Como? A origem de Blade é espetacular: sua mãe foi atacada por um Vampiro quando ainda levava o filho no útero. Dessa forma, o bebê recebeu um pouco do sangue maldito, adquirindo alguns de seus poderes especiais. Como vingança, Blade se tornou um impiedoso caçador dos sanguessugas, e para isso utiliza as geringonças high-tech criadas por Whistler, também inventor do soro que Blade usa para poder caminhar à luz do dia sem virar pó. No cinema, o herói já mereceu dois filmes que estouraram nas bilheterias, ambos protagonizados pelo blockbuster Wesley Snipes.

O Vampiro do Brooklyn

Blade, o caçador de Vampiros vivido por Wesley Snipes, não é o único representante da galeria de sanguessugas afro-americanos… Em 1995, Eddie Murphy personificou no cinema o hilariante Maximillian, único sobrevivente de uma raça de Vampiros de uma ilha caribenha. Dirigido por Wes Craven, da série “Pânico”, “O Vampiro do Brooklyn” trouxe a verve cômica do eterno tira da pesada para o mundo dos Filhos da Noite. No filme, Eddie Murphy tem que encontrar a única mulher que pode salvar sua raça da extinção. Vivida por Angela Basset, Rita mora no Brooklyn e convive com estranhos pesadelos. Sem saber, a moça é filha de um Vampiro, e por isso carrega nas veias um destino sanguinolento. Mas uma série de contratempos acontecem (como sempre!) e Maximillian tem de mover mundos e fundos para conquistar Rita e garantir a preservação de sua espécie.

Blacula

Blacula é o personagem principal do filme de mesmo nome, dirigido por William Crain em 1972. Trata-se da versão afro-americana do maior vampiro de todos os tempos. A história começa com Manuwalde (William Marshall), um príncipe africano que é vampirizado pelo próprio Conde Drácula em 1780, e acaba trancafiado dentro de seu próprio caixão. Séculos depois, dois colecionadores de arte resolvem levar a tumba para Los Angeles, onde Blacula desperta sedento de sangue! O Vampiro conhece Tina, a reencarnação de sua falecida esposa Luva, e faz de tudo para conquistar o seu amor. Mas o caminho de Blacula está cheio de obstáculos: Gordon, o melhor amigo da moça, descobre a verdade sobre Manuwalde e inicia uma verdadeira caçada ao vampiro africano…

Zé Vampir

Quem é que nunca se divertiu com as histórias da Turma do Penadinho, escritas por Maurício de Souza? Pois essa galerinha de arrepiar não poderia deixar de ter o seu Vampiro. Ele se chama Zé Vampir e é cheio de classe… Ao contrário dos outros personagens do cemitério, como o Cranícola, Muminho, Lobisomen e a Dona Morte, que normalmente usam apenas trapos ou lençóis (afinal, são fantasmas!), o nosso menino Vampiro se inspirou nos elegantes sanguessugas do cinema para compor o seu visual: smoking, gravata borboleta e uma elegante capa! Como a maioria dos Vampiros, Zé Vampir também pode se transformar em um simpático morcego, coisa que faz sempre quando quer assustar alguém. Apesar disso, Zé Vampir é um Vampiro camarada, e nunca leva seu apetite por sangue às últimas consequências. Na verdade, o morceguinho sempre acaba preferindo alguma guloseima à base de morango ou groselha, bem vermelhinha…

Don Drácula

Protagonista de um desenho animado japonês, Don Drácula (Don Dorakyura) fez a festa de muitas crianças brasileiras durante a década de 80, quando foi exibido. Criado por Osamu Tezuka (considerado o “Deus do Mangá”) em 1979, o pano de fundo da história é a mudança de Drácula para o Japão, para fugir de seu arquiinimigo, o Dr. Rip Van Helsing… Muito desastrado, o Vampiro acaba se envolvendo em muitas confusões com sua filha, Sangria, e Igor, seu criado corcunda. Sem falar no morceguinho Yasu, que narra com muito bom humor alguns momentos da história. Além de Van Helsing, Don Drácula também se esforça para fugir dos “ataques” da apaixonada Blonda, uma gorducha cheia de sangue para dar! Um típico desenho japonês, que deixou saudades em muita gente.

Vampirella

Criada na década de 60 pelo célebre Forrest J. Ackerman (o escritor que utilizou pela primeira vez a expressão “Sci-Fi”), a curvilínea Vampirella povoa a imaginação dos marmanjos desde aquela época. Sempre vestida com um sensual maiô colante vermelho, que revela boa parte de sua invejável forma física, a Vampirella das histórias em quadrinhos já teve duas origens… Para Ackerman, a Vampira era uma alienígena de Drakulon, onde todos os habitantes são Vampiros que se alimentam do sangue que corre nos rios desse estranho planeta. Na década de 90, entretanto, Vampirella teve sua origem reescrita por Kevin Lau, e passou a ser a filha de Lilith, uma Vampira mitológica. Seja como for, Vampi (como é carinhosamente chamada pelos íntimos) continua combatendo o crime com seu peculiar estilo sexy-sangrento, e muita gente boa não ligaria nem um pouco em ser mordido pela simpática heroína…

Mirza

Criada em 1967 por Eugênio Colonnese, um dos mestres pioneiros da HQ nacional, Mirza é a personagem feminina mais conhecida do terror brasileiro. Inspirada na internacional Vampirella, a vampira brasileira povoou o imaginário de várias gerações de leitores, já que foi publicada em momentos distintos das décadas de 60, 70 e 80. O verdadeiro nome de Mirza era Mirela Zamanova, uma condessa exuberante que se tornou um ícone não só do terror como também do erotismo nos quadrinhos. Suas aventuras se davam nos ambientes glamurosos das passarelas da alta moda e nas festas da elite brasileira, já que Mirza ganhava a vida como modelo internacional, sempre vestida (ou despida, é claro!) em trajes provocantes e muito muito sensuais… Em seu reinado de terror, Mirza visitou as maiores cidades do mundo, procurando suas vítimas indiscriminadamente entre homens e mulheres, e deixando uma verdadeira legião de “órfãos”, candidatos eternos aos voluptuosos caninos da vampira.

Miriam Blaylock

A secular vampira Miriam Blaylock, interpretada por Catherine Deneuve em “Fome de viver” (The Hungers), ficou célebre na película de Tony Scott, um dos mais belos e chocantes filmes de 1983. Personagem do livro mais famoso de Whitley Strieber, Lady Miriam e seu vampiro-amante John (David Bowie) tinham uma vida sofisticada, eram apaixonados por música clássica e sobreviviam à base de sangue novo de homens e mulheres. Mas repentinamente John teve um estranho distúrbio celular e envelheceu em poucos segundos, forçando Miriam a procurar a doutora Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon), especialista em envelhecimento precoce. Foi a deixa para que a vampira seduzisse a médica ao som da ópera Lakmé, de Léo Delibes, em uma das cenas mais eróticas do filme. Sob o poder de Miriam, Sarah foi perdendo aos poucos sua identidade humana, mergulhando cada vez mais fundo na escuridão dos Filhos da Noite…

Carmilla

Personagem central de um conto publicado em 1872 pelo escritor irlandês Sheridan Le Fanu, Carmilla foi uma das primeiras criaturas da noite registradas na literatura mundial. De hábitos noturnos, cabelos e olhos castanho escuros, Carmilla logo chamou a atenção de Laura, uma jovem da nobreza austríaca com quem a Vampira manteve um relacionamento conturbado. Na história, narrada pela própria vítima, Carmilla acaba revelando ser a Condessa Karnstein, uma antepassada de Laura, falecida há mais de 150 anos! Linda, graciosa e de porte aristocrático, Carmilla influenciou toda uma geração de Vampiras fatais, e há quem diga, inclusive, que Bram Stoker teria se inspirado na obra de seu conterrâneo para criar o seu Drácula.

