france

BUY NOW @AMAZON

BLACK, a new French crime movie with a killer soundtrack, has been compared to Blaxploitation movies but for people who are expected checked flares and pimp hats, this quote from the CINEMATICAL REVIEW will help clarify matters. Follow the link after the quote for the full review…

“You can definitely see those influences, intentional or not, in the great “wah wah” funky soundtrack, the occasional, wildly exaggerated reaction shots, the rogue’s gallery of tough guys and dangerous girls, the gleeful, nearly continuous action, and the outlandishly moody, yet completely effective, wind-up.” – CINEMATICAL

The movie also mixes in some pretty far out ideas for a bank job movie, something that the reviewer at FLICKERING MYTH picked up on…

“In combining elements of blaxploitation and spiritual/fantastical themes with the modern heist movie, Black is able to tread and, quite often, cross the boundaries of believability” – FLICKERING MYTH

When I watched the movie, I noticed the clear influence of early 70s black cinema but as the movie progressed the country hopping, international flavour and the introduction of some larger than life villians started to bring back memories of the kind of Bond influenced ensemble action movies made in the 70s that used to appear in our local video store, movies like Jaguar Lives. CHRIS AND PHIL’S review evoked this as well and they give the movie a thumbs up…

“This is a smart film, with great action, fighting, chase scenes and more. Make sure you check it out as you won’t be disappointed.” – CHRIS AND PHIL PRESENT

All this and BLACK has one of the strongest retro soundtracks since KILL BILL. A fantastic mix of 70s Funk, Spacey Prog Rock, Afrobeat and Hip Hop. As a massive music geek, it makes the movie for me. I wrote about my favourite artists featured on the soundtrack last week so check out the post HERE.

Finally, check out the PRESS RELEASE to see the trailer and for more on the DVD and Blu-Ray.

BLACK AND FRENCH HIP-HOP

The music connection doesn’t just extend to the soundtrack. Black stars one of the most popular rappers in France, MC Jean Gab’1. Check out this video to see him in action. It’s a great clip, kind of like Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2 U video, only without the tears and regret…

MC JEAN GAB'1

Black (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£15.99) and Blu-ray (£19.99) by Anchor Bay Entertainment on 14th February 2011.

As well as being a prime slice of high-octane French Crime movie with a streak of eccentricity that stops it being an exercise in generic action cinema, it also features an incredibly well chosen soundtrack that mixes classic Blaxploitation Funk, Afro Beat, Jazz and Hip-Hop. You can listen to selections from the soundtrack on our MYSPACE but first, here’s a little more info on the artists used that I particularly admire…

BRASS CONSTRUCTION

Classic 70s funk band whose best known hit, ‘Movin” features in the movie. Sampled in the 90s by The Bucketheads for their hit “Got Myself Together”. Check out the a clip of the band performing ‘Movin” HERE. Picture quality could be better but this is the best clip for showing the band in their satin-clad seventies pomp.

EUMIR DEODATO

Deodato’s nine minute Jazz-Funk take on Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra opens Black as the camera sweeps over urban Paris and it’s huge housing projects. Listen to the track HERE, which takes the classic piece famously featured in 2001 in a bold, trippy and downright funky new direction. It’s a classic and constantly sampled track that helps set the scene for the rest of the movie.

JACKIE MITTOO

Mittoo is one of the architects of Reggae music. As a founding member of the Skatalites, the keyboard players influence on the sound of early JA pop music can’t be underestimated. Due to the incestous nature of the JA music scene, many ‘rhythms’ that Mittoo recorded became the base for more famous songs, like “Duppy Conqueror” by The Wailers. Listen to ‘Hang ‘Em High’ HERE

MAGMA

The boundless imagination of Magma, the French Prog band whose ‘Theusz Hamtaahk’ features in Black, put many so called experimental 70s bands to shame. Epic multi-album story arcs of Science-Fiction and Ecology mixed with musical influences from around the globe place this band in a different dimension of space and time to regular musicians. Listen to the track on the CULT LABS MYSPACE

FELA KUTI

The “African James Brown” revolutionized music by mixing traditional African Music with Jazz and the hard, rhythmic Funk laid down by the Godfather of Soul to create endless and ever more complex grooves that still astonish today. Fela music continues to influence new artists with Afro rhythms being immediately apparent in the hipster grooves of bands like Vampire Weekend and Yeasayer.

BLACK: OUT NOW

BLACK IS OUT NOW ON UK DVD AND BLU-RAY

BLACK AND FRENCH HIP-HOP

BLACK: SOUNDTRACK

Black (cert. 15) will be released on DVD (£15.99) and Blu-ray (£19.99) by Anchor Bay Entertainment on 14th February 2011.

PRE-ORDER BLACK @AMAZON

BLACK PRESS RELEASE & TRAILER

Sign up for the Cult Labs Weekly Newsletter!

Recent Posts