The mission of The Department of Afro-American Research Arts and Culture to identify the global significance of the creative contributions pioneered by an international diaspora of Blackness
Search DAARAC's Archive
Showing posts with label Thriller. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thriller. Show all posts

Sunday, October 8, 2017

Angel Heart (1987)



















Starring:

Storyline
Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) is a private detective contracted by Louis Cyphre (Robert De Niro) to track down the iconic singer Johnny Favorite. However, everybody that Angel questions about Favorite seems to meet a tragic demise. Eventually the trail leads Angel to New Orleans where he learns that Favorite had dabbled in the black arts. As Favorite's whereabouts and true identity become clear, Angel learns that being hired by Cyphre was not a random choice. 

Sunday, September 17, 2017

Five Desperate Women (1971, TV Movie)



















Starring:

Storyline
Five young women vacation together at a resort on an isolated island. They are the resort's only customers and, aside from the boat captain who brought them here and the resort's handyman, Wylie, the island's only inhabitants. When one of the women is found dead, the others begin to fear the captain, who's been acting strangely. Wylie and the captain argue over the identity of the murderer, each accusing the other, and a fight erupts. Alarmed, the women attempt to leave the island, but the boat -- their only means of escape -- explodes and sinks before they can board it. Then Wylie comes to their aid, claiming to have killed the boat captain in self-defense and telling the women they're safe. But are they? 

Sunday, March 5, 2017

Street Smart (1987)



















"Street Smart" (1987) is a cult classic crime drama featuring Morgan Freeman and Christopher Reeve. Freeman is the supporting lead character in the movie as he plays the antagonist and narcissistic pimp, Fast Black. Before this movie, Freeman's most notable work was in the hit 1970s show, "The Electic Company." Freeman won an Academy for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, which helped propel his career to the next level in becoming an A-list star. But, then, there is Christopher Reeves, mostly known for his role as Superman. In this movie, he plays a struggling magazine reporter that creates an imaginary story about a pimp to save his career. 

However, while Reeve leads the film, mostly Freeman and Kathy Baker make it memorable. This movie is one of those films where the supporting lead characters take over every scene. The movie could have done better at the box office if Cannon Production had done better with marketing. Even today, many people still find out about this underground cult flick that makes you see Freeman differently. Roger Irving III produced the film's soundtrack, featuring legendary jazz musician Miles Davis.

Director: Jerry Schatzberg
Writer: David Freeman

Starring Morgan Freeman, Christopher Reeve, Kathy Baker, Erik King, Mimi Rogers, Anna Maria Horsford, Jay Patterson, Andre Gregory


Storyline
A New York magazine reporter on the verge of losing his job, Jonathan Fisher (Christopher Reeve), fabricates a story about prostitution that reignites his career and brings unwanted attention to a powerful pimp, Fast Black (Morgan Freeman). The police, believing the story is true, feel closer to putting the notorious pimp behind bars. But, as pressure mounts for Fisher to reveal the identity of the lead in his story, he's unaware that Fast Black has plans of his own for the writer who's jeopardized his business in the gritty, urban drama Street Smart.