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
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Tuesday, September 5, 2017

The Emperor Jones (1933)
























Starring:

Storyline
At a Baptist prayer meeting, the preacher leads a prayer for Brutus Jones, who is leaving to become a railway porter. Jones joins the congregation in a spiritual. Once on the train, Jeff, a porter, shows Jones the ropes. Jones secretly takes up with Jeff's girl, Undine. He makes some money in a deal with a rich businessman on the train. Jones proves to be a cunning manipulator and a good liar. In a crap game, Jones stabs Jeff over a pair of loaded dice. Now doing hard labour, Jones kills a white prison guard and escapes. Shovelling coal on a ship in the Caribbean, Jones swims to an island. He is brought before the island's ruler, where Smithers, a crooked white trader, buys his freedom. Jones schemes his way into a partnership in Smithers' business, then finally control of the entire island through a touch of witchcraft, or so it seems. Brutus declares himself to be The Emperor Jones... Smithers reports on the unrest that Jones' rule is causing.

Thursday, August 31, 2017

One More Shot (1984)




















Starring

Storyline
After Tap-Tap, a known criminal, is released from prison, he sets out on a revenge mission against former boxer, Johnny Tough, who was responsible for his incarceration.

Teaming with his friend, Fly, a scum-bag crime boss involved in human trafficking, they set a trap for Johnny by kidnapping his lawyer friend’s beautiful daughter, with the intention of selling her into slavery to a man known as the “Arab”.

But Johnny isn’t called Tough for nothing, and together with his Chinese pal, they systematically take down the syndicate before finally reuniting father and daughter.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice (1981, TV Movie)














Starring:
Storyline
Othello, a Moorish general in the service of the Venetian state, is disdained for his race but valued for his military skills. He weds Desdemona in a mixed-race marriage that offends her father. Jealous of Othello's triumphs and high-standing, and suspicious that his commander may once have bedded his own wife, Othello's lieutenant Iago plots to sabotage Othello's career and marriage. He plants in Othello's mind the suspicion that Desdemona is unfaithful and provides false evidence of that infidelity. Though noble and initially trusting, Othello is led into a jealous rage that proves tragic for all involved. 

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Crash Course [a.k.a. Driving Academy] (1988, TV Movie)

















Starring:


Storyline
Some students taking driver's ed during the summer. Among the students is Riko, a cocky guy; Chad, a guy from a privileged background, who's terrified to get behind the wheel; Vanessa, who's over protective mom who wouldn't allow her to take the course, who went behind her back; and Maria, a spoiled foreign student. Now the principal wants the students to pass so he tells the instructor, who's still not over his wife leaving and is not exactly up to the task, that it's important for the students to pass so he brought in a special instructor, who's very tough. And the principal also tells one of his teachers to let, one of the students Maslanski who's the school football star, pass the test he failed so that he can concentrate on driver's ed. But the teacher, seeing this as an opportunity to expose the principal as not doing his job and thus paving the way for him to be the new principal, makes Maslanski take a make up test.