Philinnion

Philinnion é a personagem de um conto muito antigo atribuído ao historiador grego Phlegon de Trales, que teria vivido no primeiro ou segundo século da era cristã, e por isso pode ser considerada uma das primeiras vampiras da literatura. A história narra o drama de um jovem chamado Machates, que se apaixonou perdidamente por Philinnion, sem saber que ela já estava morta… Machates morava com os pais da moça, e recebia todas as noites a visita de sua noiva. Quando os pais de Philinnion viram a filha na cama com o hóspede, trataram de avisá-lo que aquilo era uma assombração! O jovem ficou arrasado, e Philinnion amaldiçoou seus pais por terem revelado seu pequeno segredo… Mais tarde, os habitantes da cidade perceberam que a tumba da jovem estava vazia e encontraram seu corpo em casa. O cadáver de Philinnion foi então queimado e oferecido ao Deus Hermes, para que sua alma fosse enviada ao mundo das trevas. A história de Philinnion era muito famosa na época do Império Romano, e serviu de inspiração para Goethe escrever seu famoso poema “Die Braut von Korinth”.

Lord Ruthven

Personagem principal do livro “The Vampyre”, publicado em 1819, o sedutor Lord Ruthven nasceu durante uma emocionante tempestade literária… Reza a lenda que, em 1816, o grande poeta romântico Lord Byron reuniu em Genebra alguns amigos, entre eles Mary Shelley, escritora, e John Polidori, médico. Byron propôs um desafio aos demais: uma competição de histórias de terror, que foi vencida pelo Frankenstein criado na ocasião por Shelley. Foi nesse jogo que Byron idealizou o enredo para “The Vampyre”, mas logo abandonou o projeto. Polidori, que também estava naquela noite, desenvolveu a idéia de Byron e ainda se inspirou na figura do amigo para dar vida a Ruthven, um elegante Vampiro inglês que transitava com desenvoltura nas festas mais chiques da nobreza européia, onde dava vazão a seus instintos bestiais entre um gole de champagne e uma mordida certeira no pescoço de alguma linda donzela… O evento azedou a amizade dos dois, mas deu ao mundo um dos personagens vampíricos mais marcantes da literatura mundial.

Conde Saint-German

O Conde Ragoczy Saint-German é a principal criação da escritora californiana Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, que conta com uma verdadeira legião de fãs vampirescos nos Estados Unidos. Protagonista de mais de uma dezena de livros, Saint-German é um vampiro do bem, um herói que usa a experiência acumulada em 3500 anos de vida para ajudar o próximo, principalmente no caso de belas mulheres… Poliglota, rico e inteligente, Saint-German é um farmacêutico/alquimista, que precisa de sangue para se manter vivo, mas nunca mata suas vítimas, preferindo alimentar-se de suas amantes ou de estranhos que, em troca, recebem sonhos agradáveis por telepatia. Assim como os sanguessugas tradicionais, o vampiro de Yazbro também não pode se ver no espelho, carrega sempre um punhado de sua terra natal (às vezes dentro dos sapatos…), e pode se recuperar de ferimentos que levariam qualquer ser humano à morte! Um herói pra lá de charmoso, que convida o leitor para conhecer as mais fantásticas eras de nossa história.

Azzo, o Cavaleiro

Encravado em algum lugar dos Cárpatos, na Romênia, está o assombrado castelo Klatka. Este é o lar de Azzo, o Cavaleiro Vampiro que protagoniza a obra “A Mysterious Stranger”, de autor desconhecido, publicada pela primeira vez em 1860. Azzo é um Vampiro centenário, com um profundo desprezo pela humanidade, e só tem interesse pelas coisas pitorescas, incomuns. Ante sua presença, mesmo os lobos mais selvagens se tornam dóceis e inofensivos. Com a eterna aparência de um homem de 40 anos, alto e magro, o Cavaleiro tem olhos cinzas amedrontadores, e usa bigode, barba e cabelos negros e curtos. Sempre vestido em sua armadura medieval, Azzo é rude, sarcástico e monossilábico com os visitantes, guardando toda a sua elegância e cultura secular para cortejar as jovens donzelas que acompanham os viajantes. Quando convidado para um banquete, o Cavaleiro Azzo sempre recusa a comida, fazendo questão de frisar que só se alimenta de líquidos… quentes!

O Vampiro de Sussex

Em 1924, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle publicou “The Sussex Vampire” (“O Vampiro de Sussex”), colocando Sherlock Holmes frente a frente com um ser das trevas. A história começa em uma manhã de novembro, com uma carta assustadora. Nela, um certo Robert Ferguson pede a ajuda de Holmes para resolver um espantoso caso de vampirismo! O detetive começa a investigar uma série de mortes ocorridas no vilarejo em questão, que parecem ligadas a um estranho fato ocorrido há um século atrás. Nessa ocasião, os habitantes do local teriam assassinado todos os integrantes de uma família, acusados de vampiros. Assustados, os novos moradores começam a acreditar que um descendente dos sanguessugas é o responsável pelas mortes, sedento de sangue e vingança. Sherlock tem de usar toda a sua miraculosa astúcia para resolver a questão, e acaba provando mais uma vez que os vivos sempre são muito mais perigosos que os mortos… Mas você não vai querer saber o final da história, certo? O negócio é ler o livro para se deliciar com o caso mais sanguinolento do maior detetive do mundo!

VAMPIROS FAMOSOS DA TV E DO CINEMA

1. Lestat – Interview With the Vampire

2. Christopher Lee’s Dracula

3. Bela Lugosi’s Dracula

4. Edward Cullen – Twilight (Crepúsculo)

5. Bill and Eric – True Blood

6. Asa Vajda, 1960’s Black Sunday

7. Angel

8. Mr. Barlow – Salem’s Lot

9. Schuyler Van Alen – Melissa de la Cruz’s Blue Bloods series

10. Gary Oldman’s Drácula

Fonte: Revista Entertainment Weekly

http://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/arteelazer,confira-os-vampiros-mais-famosos-da-literatura-e-do-cinema,466500,0.htm

I like comics. Well, I used to. I mean, I still like them, but I don’t really buy them anymore. And I think a lot of people are in that category.

Pretty much, I collected comics at the boom times for the industry. For those that don’t know, people went crazy for comics in the 1990s. New comics companies were created. Issues were produced with all sorts of foil covers and laser holograms. Artists became superstars. Prices of comics went up. Marvel went public. The groundwork was laid for the current explosion of Hollywood comics-based movies. All those comics we purchased, thinking they would pay for college, are pretty much worthless.

Still, I remain interested in the format, the characters, the industry. I’ll still buy a few graphic novels or trade paperbacks that compile particularly well-regarded runs of issues. How do I know what’s good? I read comics blogs. And I thought I’d share a few links with you. Whether you like good stories about Batman (I do. A lot.) or more “adult” titles like Watchmen or Sandman, there’s something for you. There are (of course) even nerdy blogs that follow comics like Archie. Well, OK, pretty much all of the comics blogs are pretty nerdy.

Here are my favorites:

Dave’s Long Box — This was actually the first ever comics blog I discovered. Dave no longer blogs at this site, and for a while had moved to Society of Dave, which I think is also abandoned. He got a job doing some writing at ABC or something and, like many of the comics bloggers out there, is producing a lot of his own material that distracts from taking old comics, scanning them in, and making fun of them.

Tales from the Long Box — Another comics blog with “long box” in the title. Why? That’s how most nerds store their comics — in long cardboard boxes, with each issue bagged in a special acid-free Mylar bag, frequently with a special board to prevent any bending of the corners or the spine. And that’s not even going so far as the having the comic professionally graded, with a special wrinkled paper expert awarding a numeric grade as to how well-preserved the comic book is. After that, you pay lots of money to have the thing locked in a preservative case, sealing away the damaging elements and ravages of time, maximizing the re-sale value of your paper treasure.  None of which speaks to the fact that Tales from the Longbox is an awesome periodically-published blog about comics. Very well written and quite funny.

