This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 20:33. Priest, so-called because the tip of the cross he wears is fasioned in the shape of a spoon, with which he frequently samples his wares, yearns to leave the life and go straight, despite the money he makes. Some contemporary and modern sources list the films title as Superfly, although the opening title card and copyright records list it as two words. I don't know nothing else but dope, baby. She very classic with a bit of glam, dressing in fur coats and elegant, sexy pantsuits. He can get there and make it happen pretty quickly. All these corrupt agents of the law are white; Priest and his circle, as well as the entire Snow Patrol, are black; and, clearly and bitterly, Superfly puts ingrained American racism and its resulting inequities, injustices, and outrages at the center of the filmmost conspicuously, in its depiction of the ease with which white police officers can get away with summarily executing black people and even be celebrated for doing so. Jackson does cool almost too well. But we cant do these things right away. The original red and black Warner logo is replaced by the updated AOL/Warner logo used at the time of DVD release. Although Joseph Sistrom is listed as producer in various contemporary sources, the SAB at >>. Scatter is captured by the corrupt policemen, who give him a fatal overdose of drugs. But Priest wants out of dealing and comes up with a plan to make it happen. Their stuff isnt even carried in the U.S. but its really well made, very slim and lean. The lieutenant reveals that he is Scatter's supplier and that they can have as much "weight," as they want, and will be extended both credit and protection. In his flattened long hair and wide collars and designer sideburns, he may have looked like a coke-spoon version of DArtagnan, but his need to claw his way out to use the drug game to defeat the man suffused every scene. The film was directed by Director X, written by Alex Tse and stars Trevor Jackson, Jason Mitchell, Michael K. Williams, Lex Scott Davis, and Jennifer Morrison. For Scatter, I wanted a silhouette that was a little more elevated than a traditional two-piece Adidas track suit., Boxraw contacted Messam after seeing her contributions to Ryan Coogler-directed 2015 boxing movie Creed. | Although this plan was much discussed throughout the mid-1970s, it was not implemented. That night, after picking up the kilo from Scatter, Priest and Eddie are apprehended by several policemen. But his supplier and mentor, Scatter (Michael Kenneth Williams), refuses to increase Priests supply, so Priest takes matters into his own hands and attempts to deal directly with Adalberto Gonzalez (Esai Morales), the head of a Mexican drug carteland, in so doing, he enters a labyrinth of menace. Refused by Scatter, Priest has to pitch himself to a deadly Mexican cartel manager played by Esai Morales. Super Fly (1972 film) is a television show that first aired in 1970 . Michael isnt trained as far as I know, but hes a dancer. When Eddie states that they have $300,000, Priest reveals his plan to buy thirty kilos of high-quality cocaine, which they can sell for $1,000,000 within four months. Yes, Scream VI Marketing Is Behind the Creepy Ghostface Sightings Causing Scares Across the U.S. David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's 'Bass Reeves' Series at Paramount+ Casts King Richard Star Demi Singleton (EXCLUSIVE), Star Trek: Discovery to End With Season 5, Paramount+ Pushes Premiere to 2024. in every room, and can snort a half a piece of dope everyday? Mason threatens to expose Priest's dealing if he does not work with her. Theres another crucial difference between the two films, a difference that marks virtually every encounter, every scene, every moment: firepower. Making his feature directorial debut, Director X whose background is in music videos (Rihanna, Drake, Kendrick Lamar) shoots in Atlanta instead of Harlem, glamming up the story with fast cars,. As reported by Filmfacts, as well as other contemporary news items and reviews, Super Fly was the first black-oriented film to be financed entirely by blacks (in this case, a group of businessmen from the Harlem community) as well as the first to use an all-black and/or Puerto Rican technical crew. In mid-Apr 1972, Var noted that, because of the black-oriented nature of the screenplay, Fenty and Parks, Jr. directly approached the Harlem community for financial backing, which they obtained from a consortium of businessmen, lawyers, dentists et al. The films pressbook adds that the consortium of eighteen investors included pimps, madams and drug dealers. In a Sep 1972 Var article, Parks, Jr. specifically thanked his father, director Gordon Parks, Sr., and two black dentists, Ed Allen and Connie [Cornelius] Jenkins, for financing the production. Priest's white mistress, Cynthia, is dismayed to learn that Priest does not return her love and is planning on quitting the business. These days, it seems, the phrase is often used ironically. After the deal is made, Priest and Eddie are picked up by the police, where it's revealed that the supplier is a lieutenant in the department and that they can now have as much cocaine as they want to sell on credit and protected by the police. