Xenon Pictures suggested title list for specialty BDs
TERRORVISION
BLAXPLOITATION!
Coonskin
Barry White, Scatman Crothers, Philip Michael Thomas, Charles Gordone
Directed by: Ralph Bakshi
“The most incendiary work of the entire genre” – Quentin Tarantino
Starring Scatman Crothers, Phillip Michael Thomas, and soul legend Barry White. Originally reviled by activists (who had not seen the film), Coonskin has now been acknowledged by critics as the important masterpiece that it is. Rap superstars The Wu Tang Clan have expressed their love for the film, and want to produce a remake.
“Coonskin could be RALPH BAKSHI’S MASTERPIECE.”-New York Times
Lord Shango
A Battle Between Gospel Glory and Shango SACRIFICE! Remastered from Original Elements! 1974 lost blaxploitation/horror classic!Marlene Clarke Lawrence Cook Wally Taylor
Directed by: Ray Marsh
In this horror film, black African Christians confront the traditional religion of their peers when a Yoruban priest is drowned after attempting to stop the Christian baptism of a young girl and her mother. Trouble ensues when the priest comes back to life.
“Rife with powerful allegory … A film of style and deep substance that ranks among the best independent works of 1970s Black cinema.” – Screen Slate
This came out of nowhere and hit me like a ton of bricks…. extremely well constructed …. I can’t recommend it enough! – Chris Kirby, Letterboxd
ABAR: Black Superman
Tobar Mayo, J. Walter Smith, Roxie Young, Gladys Lum, Tony Rumford
Directed by: Frank Packard
A black scientist moves his family into an affluent neighborhood, only to be greeted with threats and vandalism by their new white neighbors. When the bigotry turns murderous, the good doctor works to transform his militant bodyguard into a black superman with fantastic physical strength and mental powers that set the stage for a remarkable climax!
“Strike fear into the hearts of intolerant racists everywhere.” Rovi
Blackenstein
Referenced in Eddie Murphy's "Dolemite is My Name"!Joseph De Sue, Ivory Stone, Roosevelt Jackson, Liz Renay, Cardella Di Milo
Directed by: William A. Levey
Eddie, a Vietnam vet who has lost his arms and legs, is restored by DNA expert Dr. Stein. But the results turn monstrous when a rival for Eddie’s fiancée gives him the wrong medication.
BLAXPLOITATION: The Films of Rudy Ray Moore – DOLEMITE (more info!)
Dolemite
Eddie Murphy stars as Rudy Ray Moore in 2019's "Dolemite is My Name"Rudy Ray Moore, Lady Reed, Jerry Jones
Directed by: D'urville Martin
The legendary classic…the pillar of the ‘blaxploitation’ genre….Rudy Ray Moore is DOLEMITE!
Dolemite and his beautiful All-Girl-Army of Kung Fu Killers take on the corrupt city in this groundbreaking film whose influence is still being felt today. The basis for Eddie Murphy’s “Dolemite is My Name”!
“The Citizen Kane of kung-fu pimpin’ films”—New York Times
The Human Tornado
(Dolemite II)Rudy Ray Moore, Lady Reed, Jimmy Lynch, Ernie Hudson
Directed by: Cliff Roquemore
In this sequel to the smash hit Dolemite, Dolemite is on the run from a redneck sheriff who has caught him with his woman. Dolemite and his posse (including a young Ernie Hudson) dodge the sheriff and his bullets in a high-speed chase that takes them to LA. Upon Dolemite’s arrival, he learns that Queen Bee (Lady Reed) and her Kung Fu Girls have been pushed out of the night-club business by a ruthless competitor who ... Read more
“The most essential Dolemite movie…”-ColeSmithey.com
Petey Wheatstraw: The Devil’s Son-In-Law
Remastered from Original Elements!Rudy Ray Moore, Jimmy Lynch, Leroy & Skillet, Eboni Wryte, Wildman Steve
Directed by: Cliff Roquemore
One of the classic films from Dolemite himself – Rudy Ray Moore! Gunned down by the mob, a comedian is given a second chance at life if he will marry the Devil’s hideous daughter.