Kevin Church — This guy is one of the two kings of comics blogs. He writes a lot and writes well. He also produces his own comics. And of all of the comics bloggers, his non-comics posts are among my favorite. I really like his “design fetish” feature, which is random, but visually appealing. It goes in my eyes.

Chris Sims — This guy is the other king of comics blogging in my book. He likes Batman. He likes things that kick other things in the face. He has a wide-ranging set of interests as far as pop culture goes, and it helps that his interests overlap substantially with my own. He has been producing some cool stuff about vampires in the run up to Halloween. Where else are you going to find original radio spots advertising Blacula?

Dorian Wright — Postmodern Barney is a great place to find good writing about comics and pop culture, but Dorian’s writing has a bit more of a social conscience than many of the other sites. The posts are longer than those on your average blog (which resonates with me and my often too-long Toxic Culture posts) and I appreciate the thoughtfulness that seems to go into each post, even it’s just a review of a crappy monster movie.

Savage Critics — This one is written by more than one person and, as such, lacks that compelling voice that keeps you coming back for more. Still, there are some good reviews here, and it’s often worth a scan to see what’s happening in the world. Rarely do such scans result in me actually buying some comics, but it’s got to be pretty good writing if it’s still fun to see what other people think about stuff that I’m not reading.

Comics Worth Reading — Again, this one spills into pop culture a bit more than just comics. But if I don’t want to read about Bob Dylan or Disney or Ally McBeal, I can just scroll past those posts until I find something cool about, say, Captain America.

Mike Sterling’s Progressive Ruin — This is a really good one. It’s a good site if almost every time you go there, you say to yourself, “Damn, why don’t I read this more often?” Then you say to yourself, “Damn, I have a job and really ought to be doing more productive things that reading about the run of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics produced by the people who produced Archie comics.”

Bam Kapow! — Sort of a TMZ for comics nerds. Good place to look if you want up-to-date information about how the script for the upcoming Thor movie is coming. I myself am partial to Thor-themed space horse Beta Ray Bill.

The Horrors of It All — It’s nearly Halloween. I like good creepy art. This site is full of that stuff. Has whole stories scanned in from some of the old horror and sci-fi comics. Lots of good links for distracting you from more productive things. Punk rock! Goth! Horrorcore!

So anyway, enjoy. I may have left off some great sites, but these are the ones I check on pretty regularly. Whether you like pre-code comics, like it when Batman punches a ninja into a volcano, or merely have some fond memories of taking a sick day from middle school and laying on the couch while your grandma brought you some “funny books,” there’s something out there for everyone.

“Pimping God’s consciousness like a fat ho!” – J.D. Walker

This last Tuesday night at the New Bev, the GRINDHOUSE FILM FESTIVAL screened a couple of blaxploitation horror flicks in honor of the season, J.D.’S REVENGE and BLACULA. During the raffle before the show, my girl Grae Drake won a DVD copy of the RUDY RAY MOORE classic, PETEY WHEATSTRAW: THE DEVIL’S SON IN LAW, which is a kind of pimp-horror film in it’s own right. She donated it to my extensive collection and I promised to show it to her along with DISCO GODFATHER some day in the near future. That started the night off with a bang and it only got better from there.

GLYNN (J.D.) TURMAN, director ARTHUR MARKS and co-star, CARL CRUDUP from J.D.'S REVENGE.

Two of the stars and the director of J.D.’S REVENGE, GLYNN TURMAN, CARL CRUDUP and ARTHUR MARKS were on hand to introduce the film that night. The audience was very excited to watch it, because most of us (including me) had not seen it yet, but we were all big fans of the J.D.’S REVENGE trailer that Brian played before a few of the GRINDHOUSE shows.

Before the first film, there was a trailer reel of vintage exploitation films that included:

DERANGED – a biography pic from the early 70s about real-life serial killer ED GEIN.

CANNIBAL GIRLS – I’ve never seen this one about a bunch of go go girls who enjoy eating human flesh.

BONNIE’S KIDS – TIFFANY (THE CANDY SNATCHERS) BOLLING plays one half of a murderous brother and sister crime team. An amazing looking NATURAL BORN KILLERS type of 70s film, with the awesome tagline: “Thank god she only had two!”

Then our feature presentation:

J.D.’S REVENGE tells the tragic tale of a violent street hustler named J.D. Walker, who is wrongly accused of murder and viciously gunned down one night in New Orleans, circa 1942.

Flash forward to the good old 70s, where we meet a passive young law student named Ike (GLYNN TURMAN). While out on a double date one evening, he volunteers for a hypnosis demonstration and unknowingly becomes possessed by the spirit of a vengeful J.D.

Before long, Ike is wearing old pimp suits from the forties, hot combing his hair and making love to his woman like a wild man. He can’t understand what’s happening to him and after beating up his girlfriend, he seeks help from his doctor friend Tony (CARL CRUDUP). Tony tells him to relax and informs him that beating up on his lady is just a natural way to let off steam (HUH?!). Well, he is a doctor so…

Ike is possessed with the spirit of J.D. the badass pimp!

Also, while under J.D.’s influence, he takes an old white lady on a terrifying white knuckle cab ride, finally pulling her out of the car and beating the crap out of her. On another excursion, he picks up some lady, fucks her, cuts up her husband when he catches them and steals her Lincoln Continental for a fast getaway.  That’s one bad dude!

When Ike/J.D. comes face to face with Reverend Elija Bliss (LOUIS GOSSETT JR.), who is the direct descendent of the man that killed him, he embarks on his bloody revenge quest.

LOUIS GOSSETT JR. must pay!

J.D.’S REVENGE was actually a really well acted and directed film, that made the most of a low budget and a B movie script. GLYNN (THE WIRE) TURNER is really great as Ike, who shifts seamlessly between the two personalities. The movie has a cooky plot, but everything is played with such earnest, it really keeps you in it. I also loved that it had one of those happy endings where everything goes completely back to normal, regardless of all the crazy shit that’s happened.

There was a Q and A afterwards with GLYNN TURNER, CARL CRUDUP and ARTHUR MARKS, where they talked about how wonderful it was to shoot the film in New Orleans. They said that the city lent a lot to the movie’s mood and texture and that they ate the best food of their lives for the six months they shot there. ARTHUR MARKS said that the film cost $600,000 and made a lot of money for MGM. Everyone wanted to do a sequel, but it never materialized. GLYNN TURNER said that SNOOP DOGG is a huge fan of the film and told TURNER how much he loved it once, when they bumped into each other at Universal Citywalk. Perhaps BONES was inspired by J.D.’S REVENGE?

There was a short break and when we returned, WILLIAM CRAIN the director of BLACULA, came to the stage and introduced his film. He said he was only 19 years old when he made it and for some reason, A.I.P. head SAMUEL ARKOFF hated him and he never worked for him again. Strange, considering the film was very well made and a huge hit for the studio. WILLIAM CRAIN also told us he handpicked all the actors in BLACULA and at one time, both BERNIE CASEY and HARRY BELAFONTE were up for the lead role. Cool.

Before the film, there were a few more trailers:

A.I.P.’s MADHOUSE – starring VINCENT PRICE.

THE INCREDIBLE TWO HEADED TRANSPLANT – they’re showing it on the 27th with THE THING WITH TWO HEADS.

THE RETURN OF COUNT YORGA – scary looking vampire movie from A.I.P.

Then…

IT'S BLACULA SUCKA!!!

BLACULA is about an African Prince named Mamuwalde (WILLIAM MARSHALL), who along with his beautiful wife Luva (VONETTA McGEE), are guests of the infamous Count Dracula at his castle in the 1700’s. Dracula bites Mamuwalde, turning him into a vampire and murders his beloved bride before his very eyes. Dracula then renames him BLACULA and buries him away for eternity.