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Snow Patrol deduces that Priest's colleague, Fat Freddie, was one of the assailants. [8], In the United States and Canada, Superfly was projected to gross $712 million from 2,200 theaters over its five-day opening weekend. I'll tell you what you do, you go get you a gun and all those black folks you keep doin' so much talkin' about get guns, and come back ready to go down, then I'll be right down front killin' whitey. In Jan 1973, trade papers reported that although it previously had been announced as under consideration as a nominee, Mayfields song Freddies Dead had been ruled ineligible for entry in the Best Original Song category because it appeared in the film only as an instrumental. Gordon's War (1973) Carl Lee was born on 22 November 1926 in New York City, New York, USA. This means we can tint the scattered light a certain colour, like how skin scatters more red light. Their argument is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Scatter who reveals that the real head of the operation is Deputy Commissioner Reardon, who is trying to kill him for quitting. Unlike the earlier film, the new one (written by Alex Tse) goes beyond the local streetside and backroom focus of the drug trade to expose a vipers nest of conspiracies that extend from the internecine conflicts between groups of dealers to the collaboration of major elected officials. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. It treats Atlanta the way all those thrillers of the 90s treated Toronto,as a big gleaming anonymous generi-city. Scatter wont give him a bigger cut of drugs to sell, so Priest, accompanied by his scampish partner, Eddie (played by the scene-stealing Jason Mitchell, whos like Tracy Morgans amoral little brother), goes right over his head by driving down to Mexico and connecting with the cartel thats the source of their product. You aint that good., The close call and its concurrent threat of a gang war compel Priest to take stock. Eddie argues that crime is the only option left to them by "The Man." Supertones' sixth album Hi-Fi Revival Greed and corruption are themselves the magnetic fields that pull together would-be players white, Latino and African-American. By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. Big Bank Black as Q, the pragmatic leader of Snow Patrol. Priest and Eddie are joined by Freddie, who turns over the money he stole. It was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on 11 September 2018. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. When I pulled out a jacket that establishes Priests character, X said Is that Alexander Wang? He did a promo for them so he recognized the jacket right away.. Trevor Jackson in Superfly, a remake of the 1972 film by Gordon Parks Jr. Director X narrates a sequence from the film featuring Trevor Jackson and Michael Kenneth Williams. He seems almost as influenced by Brian De Palmas Scarface (itself a remake) as by the original Super Fly. Witness the bright oranges and subsequent neon colors in the movies opening scene: a tracking shot of an underground nightclub, depicting Priest on a mission to collect money owed. On 23 Feb 1973, DV related that Mayfield had filed a letter of complaint with the Academy over its method of selecting nominees. Scatter, who now runs a popular restaurant, initially refuses to help Priest, but Priest plays on his emotions, claiming that he wants to get out while he is young and before he has to endure the extreme hardships faced by Scatter. Yet this conflict is actually secondary to the main story: Priest arrives at an estimate of the vast fortune that he needs to accumulate in order to quit the drug racket; he wants to do so in just a few months, by getting and selling a large stock of cocaine. Priest (Ron O'Neal), a suave top-rung New York City drug dealer, decides that he wants to get out of his dangerous trade. Essential drama about violent chapter in U.S. history. Unsurprisingly, cocaine use is frequent. According to some reviews of the film, the term super fly was slang for high-quality cocaine, while other reviews stated that it meant the pusher himself, or meant a superlative adjective that could be applied to anything. Super Fly also marked the first effort as a motion picture producer for Shore (19192006), who went on to produce the two sequels to Super Fly. Snow Patrol members led by Juju shoot up Priest's mansion. If it wasn't for you I probably wouldn't be here, I'd be O.D'ed some place. According to a 17 Sep 1972 NYT article, the project was initially brought to Shore by first-time screenplay writer Philip Fenty after Fenty and actor Ron ONeal, a longtime friend, had worked together to develop the story. It ended up grossing $6.9 million in its opening weekend (a five-day total of $9 million), finishing sixth at the box office. Priest defuses the situation and persuades Scatter to help them, although Scatter warns that it will be the last time. This Superfly has original songs by the hip-hop artist Future, whos also a producer of the film. The next day, Freddie is picked up for fighting, and when he is beaten by the police, he reveals when and where Priest and Eddie are to pick up the first kilo of cocaine from Scatter. And that robs Superfly of the dramatic flavor a good underworld drama needs. Georgia pleads with Priest to quit immediately, as she does not care if they are poor, but Priest maintains he must get