12.15.2016

Was the title of the new 'Underworld: Blood Wars' film inspired by my fake Blade movie poster?!?


BLADE: BLOOD WAR I (Final Version) :: Click to enlarge

I'd found it somewhat curious back in October of this year when Kate Beckinsale of Underworld film franchise fame commented publicly that Marvel had another Blade film in the works. 

In the months since that statement was made, the story hasn't gained any measurable traction beyond the initial, tantalizing the sound bite. But the question that was very on heavy on my mind at the time was, how would Beckinsale even know?

The remark was made by the actor during a panel at the 2016 New York Comic-Con. An enthusiastic fan inquired about the eventual possibility of a crossover between Beckinsale's Selene character and Blade, Marvel's half-breed vampire slayer played by Wesley Snipes. Beckinsale replied in the negative, but revealed that such a crossover had indeed been considered. It was shot down by Marvel:

"No. We had that idea. No. They're busy. They're doing something with Blade."  

Whether or not Beckinsale's comment is accurate with regard to Marvel's fanged famed Daywalker, I cannot say. And its veracity isn't even the point. The point here is that yours truly posted the semi-final version of his Blade: Blood War I fake movie poster on this very humble blog in April of this year and at this very moment, TV and print ads for Underworld: Blood Wars are making the rounds. 


It was while trying to catch up on a few more episodes of Atlanta on FX last night (super behind, I know), that I saw the commercial for the latest Underworld entry. Admittedly, I've only seen maybe two films from this long running franchise, but both watches were enjoyed. And so, it was with measured interest that I watched the TV promo for the new film. But when the TV spot ended and I noticed "Blood Wars" as part of the film's title, Beckinsale's Blade related comment rushed to mind and I shouted excitedly, "Those Underworld fuckers bit my shit!!" 

Okay, I think that I should prolly be sharing my (largely speculative) credit. A recent Google search reveals that a rough, fan made video montage of the Underworld and Blade film properties called, as fate would have it, "Blood Wars," has been posted to Youtube since 2007. My decision, however, to use that phrase for my fake Blade film poster had a wholly organic origin. 

In the beginning of the project, I was heavily leaning towards using "Winter Wars," a nod to the classic Ghostface Killah song "Winter Warz," found on the Wu-tang general's debut solo joint, Ironman. But, soon after placing all of the red blood splatters that appear over a section of the white, winter inspired background, the trajectory of the title changed to what appears in the final. 


Also a factor in my title choice were echoes of a phrase once used by the notorious graffiti writer Cap, a controversial figure profiled in the book Subway Art and in the cult classic documentary Style Wars. In the film, Cap describes his destructive motivation to write or "bomb" his tag all over the more developed art of his rivals. Menacingly, Cap describes the competition for street notoriety as a "blood war," and the layered subtext offered by this graffiti connection cemented my title choice. 

However it was that the Underworld: Blood Wars title actually and factually came about, I will gleefully continue to tell myself that both my fake Blade mini poster and the Underworld/Blade fan film on YouTube were contributing factors in the film's naming. Something done in the way of a wink and nod toward the geeky tradition of fan made pop culture. It all makes for a pretty cool story that way. 


8.31.2016

DJ Darrell D's 'stylish' Crotona Park Jams recaps

The legendary Ken Swift (Rock Steady Crew) and DJ Darrell D
 
The homie DJ Darrell D made his annual pilgrimage to the Crotona Park Jams in NY, and once again rubbed shoulders with many of the old school legends and luminaries of hip-hop. But he did it while also rocking a couple of t-shirts made by yours truly, including the "Brown" mash-up pictured above. While many of the fellas at the jam were silently 'checking his fresh', he reports that an unexpected number of compliments actually came from the ladies. And when the godfather of hip-hop Kool DJ Herc saw the JB tribute, he loudly shouted out, "That's my man (JB)!" four or five times. Pret-ty dope, right? 

Anyway, to see who else Darrell D (and the Brown shirt) rubbed shoulders with, check out his killer recap of the 2016 Crotona Jams by clicking here (for part 1) and here (for part 2).

7.23.2016

[Destroy All Headphones™] Pharoahe Monch & Professor XXL - Big G's Revenge

I wanted badly to have the instrumental track of Pharoahe Monch's "Simon Says" featured in a playlist that I've put together for an upcoming project. As monstrous as the vocal version of this rap track is, the instrumental–much to my surprise–was somewhat on the...repetitive side. If I was gonna use it, the track was gonna need some variations in its sound. So, I imported the track into Garage Band™, grabbed all of my Godzilla and related Toho film soundtracks, and worked a wee bit of magic; my first proper remix, made especially for hip-hop and kaiju film soundtrack lovers like me (and you).