Centuries later, two of the most flamboyantly portrayed interior decorators ever, buy BLACULA’S coffin and have it shipped back to L.A. Once he rises, he starts biting necks and pining for a young woman named Tina, who’s the reincarnation of his deceased wife.

I haven’t seen BLACULA in a long time and I’ve never seen it on the big screen, until now. I didn’t realize that it is actually a retelling of the DRACULA story in every way, with only a change in location (Los Angeles instead of London) and race (African American instead of Romanian). It’s another well made blaxploitation film, with really good acting and some very scary moments. The bloody finale, where BLACULA is pursued by the cops in an abandoned warehouse is fantastic! I agree with the character Big Skillet, who refers to BLACULA as, “One weird dude, but I do dig that cape!”

It was another great night at the GRINDHOUSE. See ya next time!

A gang of degenerates anxiously await the next GRINDHOUSE.

Cartel de Blacula

Para los años setentas, la segregación racial era aún parte importante de la cultura estadounidense, pero en esos años, la comunidad negra comenzaba a buscar hacerse de un lugar en la sociedad. Sin embargo, era un momento en que la integración era inimaginable, así que, ante un Hollywood que se negaba a darle a los negros papeles importantes, la reacción fue crear un género de cintas exclusivas para esta raza, en donde los héroes, y prácticamente todos los protagonistas, pertenecían a la misma.

Este subgénero fue bautizado como blaxploitation, palabra formada de la combinación de Black y Explotation. La cinta que prácticamente inició el mismo fue Shaft, que definió también el perfil de la misma: peinados afro, música funk, escenarios en los ghettos urbanos negros, y ropas en extremo vistozas. El movimiento llegó a tales límites, que se hicieron cintas tan disparatadas como Blacula o Blackenstein, que a pesar de su perfil totalmente ridículo, se ocnvirtieon en clásicos.

Aunque fuertemente criticado por justificar los estereotipos negros, lo cierto es que, de una u otra forma, logró abrir el interés de Hollywoood hacia la raza negra, que a la larga permitiría la apertura que se vive actualmente.

“Warm fresh blood will quench his awful thirst.”

African Prince Mamuwalde (William Marshall), goes to Count Dracula asking for his assistance in stopping the Slave Trade. Driven by racism, Dracula not only refuses but curses Mamuwalde in the process, sealing him in a coffin.

“You shall pay, black prince. I shall place a curse of suffering on you that will doom you to a living hell. I curse you with my name. You shall be… Blacula!”
-Dracula

In 1972, Blacula’s winds up in Los Angeles and then the fun begins.

My girl Vonetta McGee played Tina, the young girl who Blacula thinks is his wife, reincarnated. The plot stumbles on and at some point in the story, Blacula and Tina are shot. He is unharmed by the bullet and to save her life he turns her into a vampire. Bad move, Jack. She is staked by some people who apparently don’t like vampires. Blacula then commits suicide by sun exposure.

Classic love story. First recipient of the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film. William Marshall stole my heart. It’s Romeo and Juliet meets True Blood. Great movie.

Chupa essa, Blade! Você não foi o primeiro!

Em 1780, o príncipe Mamuwalde, senhor da Africa pede ajuda ao conde Drácula para acabar com o comércio de escravos. Dracula, que se mostra racista, transforma Mamuwalde em vampiro, dando-lhe o nome de Blacula, e o aprisiona em um caixão para sofrer enternamente. A esposa de Mamuwalde também é aprisionada, porém não sendo transformada em vapiro, acaba morrendo. Quase dois séculos depois o caixão é comprado por dois decoradores de interior gays, que ao abrirem o caixão, tornam-se suas primeiras vítimas…

A while back I waffled about my opening credit fetish when it comes to films. I bored a meagre (but appreciated) readership with regards to how I feel shortchanged when the titles don’t match the poster/VHS/DVD artwork, and that films lose their spark when we’re hurled in after the studio/distributor logos without so much as a single credit, instead leaving it for the elongated end credits instead. It’s heracy for a geek like me. At least drop ‘em in after the opening act.

Shit, even throw the audience a curveball by letting the cast and crew scroll horizontally three quarters in. Anything. I appreciate that when I foolishly attempt to squint and adjust the contrast to watch an iPhone film bootleg, one of the first casualties of my nefarious deed is opening credits. Many pirates are too shook when they start. If they start. But if I’m shelling out for the much mooted cinemagoing “experience” I WANT OPENING CREDITS. Preferably innovative ones. ‘Zombieland’ – step forward. Computer-aided they may have been, but the film’s introduction worked a lot better than the poorly lit ‘Dr. Tongue’ zombie that welcomed me to the ‘Day Of The Dead.’

In those blog posts I forgot to mention Sandy Dvore’s film work. The artist and illustrator who created those oft-parodied ‘The Partridge Family’ credits and designed Buffalo Springfield LP sleeves was also recruited for two fairly well-known genre films that are, by and large, derided as trash. In the case of 1970’s ‘The Dunwich Horror’ and 1972’s ‘Blacula’ you may well have caught them late at night, and there’s a fair chance you were lured in by the stunning sequences that preceded them, only to find the live-action that followed horribly dated and faintly exploitative.

I love the expenditure of time, imagination and effort into what’s deemed throwaway. Any assumption that only things of declared culturally significant warrant care and attention is misguided. Dvore went well beyond the call of duty on this duo, and submitted work with no resemblance to the lurid promotional materials. Admittedly ‘The Dunwich Horror’s misleading painted gorgon/victim art has merit – reproduced on the soundtrack LP it’s included in the ‘Wax Poetics’ ‘Cover Story’ tome of notable sleeve art, and ‘Blacula’s posters were befitting any film daft enough to be called ‘Blacula’, but Sandy created two mini-masterpieces that aced the mediocrity ahead.

As I understand, Sandy was also recruited to give another exploitation flick, 1976’s ‘Lipstick’ some logo design, and I’m assuming his handiwork is present in the trailer rather than the less bombastic (and disco soundtrack friendly) credits of the actual movie, that let Ernest Hemingway’s tragic grandaughter Margaux be the star of the show. ‘Blacula’ and ‘The Dunwich Horror’ are animation-heavy and full of gothic visuals.

The bats and vampire victims of ‘Blacula’ are worthy of Stoker or Murnau (if you ditched the Gene Page score that is) and ‘The Dunwich Horror’ goes one louder by arguably being the best lift of H.P. Lovecraft’s aesthetic from book to screen – respect to Stuart Gordon, but I think the demonic shadow “puppets” top tentacles, flesh meltdowns and hard gore – they might even top the sight of Barbera Crampton wearing next-to-nothing. Nearly.

Definite nightmare fodder for me growing up – but in terms of sheer man hours, sketching and bringing the look alive (bear in mind that Bond credits genius Maurice Binder caught a brick when he worked on a love scene sequence for 1979’s megabudget ‘Dracula’), Sandy Dvore’s horror flick work deserves your time. If today’s designers expended half the energy into the seemingly mundane, the world would be a more visually appealing place.

I love her because she is an absolutely gorgeous Black woman. Fly doesn’t even begin to describe her.

But, I have to admit that I have a bit of animosity toward Vonetta McGee (Belinda, Shaft in Africa, Blacula)…

…because she dated my guy, Max Julien (aka The Mack).

Yes, I loved him. Actually, I still do. Don’t judge.

They acted opposite one another in Thomasine and Bushrod, a 1974 Blaxploitation remake of Bonnie and Clyde. They were doper than Bonnie or Clyde ever could have imagined being.

Max Julien and Vonetta McGee were Will and Jada before Will and Jada.