the money, because his criminal record will make it difficult for him to find a job. Their argument is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Scatter, who is being pursued by his supplier. Like his father, Parks, Jr. was also a well-known still photographer. But its also less true than it once was. Within the recent wave of gender-flipped casting, its fascinating to see Morrison portray the sort of scum cop who is never, in the movies, a woman. Ad Choices, Nancy Reviewed: A Complex, Untapped Story of a Womans Desperate Hoax, The Tale, Reviewed: A Filmmakers Daring Excavation of Her Own Memories of Sexual Abuse. Classic '70s drama with drugs, violence, cursing. Writing Credits Alex Tse . He was an actor and writer, known for Super Fly (1972), The Connection (1961) and The Doctors and the Nurses (1962). In mid-Apr 1972, Var reported that the films low-key, successful location shooting in Harlem was due to its being a non-union effort, thus the lack of production publicity and ease of using all-black technicians. The article added that after raising the required funds, the filmmakers agreed to their backers request that as many blacks as possible [be employed] in front and behind the camera, although the financiers agreed to allow white producer Shore oversee the project. Deputy Commissioner: You're working for me until I tell you to quit. The mainspring of the action is a shooting. Priest demands his half of their profits from Eddie. With such a big score, they will be able to retire comfortably and find other employment, although Eddie protests that crime is the only option left to them by The Man. Priest is determined, however, and that night, approaches Scatter, a retired dealer who started Priest in the business. Super Fly is a 1972 American blaxploitation crime drama film directed by Gordon Parks, Jr. and starring Ron O'Neal as Youngblood Priest, an African American cocaine dealer who is trying to quit the underworld drug business. The article noted that Mayfield was not qualified for a nomination for Best Dramatic Score because five songs needed to be submitted, and Warners only submitted three. Although the article stated that Mayfields manager was contemplating filing suit against the Academy, the action was not taken. Jacob Ming-Trent as Frederick "Fat Freddie" Davis, one of Priest's oldest colleagues. During a verbal altercation with militant African Americans in his community, the lead character talks of getting involved in their cause if it involves "killing whitey" and "organizing an army to do that.". It's time for you to start payin some dues, nigga! That's the American Dream, nigga! In the opening sequence, set at a throbbing nightclub, he establishes his dominion by publicly humiliating a street-cred rapper who owes him money. What the F*CK are you gunna do except hustle? Speaking from Toronto, Messam shared insights about the hip looks that help sell the story of drug dealer Priest (Trevor Jackson) and his crew. Additionally, according to the Jan 1973 DV report, Curtis Mayfield, the composer of the films score and hit songs, was estimated to be receiving about $5,000,000 from performance and royalties from the more than 2,000,000 albums and singles sold to that point. Common Sense Media. The career criminal now finds himself trying to outmaneuver the cartel, two corrupt police officers and all the double-crossers that threaten his path to freedom.CREDITS:TM \u0026 Sony Pictures Entertainment (2018)Cast: Esai Morales, Michael Kenneth Williams, Trevor JacksonScreewriter: Alex TseDirector: Director XWatch More: Fresh New Clips: http://bit.ly/2taDWqW Classic Trailers: http://bit.ly/2qTCxHF Hot New Trailers: http://bit.ly/2qThrsF Clips From Movies Coming Soon: http://bit.ly/2FrP8VL Indie Movie Clips: http://bit.ly/2qTZMRE Deleted Scenes: http://bit.ly/2ARbLPJ Bloopers: http://bit.ly/2qYmBnc Celebrity Interviews: http://bit.ly/2D4tzw4Fuel Your Movie Obsession: Subscribe to MOVIECLIPS: http://bit.ly/2CZa490 Watch Movieclips ORIGINALS: http://bit.ly/2D3sipV Like us on FACEBOOK: http://bit.ly/2DikvkY Follow us on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/2mgkaHb Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://bit.ly/2mg0VNUThe MOVIECLIPS channel is the largest collection of licensed movie clips on the web. Scatter (Michael Kenneth Williams), refuses to increase Priest's . One of the groups formed specifically to fight the film and other similar exploitations films, according to a Sep 1972 Var article, called itself Blacks Against Narcotics. I had a VHS copy in my collection of Blaxploitation films, which I loved to watch because I loved the fashion. Priest overcomes his foes using karate, then reveals that he knows exactly who Reardon is. Another quality that distinguishes Super Fly from other blaxploitation films was the technical crew, the majority of which was non-white, constituting the largest non-white technical crew in its time. There is a 2018 remake of this movie. They seem to have come straight out of other movies. The Snow Patrol holds court at a high-end strip club, where its minions spend the night throwing money down from the balcony in an autumnal flutter of falling bills. