Friday, February 19, 2010

Know Your LGBT History - Blacula

Let's bring down the craziness of the week a bit with this entry of Know Your LGBT History:

In spite of its name and reputation for being a blaxploitation film, Blacula (1972) is actually a good movie with genuine scares in some places.

The movie is about an African prince who is cursed with vampirism by Dracula after an attempt to get him to stand against the slave trade. He is awakened in the 20th century where he causes extreme mayhem while searching for the reincarnation of his true love.

A big plus of Blacula is the portrayal of the title role by Shakespearean actor William Marshall, which is another example of how talent can take a bad movie and make it into something more.

You actually feel sorry for him in some scenes, especially at the end. And this could probably be a first. How often do you feel sorry for a bloodsucking creature of the night?

But for the purpose of this blog, the following scene shows how Marshall's character (who is not named Blacula, but Mamawaulde) is awakened by two gay men.  No they don't try to have sex with him. They bought his coffin  with other antiques during a rummage sale:



Past Know Your LGBT History postings:

Know Your LGBT History - 3 Strikes

Know Your LGBT History - Paris Is Burning

Know Your LGBT History - The Women

Know your LGBT History - Soul Plane

Know Your LGBT History - The Player's Club

Special Know Your LGBT History - Fame

Know Your LGBT History - Welcome Home, Bobby

Know Your LGBT History - Barney Miller

Know your lgbt history - The Jerry Springer Show

Know your lgbt history - Martin Lawrence and that 'gay guy' on his show

Know your lgbt history - The Ricki Lake Show

Know your lgbt history - Which Way Is Up

Know your lgbt history - Gays in Primetime Soaps

Know your lgbt history - Boys Beware

Know your lgbt history - The Boondocks

Know your lgbt history - Mannequin

Know your lgbt history - The Warriors

Know Your LGBT History - New York Undercover

Know Your LGBT History - Low Down Dirty Shame

Know Your LGBT History - Fortune and Men's Eyes

Know your lgbt history - California Suite

Know your lgbt history - Taxi (Elaine's Strange Triangle)

Know your lgbt history - Come Back Charleston Blue

Know your lgbt history - James Bond goes gay

Know your lgbt history - Windows

Know your lgbt history - To Wong Foo and Priscilla

Know your lgbt history - Blazing Saddles

Know your lgbt history - Sanford and Son

Know your lgbt history - In Living Color

Know your lgbt history - Cleopatra Jones and her lesbian drug lords

Know your lgbt history - Norman, Is That You?

Know your lgbt history - The 'Exotic' Adrian Street

Know your lgbt history - The Choirboys

Know your lgbt history - Eddie Murphy

Know your lgbt history - The Killing of Sister George

Know your lgbt history - Hanna-Barbera cartoons pushes the 'gay agenda

'Know your lgbt history - Cruising

Know your lgbt history - Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones

Know your lgbt history - I Got Da Hook Up

Know your lgbt history - Fright Night

Know your lgbt history - Flowers of Evil

The Jeffersons and the transgender community  




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3 comments:

Lightning Baltimore said...

Definitely a classic! I was stunned the first time I saw it, when Blacula appeared and turned out to be . . . The King of Cartoons! I'm a sucker for voices, and Marshall's is one of my favorites.

Anonymous said...

I look forward to this series and check it out every time there's a new entry. The Blacula clip was something else - all those limp wrists flapping around - good heavens!

I didn't know if you welcomed suggestions for movies to review - here are three (unfortunately, all with very negative portrayals)

No Way Out - military drama, the bad guy is of course gay.

Heathers - OMG, where to start?

Once Bitten - Clevon Little as a vampire who lives in a female vampire's closet.

Dave Rattigan said...

Great clip. I have to see this movie. I remember seeing stills from it in all my horror movie books as a kid, but it was never shown on TV in the UK. I definitely have to indulge myself and order the DVD, though.