Forget the fact that they were ahead of my time. Check them out. Oh yeah, that tinge of animosity I had for Vonetta faded when I found out that she’s married to Carl Lumbly.

Yes, we’re doing it again this year. Here’s the list of films so far…

8 more days 'till Howloween...

976-Evil

Blacula

Kaidan

Lair of the White Worm

The Serpent and the Rainbow

Shocker

Strangeland

From A Whisper to a Scream

Trick or Treat

Black Sabbath

Night of the Demon (1957)

Anguish

Little Otik

Woodchipper Massacre

He Knows You’re Alone

Dressed To Kill

The Descent

The Gate

Silver Bullet

The Gingerdead Man

The Blob

Cropsey (with special guests!)

The House of the Devil (with special guests!)

Zombieland

A face only a mother (or reincarnated wife) could love.

Rating: ***

Review by Justin Smith

September 16, 2009

Fade in to Castle Dracula in Transylvania, the on screen titles tell us it’s 1780, and yes, it’s storming. After the black prince Mamuwalde (William Marshall) and his lovely wife, Luva (Vonetta McGee), propose to the white Count Dracula that he should help abolish black slavery, Dracula taunts them and takes them prisoner after a laughable dining room brawl. Mamuwalde is then bitten and cursed by Dracula to forever be Blacula. Meanwhile, Luva is left to die in the tomb as she watches her now undead husband suffer as he hungers for human blood while trapped inside a locked coffin. Roll opening credits.

If this sounds like the ideal opening to a campy 1970s blaxploitation horror film, you’re in the right place. Blacula is a film that although not great by any means, should be seen (at least once) by anyone who loves the low-budget films of the 1970s.

After the opening credits we are taken to present day Transylvania, where two gay antique dealers (who are mercilessly referred to as ‘fag’ and ‘faggot’ throughout the film) buy everything in Dracula’s castle and have it shipped to the States. After making the mistake of unlocking Mamuwalde’s coffin, he appears and does a number on them both.

At the funeral of one of the deceased antique dealers, Mamuwalde sets eyes on Tina (Vonetta McGee) a woman who appears to be his wife reincarnate. He pursues her as she runs down the dark city streets, where he is struck by a cab. I mention this only because the cabbie, Juanita Jones (Ketty Lester), is the most attractive cabbie I’ve ever seen in a film. As Mamuwalde attempts to win over Tina, her brother-in-law, Dr. Gordon Thomas (Thalmus Rasulala), works to solve the case of the mysterious bite marks on the necks of the recently deceased.

You’re guaranteed to get your fix of big fros, big mustaches, sexy African-American women in revealing clothing, funky music (with even funkier dance moves), police shoot-outs, and even a morgue attendant with a hook for a hand. Blacula even adds a few things to the vampire mythos, like when Blacula is about to feed, his eyebrows grow out toward the hair on his head, and his clean shaven cheeks sprout bushy hair. Also, instead of growing unsightly cheek and brow hair, some vampires simply get painted green or gray and act more like zombies with fangs, than vampires.

A few minor plays stand out in Blacula, most notably is Skillit (Ji-Tu Cumbuka) the ‘groovy cat’ who’s always hanging out at the club in sleek suits and sunglasses, and Sam (Elisha Cook Jr. 1903-1995) the hook handed morgue attendant who’s apparently had too much coffee coupled with too many late nights on the job. Also, Ketty Lester’s ‘vampire performance’ is not to be missed.

Despite the strong anti-racism theme underlying the film, the usage of ‘fag’ and ‘faggot’ throughout undermine its message of acceptance. Granted the word ‘nigger’ is also used, but only by African-Americans, and always in a comedic tone. However, Blacula being a classic 1970s blaxploitation film, makes dwelling on these things, at least in this context, a moot point.

Like many films of the 1970s grouped into this sub-genre, Blacula isn’t that great of a film, but it is entertaining and worth checking out just for the sheer comedic value. It’s another film to add to your Halloween party playlist.

Director: William Crain

Writer: Raymond Koening, Joan Torres

Cast: William Marshall, Vonetta McGee, Denise Nicholas, Thalmus Rasulala, Gordon Pinset

MPAA Rating: PG

Runtime: 93 minutes

Year: 1972

Copyright © 2009 criticplanet.org

This is still one of the most watched Metal Crypt videos and rightly so, especially if you want to join the vampire movie debate.

And then scream again, because some cool campy fun is headed to the DVD shelves this Tuesday.  Yup, it’s those horror blacksploitation classics Blacula and Scream, Blacula Scream! This double feature release marks the first appearance of these films on Blu-Ray and their second incarnation on DVD.  They are being released as part of MGM’s “Soul Cinema” line of titles.

Still not convinced that this is a must buy?  The check out these original trailers, Brother:

And if that doesn’t move and groove you, then you ain’t the cat we thought you were!

William Marshall as Blacula

Blacula is a 1972 blaxploitation horror film produced for American International Pictures. It was directed by William Crain and stars William Marshall in the title role. Blacula was the first film to win the “Best Horror Film” award at the 1972 Saturn Awards. Also starring Vonetta McGee, Denise Nicholas, Thalmus Rasulala, Gordon Pinsent, and Charles Macaulay.

A sequel, Scream Blacula Scream, was released in 1973, in which Marshall resumed his role.

Tagline: Blacula! – Dracula’s Soul Brother!

Plot: Interior decorators buy the coffin of an African prince bitten by Dracula centuries before and bring it back to Los Angeles.

Blacula was a financial success when it was originally released. It was immediately followed by a sequel, Scream Blacula Scream (1973), in which the vampire is made corporeal again by a Voodoo practitioner. The success of the film also inspired the making of several other blaxploitation/horror crossovers in the mid-seventies, including Abby, Blackenstein, Dr. Black and Mr. Hyde, Ganja and Hess, The House on Skull Mountain, J. D.’s Revenge and Sugar Hill, although none of these films were as successful commercially as Blacula. Rumors circulated that Brides of Blacula and Son of Blacula were to have been made as well. Some more recent horror films with predominantly black casts were Def by Temptation (1990), Vampire in Brooklyn (a 1995 film which shares many themes and source material with Blacula), the anthology Tales from the Hood (1995), and Bones (2001).

Blacula found a new audience in the early ’80s, when Elvira featured it on her syndicated TV series, Movie Macabre. It has since become a cult classic, and is now available on DVD and as a rental on iTunes, from MGM Home Entertainment, the current copyright owners of the AIP catalog.

Make Up Department
  Lola Kent … hair stylist
  Fred B. Phillips … makeup artist

Special Effects Department
  Roger George … special effects

References in Pop Culture:

• The Simpsons have referenced the character and film Blacula multiple times:
  • In Simpson Tide, Homer is watching TV, and hears an announcer’s voice say “Next, on Exploitation Theatre…Blacula, followed by Blackenstein, and The Blunchblack of Blotre Blame!”
  • In the “I’ve Grown a Costume on Your Face” segment of Treehouse of Horror XVI, Dr. Hibbert dresses as Dracula for Halloween, but Mayor Quimby confuses him for Blacula. When Hibbert appears offended by this, Quimby whispers to his bodyguard “Get him the standard racist remark apology letter. It’s in the middle drawer.”
  • In All’s Fair in Oven War, the Simpsons begin the episode by watching a clip from Blacula Meets Black Dracula, in which both Blacula and Black Dracula are dancing on a disco floor. A white authoritative figure appears, who then turns off the music and states his intent to turn it into a hockey rink. Blacula responds by calling it a “honkey rink” and sucking his blood. Homer then announces that the actor who played Black Dracula is now a congressman from Virginia.
• In the music video for “Adam’s Song” by blink-182, Tom Delonge wears a Blacula T-shirt.
• The music video for the Gnarls Barkley song “Who Cares” revolves around the misfortunes of a jaded black vampire character named Blacula.
• There is a pornographic spoof of Blacula titled, Lust of Blackula.
• In the novel Anno Dracula, Prince Mamuwalde is mentioned in passing as a notable non-Caucasian vampire.
• Cartoon Network’s Robot Chicken made a reference to Blacula in one of their sketches, along with Blackenstein and the Black Mummy.
• The Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 have a song entitled “Back in Blacula” on their album Songs from the Recently Deceased.
• In the illustrations of Andrew Craven,  Blacula is re-represented in Penny Dreadful and the Blacula Encounter where he is the subject of one of Penny’s decadent adventures.
• In The Venture Bros. series, Jefferson Twilight is an African-American character (and friend of Dr. Orpheus) who exclusively hunts vampires of any ‘black’ ethnicity (African, African-American, African-British, et cetera) which he refers to as Blaculas.
• On MADtv there is a parody of Blacula (Aries Spears) who is usually accompanied by the parody of Dr Funkenstein (Keegan-Michael Key).
• An episode of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air showed Will Smith going into a dank basement. When Will sees the door creak and the basement storage room is full of 1970s items, he comments, “the door is straight outta Blacula”.
• In “Billy and Mandy”, Dracula was portrayed as an African American similar to Blacula.