“…[Moore] delivers his particular brand of humor forcefully…” – Variety
Disco Godfather
Remastered from Original Elements!Rudy Ray Moore, Carol Speed, Lady Reed, Jimmy Lynch, Jerry Jones
Directed by: D'urville Martin
Rudy Ray Moore’s fourth in a series of cult favorites finds him playing an ex-cop called back into action to stop an angel dust producer.
“Rudy Ray Moore is a comic genius.” –ColeSmithey.com
Rudy Ray Moore: EAT OUT MORE OFTEN
Restored from original 35mm elementsRudy Ray Moore, Leroy & Skillet
Directed by: Cliff Roqumore
While Rudy Ray Moore is best remembered today for his outrageous blaxploitation movies, such as Dolemite and The Human Tornado, he started out as a standup comedian who broke barriers for off-color comedy on such “party” albums as “This Pussy Belong to Me”. Eat Out More Often is a restored performance film which captures Moore live on-stage, delivering the rhyming rap routines and epic tales of sexual conquest that first made him famous. (Some portions previously released on home ... Read more
“This man is a hot mess; he was ahead of his time. Make sure the kids are asleep upstairs.” – Amazon User Review
INDIE / CULT
Dante’s Inferno
A film by SEAN MEREDITHDermot Mulroney, James Cromwell, Martha Plimpton
Directed by: Sean Meredith
Rediscover this literary classic, retold in a kind of apocalyptic graphic novel meets Victorian-era toy theater.
“…feels like the unholy offspring of Mike Judge and Robert Crumb.”
– Robert Abele
“…feels like the unholy offspring of Mike Judge and Robert Crumb.”
– Robert Abele
Gam Cam Grrl
The lost cult classic
Directed by: Paul Michael Girard
A farfetched story filled with quirky humor, international intrigue, clueless crime fighting government agencies, and a beautiful girl with a web cam and some very peculiar ideas about how best to achieve her ambitious, mostly illegal, cyber objectives.
Sorority Girls & the Creature from Hell
Len Lesser, Deborah Dutch, BJ Davis, Dori Courtney
“a cheese-drenched treat that audiances will most definitely enjoy watching. It’s basically Scalps with an overdose of inadvertent stupidity… and that my friends is surely a good thing. I loved it.” – A Slash Above”a cheese-drenched treat that audiances will most definitely enjoy watching. It’s basically Scalps with an overdose of inadvertent stupidity… and that my friends is surely a good thing. I loved it.” – A Slash Above”a cheese-drenched treat that audiances will most definitely enjoy watching. It’s basically Scalps with an overdose of inadvertent stupidity… and that my friends is surely a good thing. I loved it.” – A Slash Above
A Day Without A Mexican
Yareli Arizmendi, John Getz, Maureen Flannigan, Muse Watson
Directed by: Sergio Arau
California awakens one day to discover that its entire Latino population has vanished. A peculiar pink fog surronds the state and communication outside its boundaries has completely shut down. As the day progresses, it becomes apparent that the sole charateristic linking the missing 14 million is their Hispanic heritage.
Hunting Bigfoot
John Green, Ben Cockman, Monica Sarah Lynn
Directed by: Taylor Guterson
Did he really see it? Or was it just in his head?
As he emerges from yet another long slog in the Northwest wilderness, John’s resolve remains undiminished. Long estranged from his family, John checks in to grab some provisions and touch base with some fellow sympathizers and true believers before resuming his all-consuming quest—to verify the existence of a Sasquatch he claims to have witnessed.
