Category Archives: Black Cinema Databank

Witching Eyes

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Details
Year of Release:  1929
B&W
Genre:  Horror /Thriller
Runtime:  Unknown
Director/Writer/Producer:  Ernest Stearns

Cast
Salem Tutt Whitney, Sylvia Birdsong, Lorenzo Tucker

Story:
Haitian Val Napolo, possessed of a witching hand and the evil eye, is persuaded by his friend Cortex to go to the United States and pose as a leader of his people.  Napolo meets with great success and gets to know Sylvia Smith, the daughter of a recently deceased black leader.  Napolo develops a burning desire for Sylvia, but she favors Ralph Irving, a gentle poet.  Napolo puts a curse on them and breaks up the love affair.  When Sylvia still refuses him, Napolo kidnaps her.  Ralph learns of the abduction and rescues Sylvia, discrediting Napolo in the eyes of his people.

Notes:
This film is presumed lost.

Source(s):  American Silent Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature Films, 1913-1929.

The Human Tornado

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a/k/a Dolemite 2

The Human Tornado

Details
Year of Release:  1976
Genre:  Blaxploitation/Action/Comedy/Drama
Rating: R
Runtime:  108 mins.
Studio(s):  Comedian International Distributors, Dimension Pictures,
Xenon Pictures, Xenon Entertainment Group
Director:   Cliff Roquemore

Cast:   Rudy Ray Moore (Dolemite), Lady Reed (Queen Bee), Jimmy Lynch (Mr. Motion), Gloria Delaney (Hurricane Annie), Ernie Hudson (Bo).

Synopsis:  In this sequel to the cult smash Dolemite, we find our hero on the run from a redneck sheriff who has caught Dolemite messin’ with his woman. He and his posse (including a young Ernie Hudson) dodge the sheriff and his bullets in a high-speed chase that takes them to L.A. Upon Dolemite’s arrival, he learns that Queen Bee (Lady Reed) and her Kung Fu Girls have been pushed out of the nightclub business by a ruthless competitor who has ties to the Mob.  With two of the girls held hostage, the Queen and her bees are forced into slavery for their nemesis.The Human Tornado still 1

Enter Dolemite! Following a scene described by Rudy Ray himself as “sensational and sexsational,” Dolemite gets the lowdown on the gang’s hideout. It’s highspeed kung fu Dolemite-style as the rat soup eatin’ motherf***ers get their collective ass kicked.  But the redeneck sheriff is still hot on Dolemite’s trail – can even a Human Tornado fight two battles at once?   Source/Photo Source:  Blaxploitation Pride.

Trailer:

 

A Christmas To Remember

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A Christmas To RememberRelease Date:  2015
Genre:  Drama/Family
Rating:  NR
Running Time:  112 mins.
Studio(s):  Atlanta Dream Team Productions, Distributors Signal 23 Television, Green Apple Entertainment.
Director:  Henderson Maddox

Cast:  Robin Givens (Veronica), Darrin Dewitt Henson (Michael), Brittney Level (Lauren Ford), Royce Munn (Reid Shepherd), Valerie Payton (Mary Ford), Benjie Anderson (Joseph Sheperd)

Story: Two families who have hated each other for years are forced to spend Christmas together. Source: IMDB.

Trailer:

Christmas Wedding Baby

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Christmas Wedding BabyRelease Date:  2014; 12/22/15 BET
Genre:   Drama/Romance
Rating: NR
Running Time:  112 mins.
Studio(s):  Cultivated Films
Director:  Kiara Jones

Cast:  Kimberley Drummond (Andrea), Maba Ba (Brent), Sawandi Wilson (Gabriel), Maria Howell (Miranda), Lisa Arrindell Anderson (Lori), Frances Turner (Charlotte), Stephen Hill (Isaac), Jason Vendryes (Kendal).

Story:  The film focuses on three sisters. The baby of the trio, Andrea is in town for her wedding to the wealthy Brent, but it’s clear something is amiss, as he’s been too busy to come for the pre-wedding preparations. This small town in North Florida doesn’t have too many professional photographers and Andrea’s ex Gabriel was hired by the wedding planner to effectively capture her beauty on this momentous occasion. Sparks fly between the two, compounding Andrea’s confusion. Does she do what her overbearing mom Miranda says and marry the “right man” or go with her heart…and what does that mean exactly?

Lori, is the oldest sister, and pregnant by a one-night stand to the chagrin of bratty and needy Andrea, judgmental mom Miranda, and middle sister Charlotte. Successful and adventurous, her decision to have a baby on her own doesn’t sit well with the rest of the clan because she lives life on her terms, something they can’t relate to, or in Miranda’s case, waited too long to act on.

Charlotte and her hunky baby daddy Isaac are in a rut. He has given up working as an international DJ and music producer to be the best stay at home dad to their two children while Charlotte focuses on her work as a daytime news anchor. As Isaac prepares to take their relationship to the next level, Charlotte entertains ideas of tasting the swirl with her white co-anchor. Source: Shadow and Act.

Trailer:

What She Wants For Christmas

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What She Wants For Christmas
Release Date:  2012
Genre:  Family/Holiday
Rating:  NR
Running Time:  90 mins.
Studio:  Throne Productions; Entertainment One
Director:  Jason Hewitt

Cast:  Brianna Dufrene, Denise Boutte, Christian Keyes, Jackie Long, Lily Hewitt.

Story:  Ten year-old Abigail has written to the North Pole and asked for something very special this year something she’s kept secret from her mother. But when Abigail discovers that Santa hasn’t brought her special gift, she activates her back-up plan and captures jolly St. Nick. Source: Amazon.

Trailer:

A Christmas Blessing

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A Christmas Blessing still

Release Date:  2013
Genre:  Drama/Romance
Rating:  NR
Running Time:  90 mins.
Studio:  Uptoparr Productions; TV One
Director:  Russ Parr

Cast:  Lisa Arrindell Anderson (Pamela), Omari Hardwick (Earl James), David Banner (Charles), Jahnee Wallace (Kara).

Story:  This moving family drama chronicles the parallel hardships of Pamela Cleveland (Lisa Arrindell Anderson), a mother of four whose husband, Charles (David Banner), has been killed in action while serving in Afghanistan, and Earl James (Omari Hardwick), a fresh divorcee. While Pamela combats immeasurable grief and a flood of concerns as a new widow, Earl combats anxiety and struggles to maintain custody of and contact with his two sons. Pamela and Earl’s lives are forever transformed when their seemingly separate paths intersect and together, they learn the realities of dating and single-parenthood, the importance of family and the true meaning of Christmas. Source(s): Shadow and Act; Moviefone.  Photo Source:  TV One.

My One Christmas Wish

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My One Christmas WishRelease Date:  2015
Genre: Drama/Family
Rating:  NR
Running Time:  120 mins.
Studio(s):  Entertainment One Television; UPtv
Director:  James Head

Cast:  Amber Riley (Jackie Turner), Matreya Fedor (Ava), Jarod Joseph (Trevor), Priscilla Faia (Kate), Camille Sullivan (Sharon), Ali Skovbye (Chloe).

Story:  My One Christmas Wish is based on the true story of Jackie Turner, a woman growing up in the foster care system who so desperately wanted a family for Christmas that she advertised on Craigslist… and people answered! Source: UpTV; IMDB.

Preview My One Christmas Wish at UpTV.com.