Movie Poster 27x40

Pra quem não sabe Blaxploitation é filme de negão. Aqueles bigodudos grandões e fodões, que pegam todas enquanto atiram nas bundas brancas dos bandidos e escutam muito soul. Tipo o “Shaft“, lembra? Pois é. Inspirado nesse clássico (e em vários outros) dos anos 1970 – que inauguraram um dos gênero mais divertidos da época, o cineasta Scott Sanders dirigiu “Black Dynamite”.

A obra estreou nos festivais de Sundance e Seattle (onde ganhou o prêmio da audiência) e conta a história do detetive/lenda dos anos 70 Black Dynamite, que está atrás d’O Cara, vilão responsável por distribuir heroína em orfanatos, vender bebida adulterada e matar os próprios irmãos. Com roteiro do ator Michael Jai White, você confere o trailer desse autêntico Blax clicando na imagem:

Com o próprio Jai White liderando o elenco – que ainda conta com mais um monte de negões badass e várias foxy ladies – o filme acaba de ganhar uma data de estréia convencional nos EUA. Segundo a Variety, isso deve acontecer no dia 16 de outubro. Se for um sucesso por lá, quem sabe esse longa não chega aqui?

E se você não conhece o estilo, não deixe de procurar por “Shaft”, “Super Fly“, “Blacula” (a versão negra do Drácula) e “Coffy“, da diva blax Pam Grier – que também está na homenagem de Tarantido para o gênero em 1997: Jackie Brown.

By Kyle Thomas Smith

I wrote this a long time ago, but I’m on a memoir jag, so here it comes again…

“This is for discrimination and egotists who think supreme/

And this is for whoever taught you how to kiss in designer jeans.”

-Prince, “Lady Cab Driver”

For a long time, Mom blamed herself for my inaptitude in school. She was already exhausted enough, raising a houseful of six kids when I happened along, quite by surprise. So, when I was supposed to be learning Reading, ’Riting, ’Rithmetic with The Count, Big Bird, and a chaser of The Electric Company, she didn’t protest too much when my siblings would come along and change the channel to General Hospital, What’s Happening!!, Soap, or those reprehensible ABC After-School Specials. But, the way I see it, this was no tragedy. In time, I became a devoted reader and writer (I still suck at math). Plus, overexposure to junk culture gave me a whole different jumping-off point from my more assimilated peers.

For instance, I developed an early fascination with Urban Fiction from Blaxploitation films, which were constantly airing (replete with bleeps and scene edits) in the late Seventies, especially on the U-Channels and Insomniac Theater. I sat through more of them than I can count—Blacula, Cleopatra Jones, Superfly, Shaft, Foxy Brown. (My disclaimer: those were different times, I was too young to have a conscience about it, and mom was in the other room.) They were riddled with guns, pushers, pimps and crooked cops. But the hookers were the ones who fascinated me most.

I didn’t know what they were doing. I knew they enticed men, but I didn’t know for what purpose. To me, they were just strange women, standing on street corners in tight minis, often while leaning against brick buildings under elevated subway tracks, twirling the dangling ends of their chain-link belts. I knew they twirled chains. I had no idea what they were up to past that.

One Saturday morning, Mom and my sister Kathy were in the kitchen. As usual, the TV was blaring. Channel 7 Eye-Witness News was on. Kathy was wearing her perennial yellow terrycloth robe and burning a Cheddar omelet on a front burner of the stove. Mom was wearing a black apron with white polka-dots and pouring Cascade into our new dishwasher. I was sitting at the table, drinking an iceless Lipton Iced Tea that I’d mixed myself from a bottle, which had a warning label on it, which read that the beverage I was enjoying was laced with something called saccharine, which was responsible for the deaths of laboratory animals. The anchorman announced that the National Hookers Convention in Las Vegas was in full-swing. Mom noted her disdain with a scowl. My sister responded with a smirk and the gambit, “It’s the world’s oldest profession, Mom.”

“Next to motherhood,” Mom countered.

The camera flashed to a dais of women who looked like the ones from those movies. My eyes dilated, “What’s a profession?”

Kathy whipped around and winked, “It’s how you make your money.”

Mom caught sight of my awe and said, “Kathleen, turn that crap off now!” Kathy complied, knowing she’d won the match. Her youngest brother had learned what the world’s oldest profession was.

I remember going away from the table that day, meditating on olden times. You see, in addition to Superfly, I was also fond of 1950’s Bible epics like Ben Hur, The Egyptian and The Ten Commandments. Those films were strewn with pharaohs, shepherds, Romans and Hebrews. (I guess there were harlots in them too, but these were G-rated movies, so a five-year-old couldn’t tell.) I began to put two and two together. So, there were hookers in the times of the pharaohs and the shepherds, huh? A picture began to form in my mind. For years after that, I walked around imagining bearded men in caftans, carrying staffs through the scorching desert and passing by women, who were in pumps and purple, Saran-Wrap mini-skirts, twirling chains from their hips.

One thing I did have in common with the other kids was that I loved Superheroes. I watched every cartoon and live-action show on the air. I wore the pages out on my Marvel Comic Books. I wore whatever Underoos Mom would buy me for my birthday. The Hall of Justice and the Legion of Doom had timeshares on my heart. Linda Carter was a goddess as Wonder Woman: her invisible jet (but you could still see her in it, so what was the point?), her golden lasso, her bulletproof bracelets, and don’t forget that twirl (if you pulled her out of the pyrotechnics in mid-twirl, would she be naked?). The Wonder Twins were a vision of metamorphosis and possibilities in life. I would have traded all my siblings in lock, stock and barrel to have Christopher Reeves as my older brother. Now, I didn’t feel that way about every superhero, mind you. While I would certainly watch Batman, Adam West had love handles, so I considered him inadequate, and Robin was just a twerp no matter which way you sliced him. But Captain Marvel! Now that was a Man.

Some rippling guy named John Davey played him on the series Shazam!, which ran for three seasons before going into reruns. The show was about a teenage boy and his Mentor, who traveled in a Winnebago to wherever there was trouble. Whenever they saw things getting out of hand, the teenager just had to shout, “Shazam!,” and The World’s Mightiest Mortal, Captain Marvel, would dive from the sky to save the day (if you looked hard enough, you could see strings attached). Then all the characters would stand dumbfounded at how well everything worked out. As if that weren’t enough, at show’s end, Captain Marvel would make an encore to deliver a Public Service Announcement, which always gave you one to grow on.

I never missed a Shazam! rerun. John Davey was too good to pass up. (By the way, I just Googled him and couldn’t find anything he did after Shazam.) He had a torso like an iceberg, which that nylon suit did nothing to hide. Man, they knew what they were doing in Wardrobe. All across America, teenyboppers were dropping issues of Tiger Beat left and right to tune in. I was probably the only boy on the block, though, who was planning my wedding to John Davey.