7.03.2016

After Seeing Killer Fan Art, Wesley Snipes Hints At Jamie Foxx About Potential 'Blade' Team-Up


On June 28, Australia-based artist BossLogic shared to his Facebook and Twitter pages a pulse-pounding new piece of fan art, in which Jamie Foxx is depicted in the role of Marvel's super-cool vampire slayer Blade. The faux teaser poster features a monochromatic and red-accented portrait of Foxx with Blade's trademark haircut, tribal tattoos, tactical vest, Ray-Bans, and his distinctive samurai sword. Check it out below:


First brought to life on the silver screen by Wesley Snipes in 1998, Blade, a once-little-known 1970s comic book character, was recently acknowledged by Marvel's Kevin Feige to have been the House of M's first successful film franchise. Longtime fans of the character are still starving to know if and when the Daywalker will again see the light of day.

Meanwhile, the BossLogic teaser poster has made mouths water by offering an unexpected taste of what a new Blade film could look like with someone like Jamie Foxx in the role. On the morning of July 1, Snipes saw the artwork in his Twitter feed and quickly responded with a playful (and so far unanswered) tweet to Foxx, asking why he isn't invited to the party:
 

Twitter: A Place For Cinematic Dreams To Come True

If Foxx does respond, it will be interesting to see what he says. Magical things happen on Twitter, you know.

In May of 2017, a photo of Rihanna and Lupita Nyong'o sparked the imaginations of their fans, who basically crowdsourced the plot for a make-believe buddy movie. It was an idea that Rihanna and Nyong'o playfully indulged in, but it quickly snowballed until the fan fantasy became a soon-to-be very real heist film, staring the aforementioned dynamic duo. With Ava DuVernay now on board to direct, the Netflix series is aiming to start production in 2018.

I don't know about the rest of you Blade fans, but BossLogic has me thinking now that the only thing cooler than a new Blade movie — with Wesley Snipes, of course, returning to the role that he first sunk his fangs into — is a Blade film with Jamie Foxx sharing the screen as a fellow vampire slayer. With the right budget, the right director, the right script, and the right super-villain, a Blade buddy movie would take a ginormous bite out of the box office and leave audiences thirsty for more.

Is the big screen big enough for two super cool vampire slayers? Feel free to lemme know with a comment below.


5.24.2016

[Video On Demand™ Classic] Chaka Khan - I Feel For You [Official Video]



I'm certain that I'm not the only one who's still sad about the passing of Prince. I wanted to post one of his videos, but I elected to go another route: the very fitting and fantastic hit cover of "I Feel For You" by his dear friend Chaka Khan, posted here with Prince Rogers Nelson firmly mind. Still so hard to believe he's gone.

4.10.2016

Blade: Blood War I, starring Wesley Snipes, Rihanna and Nicholas Cage...coming soon?


Um, no. #LateAprilFool's #youvebeenpunked #sorry #hahaha

Despite being a big fan of Marvel's Blade films – the first two – (as mentioned here) I was never sure that I'd make an actual Blade piece for my Marvel Blaxploitation series. As inspiration would have it, though, a vague poster concept hit from out the blue yesterday afternoon, and this morning I have a finished piece that I like quite a bit.

Can't wait to see what it looks like on paper.

3.16.2016

Oh, My Godzilla... The cross-cultural fashion sense of Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers in 1984


Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers, one of the stars of the 1984 cult hit Breakin', has never received the recognition he deserves for a great number of things, among them being credit for actually being the man who taught Michael Jackson to moonwalk.  

In addition to that fairly seismic slight, Chambers also never really got the credit he deserved for being a major style icon for kids across the planet in the 1980s. But his pop art Godzilla muscle shirt, Banzai headband, camouflage khakis, and white Nike high-tops set a trailblazing fashion trend for many others to follow. 

In addition to his mind-blowing dance moves on screen in Breakin', it was his very unique sense of style, coupled with serious skinny kid swag, that left a deep impression whose echoes still reverberate in the present. 

And if there's any justice in the world, somebody (me) will attempt to right at least one of the great wrongs of pop culture history, and post to their blog a retrospective tribute to the cross-cultural fashion sense in 1984 of the legendary Boogaloo Shrimp. 



Did this post get you hyped up for more? Well, click here to learn how Boogaloo Shrimp met and mentored MJ, the reasons why he has a ton of fans in Asia, and much more in a very revealing 2008 interview. 

1.08.2016

'Godzilla vs. Pooter: A Tribute to American International Pictures' in G-Fan #110 (Nov 2015)



My Cooley High/blaxploitation-infused article "Godzilla vs. Pooter: A Tribute to American International Pictures" was featured in issue #110 of G-Fan magazine (which boasts a gorgeous cover painting by artist Bob Eggleton). If you're lucky, you may still be able to snag a minty fresh copy from your local comic book shop. If not, the ever reliable Oldies.com still has 'em in stock. Updated: You can also order your copy direct from the publisher who, amazingly, offers cheaper shipping rates than Oldies.com–even with it comin' from Canada.