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. Although the timid Freddie abhors violence, he agrees and accompanies a member of Priests family of lower-level dealers to commit the robbery. "Scatter" Stephens Was A Cleveland Street Legend & The Real Superfly 2 years ago Scott Burnstein You are unauthorized to view this page. Ben Affleck & Matt Damon Chase Michael Jordan for Nike in First Air Trailer, A Live-Action How To Train Your Dragon Movie in the Works at Universal, The Popes Exorcist Finds Russell Crowe as the Vaticans Demon Slayer. [6], At the time of its release, there were many African-Americans that were displeased with the images of themselves portrayed in films such as Super Fly, Sweet Sweetbacks Baadassssss Song, and Shaft. Priest, as presented in Superfly, is a master plotter who distills his hard-forged wisdom into terse yet gaudy aphorisms, which adorn the soundtrack in dialogue and voice-over. Yet its timeliness appears, instantly, merely symbolic, as daily news reports surpass the movies horrors faster than it can pile them on. Lex Scott Davis plays Georgia, a sophisticated gallery owner involved with Priest. Chasing Priest, Juju is injured and Q is killed in a car crash. | [8] Several California organized crime veterans, including drug trafficker "Freeway" Rick Ross, have cited the film as an influence in their decision to take up drug dealing and gang violence. Controls how far light can scatter through the surface. Priest plays good guy by handing the victims friends a wad of cash and giving them the name of the best local trauma center. Movie Info. All Rights Reserved. Its a death-steeped drama, but no major character falls victim to gun violence. "Superfly", a song on The O.C. Superfly was released in the United States on June 13, 2018 and received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the movie's style but ultimately found a lack of substance. The Atlanta locale of Superfly seems like the perfect high-low setting, but though Director X exploits a number of colorful locations (a hair salon that turns into a drive-by slaughter, a mansion that looks as big as Versailles), the film has very little visual texture or sense of place. Priest is an under-the-radar dealer working in virtual anonymity (he has no arrest record) and with a very small crewmainly his right-hand man and longtime friend, Eddie (Jason Mitchell), and his enforcer, Freddy (Jacob Ming-Trent). Mayfield, who made his film scoring debut with Super Fly, received a Grammy nomination for the films soundtrack. The roomier scenario of this remake has the potential to yield a decent thriller, but Superfly too often prioritizes showy sequences for dubious reasons. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. However, w. Priest spends the rest of the film dancing among a trio of forces who are out to put the screws on him: the cartel, led by the always lively actor Esai Morales; the thugs of Snow Patrol; and a pair of corrupt white officers, played by Brian F. Durkin and Jennifer Morrison, who shake him down for a million dollars. If I quit now, then I took all this chance for nothing and I go back to being nothing. Just think about it, don't throw it out, just, just think about it. Eddie is elated by the new situation, claiming that they are set for life, although Priest is still determined to quit after selling the thirty kilos. Superfly reflects the gun-madness of modern American society, with drug dealers and police alike bearing arsenals-worth of military-style firearms and using them with a chillingly casual frequency. Both enraged and scared, Priest gives the information on Reardon and an envelope of cash to two mafia men and takes out a $100,000 contract on "the Man's" life. The movie generated roughly $4 million in profits. Priest further explains that the men with whom he met were contract killers, whom he hired to murder Reardon and his entire family should anything happen to him. The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor. When a scene takes place in the budget furniture store he uses as a legit front, its news to us, because the setting drops in out of nowhere. Youngblood Priest: You better take real good care of me. He can wear a slick duster overcoat and fedora one day, and a stylized track suit the next., Messam acquired Scatters track suit from UK athletic wear company Boxraw. The money rolls in, and soon a couple of corrupt white cops are making aggressive requests to dip their beaks. Once Priest decides to pursue his "last score," he seeks help from his mentor in crime, Scatter, played by an avuncular but cautiously sinister Michael Kenneth Williams. Formerly a Chicago musician, he now lives in Los Angeles with his dog-rescuing wife Marla and their Afghan Hound. If you are a California resident, California law may consider certain disclosures of data a sale of your personal information (such as cookies that help Motion Picture Association later serve you ads, like we discuss in our. Nate Adams coordinated the fashion and wardrobe for the film. Youngblood Priest: Man, you white around the nose as a Georgia mule. Manthiahas Diawara suggested that the film's glorification of drug dealers served to subtly critique the civil rights movement's failure to provide better economic opportunities for black America and that the portrayal of a black community controlled by drug dealers serves to highlight that the initiatives of the civil rights movement were far from fully accomplished.

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