Not that I could tell my brothers this. One Saturday morning, I wanted to be alone with Captain Marvel. Our basement’s red and black argyle-patterned carpet was burning my bare legs as I geared up for the weekly Shazam! episode under our red plastic-plated ceiling lamps. I dressed up for the occasion in tan short shorts and a black t-shirt that featured a Crocodile holding a tennis racket. The theme song started up. And, wouldn’t you know, my brothers Kerry and Kevin just had to come down to join me.

I paid them no mind and trained my attention on John Davey instead. It must have been a splendid episode. I remember jumping to my feet and giving it a rousing ovation. A Tide commercial came on. Kevin was curling the twenty pound dumbbells that Dad had bought at Sportmart and Kerry was counting his chin-ups on the chin-up bar that he’d fastened in the doorway to our workroom.

Shazam! came back on. It was time for Captain Marvel to give his PSA. I stood at attention. Captain Marvel flew down from the sky, landing squarely on his feet. “Hi,” he said. In an instant, I summoned all that I had learned from the women in Shaft, Foxy Brown, and countless other bad-influence movies. I shifted my weight to my left leg, put my hand on my left hip, cocked my head to the right and, simulating the way those women in those movies twirled their chains, started twirling my right index finger. Then, instead of saying hi back to Captain Marvel, I did him one better and said “Hoy-oy-oy-oy.”

The room fell silent. Kevin put down the dumbbell. Kerry let go of the chin-up bar. They looked at each other. They looked at me. Within three seconds, our house shook with laughter.

Twirling one’s index finger and saying, “Hoy-oy-oy-oy,” became standard greeting among the kids in our house. I never told them that I had adapted it from the night moves of ladies of the evening and that, when I first used it, I was trying to seduce Captain Marvel.

EPILOGUE
By the mid-Eighties, my sister Colleen had an executive position in the public relations department of a bank on LaSalle Street. Like other members of my family, she had grown so accustomed to twirling her finger and saying “Hoy-oy-oy-oy” that she had even begun using the salutation among her colleagues in corporate America. Soon they were twirling their fingers and saying “Hoy-oy-oy-oy” to each other too.

In 1989, I pulled some strings and, though I was underage, landed a part-time job as a messenger for Record Copy Services, which was also on LaSalle Street next door to where Colleen worked. One afternoon, I walked into her office building’s lobby with a package for a law firm. As I stood at the elevator bank, I observed one woman in a navy blue business suit stepping off an elevator. She seemed to recognize another woman walking toward her in a similar business suit.

“Jane,” the woman called out to her. “Mary,” the other woman responded. Then they both twirled their fingers and said, “Hoy-oy-oy-oy.” I looked down at the lobby’s marble floor and quickly boarded the elevator. I didn’t have the nerve to tell the two businesswomen that they were acting like hookers.

I know it’s been a while since I did anything here, but that’s just how I work. I get tired of projects pretty easily, and get re-interested in them just as easily. And now, well, I’m re-interested. I’ve decided to do this Vampire set with five different sources as my next project, even though it’ll take a while. Lucky for me, I’ve pretty much got nothing but time right now. In an effort to keep from using nothing but movies as sources, I’ve limited myself to only three of the five sources as movies, then the other two as different types of sources. Here’s what I’m going to use, if you’re interested:

• Dracula (the 30’s movie, obviously, since that’s one I’ve already made cards out of)
• Nosferatu (the original awesome silent film which has a completely different take on vampires)
• Blacula (because how can you possibly pass up Blacula?)
• 30 Days of Night (the original three-issue comics miniseries, which I haven’t actually read yet (nor have I seen the film), but I’ve heard very good things about it)
• and finally, the first season of the TV show Buffy: The Vampire Slayer (again, I’ve never seen this show, but I needed something that wasn’t a movie, so there we go)

So yes, this should take me a few days, but I’m pretty well-set on it. It should be a decent mix of things old, new, and I get to see and read new things I haven’t before. Sounds pretty win-win to me. I just wish something more interesting than vampires was the first one of these combo sets, haha.

I read a lot online about how Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight sucks because it goes against vampire canon. I have to wonder how much the people who say this actually know about vampire lore. I’ve read lots of books and seen lots of movies. Just how many, I have no idea. Vampires have been a favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. I’ve never liked the ugly, pure evil, demonic, Nosferatu types. Yep, it’s a demon. Clearly we’re not letting that one in. Stake it if you can. A little too straight forward and blunt for me. I’m not a fan of horror for horror’s sake. For me it’s always been about the sexy ones. That’s where the true terror is. Demons who are good-looking, to whom you might be attracted, with whom you might be friends, who might just kill you, now that’s scary to me. It gives me more to think about. There just tends to be more story there.

Already we are talking about two very different types of vampires. How can canon reconcile this? To understand this I think you have to understand a bit about the history of vampire lore.

In the beginning, vampires were generally undead, walking corpses bent on stealing your life force, usually blood. Most cultures have some form of vampire legend. According to Wikipedia the term vampire did not become popular until the early 18th Century though. At that time there was an increase in vampire superstition in Western Europe from places in Eastern Europe where vampire legends were frequent, such as The Balkans.

Different traditions say different things. The vampire might be a soul not at rest who rises from the grave to cause mischief. It might be a person who made a pact with a sorcerer or witch, trading their soul for immortality or some such thing. It might also be the sorcerer or witch him- or herself. This is what people really thought back in the day. It is largely thought that because graves weren’t marked incredibly well that when bodies were exposed, either through the digging of the new grave or by animals digging, people thought they were seeing vampires who had left their graves. During decomposition hair and nails appear to grow. It’s really just the skin receding, but it gives the appearance of growth, giving anyone not educated in these matters thoughts of the ‘living dead’. Furthermore, gases bloating the body and fluids escaping through the mouth give the impression of the belly being full, having feasted on flesh or blood. Worse yet, the death shroud, being exposed to these fluids, would have been eaten by microbes first, giving the appearance that the corpse itself ate the shroud.

Pretty gruesome stuff, huh? At least it makes sense how we got the whole image of vampires as ugly demons. What about the sexy vampire though? Where does that come from?

Again, I turn to Wiki for the details. I don’t carry all this stuff around in my head, you know. According to the Wiki, ‘The charismatic and sophisticated vampire of modern fiction was born in 1819 with the publication of The Vampyre by John Polidori. In 1897, Bram Stoker published his Dracula, which was even more successful than The Vampyre had been, and what we now consider the quintessential vampire was born.

Fast forward to modern day and we still see these two types of vampires, the demonic beasties and the sexy beasties. The demonic types are what we see in such films as 30 Days of Night, Fright Night, Nosferatu, and Salem’s Lot. The sexy types are what we see in Twilight, True Blood, and Interview with the Vampire. They tend to be able to fit in to varying degrees with humans. Charlaine Harris’ (True Blood) vampires for instance have retractible fangs. The Lost Boysvampires, as well as Joss Whedon’s Buffy-verse vampires, look human and demonic alternately, so the lines aren’t even clear when it comes to the look of vampires.

Why do we even need the sexy sort? It’s the next step in the evolution of the vampire myth, I believe. First we believed the demonic vampires truly existed, then they became legend as we became more educated. They became the bad guy in fiction. As our education evolved, so did our fiction. People will always like an old fashioned demon/witch/vampire hunt, so the vampire as the out and out vampire will always be there, I think. The story has to evolve so as not to become boring however. Every story is a little bit different. It has to be or instead of screaming, “She didn’t stick to canon! She’s a no-talent hack,” they would be screaming, “She’s a plagiarist! She’s a no-talent hack!”