In Hunting Bigfoot, Seattle-based filmmaker, ... Read more
“Perhaps the greatest sasquatch movie ever made…”
– Michael Medved
Traveling Light
Tony Todd, Danny Huston, Olivia D'Abo, Stephen Dorff, Duke Nicholson, Matthew Jacobs
Directed by: Bernard Rose
Funny and frightening in equal measure, Traveling Light is a Bunuelian satire of bourgeoise life in Los Angeles at a moment of extreme crisis. From Candyman creator / director Bernard Rose.
“Continues Rose’s ongoing efforts to create haunting miniatures about life in Los Angeles with a classical twist.” –Vulture
Oversexed Rugsuckers from Mars
Must be seen to be believedDick Monda, Billybob Rhoads
Directed by: Michael Paul Girard
Tiny Martians use Earth as a laboratory to try out new life forms. They return after ten million years only to find that the human experiment is a complete failure. They decide to mate a human with a vacuum cleaner to create a species that will be better at cleaning up after itself, but a programming error by a drunken Martian sends the oversexed cleaner on a wild rampage of rape, murder and overall bad manners.
“MY SICKEST PLEASURE”
—cincity2000.com
Kenny
Shane Jacobson, Eve von Bibra, Chris Davis, Jesse Jacobson, Ronald Jacobson
Directed by: Clayton Jacobson
This hilarious mockumentary film follows the numerous misadventures of a porta-john worker through both his personal and professional life, including an oddly glamorous excursion to the Pumper & Cleaner Expo in Nashville, TN.
“The funniest film I’ve seen all year”—Oscar winning filmmaker Michael Moore
The Murders of Brandywine Theater
a LARRY LONGSTRETH film from Executive Producer MARK ORDESKYDian Bachar, Les Claypool, Martin Klebba, Diamond Dallas Paige, Josh Cribbs
Directed by: Larry Longstreth
A small town loser and ventriloquist finally finds the courage he’s lacked all his life when his dummy (voiced by Les Claypool of Primus), starts speaking up for him…with grave consequences for those that had pushed him around.
“The Murders of Brandywine Theater” is a complex, and very unique horror film that isn’t just eerie, but it’s also damn spooky to boot.” -Cinema-Crazed.com
DOCUMENTARIES – other
ABOUT FACE: Jewish Refugees in the Allied Forces
Peter Coyote (narrator), Henry Kissinger
Directed by: Steven Karras
Documents the as-yet-untold WWII story of young Jewish men and women who escaped certain death at the hands of the Nazis…and returned to fight them in Europe and North Africa. Told via the recollections of these brave men and women, the film chronicles the journey from Nazi victim, to refugee and finally, to Allied soldiers and spies.
“For all those who have not heard this story at their father’s or grandfather’s knee, and for anyone who has considered the question, ‘Why didn’t the Jews fight back?’ this is essential.” The Jewish News
Slippin’: 10 Years with The Bloods
a film by TOMMY SOWARDS and JOACHIM SCHROEDERThe Bloods street-gang
Directed by: Tommy Sowards and Joachim Schroeder
Over a period of 10 years, filmmakers Joachim Schroeder and Tommy Sowards hit the streets to follow a group of teenagers from L.A.’s Rollin’ 20s Bloods documenting the violent and troubled lives of one of the toughest gangs in the country.
“No preaching or moralizing…JUST STRAIGHT FORWARD TRUTH.”
-New York Times
MUSIC & CONCERTS
Welcome to Death Row
Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Suge Knight, Tupac Shakur, Kevin Powell, Eazy E
Directed by: Leigh Savidge
The true story of the rise and fall of Death Row Records. As told in the words of the people who lived it, Welcome to Death Row tells the story of this enigmatic enterprise, its shadowy origins, and how it forever changed American business.
“Riveting”—The San Francisco Chronicle
The Nashville Sound
Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Bill Monroe
Directed by: Robert Elfstrom and David Hoffman
Filmed in Nashville in 1969, this acclaimed documentary features over 40 of the greatest country performers singing and playing their greatest hits, including Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Roy Acuff and Charley Pride.
“The Nashville Sound’s thrills are myriad”—Edward Crouse, indieWIRE