The point of this whole exercise is to show that there really isn’t a canon when it comes to vampires. There are certain things that we consider vampiric, sure, but not all are present in all tales. Authors choose their favorite features a la carte, and throw in their own touches. Here’s a list to demonstrate what I mean.

Vampires are pale:Ok, so this is generally the case, but there are exceptions. Lestat gets himself a wicked tan when he doesn’t burn up in the Gobi Desert. Bladeis black, but is a half vampire, a dhampir. Laurent is black and is a full vampire, in the Twilight movie anyway. In the books he is olive skinned, pale for olive-skinned, but still olive-skinned, not white as a sheet. As he’s part of the saga I’m defending though maybe I should come up with another example. How about Blacula?

Vampires have fangs: Typically, yes, they do, but what kind? Vampire writers can’t even agree on this point. Most of the time they are extended canines, but sometimes they are the lateral incisors as in The Lost Boys. Anne Rice chose double fangs. Sometimes fangs retract, making the vampire appear more beastly when angry, hungry, or aroused. Also, the more demonic the vampire the more pointy and gnarly all the teeth seem to get.

Stephenie Meyer chose not to do fangs at all. Her vampires just have razor-sharp teeth. A bold move, I say. They look prettier, yet when you think about it they are more gruesome. There is no neat puncturing of a vein and dainty sucking of blood here, as evidenced by Jasper’s scarred body, and the permanent double crescent scar Bella sports.

Vampires sleep during the day: There are varying degrees of this. I can’t think of any non-Twilight vampires that can go out in broad daylight without dying, other than Blade. Lestat is an early riser, so he gets to see sunset at least. Most vampires sleep during the day, but some only need to stay out of direct sunlight. Some need to sleep in coffins upon a bed of soil from the motherland. Some just need a coffin. Some don’t need coffins at all, but do need light tight rooms or hidey holes. For some it’s actual sleep. For others they are literally dead while the sun is up.

Personally, I like what Stephenie Meyer brought to vampires here. Her vampires don’t sleep at all, ever. They can go out in the sun, but if they want to keep their secret they don’t do it within sight of humans because direct sunlight makes them sparkle. What I like about it is that it makes her universe uniquely hers. Bella and Edward have the conversation where the vampire legends are compared and contrasted to “reality”. It gives the reader a moment to catch up, ditch the legends that don’t apply, and refresh his or her notions on vampires. Essentially, this conversation gives the reader and idea of the ‘physics,’ of the universe, so to speak.

A stake through the heart:This will kill some but not others. This comes from the original superstitions. In some areas a corpse would be staked prophylactically upon burial so it would not rise from the grave. This is not for everyone, Anne Rice for example.

This is a hard one for a lot of Twilight haters out there. There really isn’t anything a human can do to a vampire in SMeyer’s ‘verse, and this is a bit sticking point for some. Why wouldn’t they just take over the world if they are invincible? She does mention that vampires are not sure about certain weapons humans now possess, so they prefer to remain in the shadows. Who knows what humans would come up with if they all knew about vampires? I’m sure they would not survive a nuclear attack, for instance. Barring weapons of mass destruction, really only another vampire, a werewolf, or a shape shifter can kill a vampire, assuming there aren’t any other magical creatures out there.

Rip them up and burn the pieces: If staking doesn’t work, this generally does. Usually you have to remove the head. Forever Knight’s vampires were this sort. Removing the head didn’t kill those vampires, though. If you replaced the head, the vampire would reanimate. Anne Rice’s seem to be the rip and burn sort, although I was never sure the head needed to be removed, specifically. Spreading the ashes around is generally a good idea for the rip and burn vamps.

Twilight’s vampires are this sort, though as mentioned it takes a vampire/werewolf/shape shifter to do the ripping. I like that. It’s another little touch SMeyer has put on vampire lore.

Crosses weaken them:Nope, not always. Anne Rice’s and Charlain Harris’ vampires are noteable exceptions. They don’t bother Twilightvampires either. In fact, Carlisle keeps a large wooden cross, that his preacher father carved, if I recall.

Garlic weakens them:This goes back to the old superstitions too, so most new vampire work is not going to use this. Charlain Harris’  vampires are annoyed by garlic, but it doesn’t seem to weaken them. Garlic doesn’t bother Anne Rice’s vampires or SMeyer’s either. In fact, in the movie, the Cullen family prepares an Italian meal for Bella to welcome her to their home.

Silver weakens or kills them: I am not sure when this started popping up really. I always thought it was a wooden stake through the heart for vampires and silver bullets for werewolves, but somewhere silver became a weapon of choice against vampires. I suppose this is because silver represents purity, and is supposed to combat the unholy. I maintain this would not work. Vampires are not unholy, just misunderstood.

Kill the Maker, save your soul: This varies too. If the vampires are the demonic sort then killing the maker also destroys his/her progeny. If the hero has been turned into a vampire then killing his maker may save his soul. Or am I getting that confused with the ill-fated ’80’s Fox series Werewolf (link provided to prove its existence)? The lines begin to blur.

Vampires are evil: See ‘Silver weakens or kills them’. As stated just about everywhere here, it really depends on the story. Vampires are evil in straight-up horror, sure, but more and more the heroes are the vampires. They are often tortured souls, wrestling with their humanity and the status of their souls.

Vampires drink blood: This is a biggie. Maybe the biggie. Even still, it’s not always the case. Not only can some drink animal blood, while others can’t, but some have to kill while others don’t. Nick from Forever Knight could feed on blood he bought from a butcher which he kept in his fridge. Sometimes blood is just blood, sometimes blood is a metaphor for life force. From there it’s just a short hop to energy vampires. Yes, there are energy vampires out there. I’ve met a few, I think. Ever meet that person that just sucks all the life out of a room? Anyway, we’re talking fiction here. The movie Lifeforce is about this type of vampire, as is the Vorvon of Buck Rogers fame. Yes, I’m that big of a geek, what?

Why Do I Need Fangs?

Again, I like what SMeyer did here. Vampires in general kill people, drink human blood. They made them nasty too. They can’t keep a human alive and feed on them. They are venomous. If they don’t kill the human, the venom may turn the human into a vampire. Nope, in Steph’s world vampires are deadly, and that death is excruciatingly painful. The vampire we get to know and love, however, are “vegetarians”. They live off the blood of animals. We can tell them from the “bad vampires” by the color of their eyes, which are varying shades of brown instead of red.

Even though the bad vampires are a huge threat all throughout the series, many complain that Twilight vampires have no bite. I think these people must be used to a more action-oriented plot, because the bad vampires are pretty scary. It’s just an ever-present threat rather than a nonstop fight. Besides there’s that whole fang thing I mentioned earlier. No tiny punctures or hygenic trickles of blood. These vampires will tear your throat out.

I’d like to close with a common argument against Edward falling in love with Bella. Why would a vampire fall in love with a human? “It’s like falling in love with a cow,” is not a logical argument. It’s not as simple as falling in love with your food. At no time was Edward ever a cow. He was, however, a human, with human desires, plans, feelings, thoughts, and tastes. It’s a tragedy that he is now meant to feed on that to which he is physically attracted. So there!

It changes. Deal with it.

Blacula is the story of Manuwalde, an African Prince. This movie presents a modern version of the classic Dracula story in a very chilling and inventive way. In 1780, after visiting Count Dracula, Manuwalde is turned into a vampire and locked in a coffin.. The scene shifts to 1972, when two antique collectors transport the coffin to Los Angeles. The two men open the coffin and unleash Blacula on the city of Los Angeles. Blacula soon finds Tina, who is his wife, Luva, reincarnated, and gains her love. Tina’s friend, Dr. Gordon, discovers Blacula is a vampire and hunts him down.

 
Each new entry in the daily “Movie Midpoints” quiz will feature the middle frame of a different film. A link to the name of that film is provided with each day’s midpoint image (but try not to peek before you’ve made a guess).