Once Priest decides to pursue his last score, he seeks help from his mentor in crime, Scatter, played by an avuncular but cautiously sinister Michael Kenneth Williams. As the soundtrack's composer, Mayfield was the only other person in the production who earned revenue approaching Shore's. Youngblood Priest: [while Reardon's pointing a gun at him] Kill me, Reardon! Parents need to know that Super Fly is a 1972 movie about a cocaine dealer attempting to make a deal large enough to retire and get out of the business. Besides pimpin'? AFI champions progress in visual storytelling to empower storytellers, inspire story lovers and further the limitless power of the moving image. [5], While Sony and other publications reported the film was made on a net production budget of $16 million, Deadline stated their sources insisted the actual cost was "well north of $20 [million], near $30 [million]". Snow Patrol members led by Juju shoot up Priest's mansion. According to an Oct 1972 LAT article, Var had reported that by Sep 1972, Super Fly was third behind The Godfather and Play It Again, Sam (see above for both) in the list of top-grossing films of 1972. Formerly a Chicago musician, he now lives in Los Angeles with his dog-rescuing wife Marla and their Afghan Hound. ', Jason Mitchells Eddie, a Player on the Make, We first see Eddie wearing a Diesel tee shirt, Messam says. For Scatter, I wanted a silhouette that was a little more elevated than a traditional two-piece Adidas track suit., Boxraw contacted Messam after seeing her contributions to Ryan Coogler-directed 2015 boxing movie Creed. Yet this conflict is actually secondary to the main story: Priest arrives at an estimate of the vast fortune that he needs to accumulate in order to quit the drug racket; he wants to do so in just a few months, by getting and selling a large stock of cocaine. In 1972, at a preview for the original Super Fly held in Philadelphia, the theater quickly filled up, and some of the people who were shut out tried to break into a side door. Youngblood Priest: You better take real good care of me. Synopsis Youngblood Priest, a young Atlanta cocaine kingpin, has been working the streets since he was eleven. (screenplay by) Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification Produced by Music by Josh Atchley Cinematography by Amir Mokri Film Editing by Joel Negron Casting By Tamara-Lee Notcutt Production Design by [1] It dropped to $3.4 million in its second weekend, finishing eighth, and after being pulled from 1,064 theaters in its third week made $1.3 million, finishing 12th. He lacks Parkss canny compositional wit, his sense of the dramatic power of practical attention to time and space. Official Sites Powerful Stories About Martin Luther King Jr. Georgia: Look maybe you should get out now now before something really bad happens. The original red and black Warner logo is replaced by the updated AOL/Warner logo used at the time of DVD release. The hot-tempered . But getting out isn't as easy as Priest hopes when it's revealed that the actual supplier from the police is higher up the chain of command, and this supplier wants Priest dead if he quits. All rights reserved. I remember Curtis Mayfields great music and the way Ron Neal carried himself. Youngblood Priest: I ain't givin' you sh*t! Youngblood Priest, an African-American drug dealer who specializes in selling cocaine, enjoys a luxurious lifestyle in Harlem. Supertones' sixth album Hi-Fi Revival It holds your attention yet leaves you with nothing. The more Priest tries to wriggle out of the life, the more it wraps its tentacles around him. Killed while trying to hunt down Priest. Unlike the earlier film, the new one (written by Alex Tse) goes beyond the local streetside and backroom focus of the drug trade to expose a vipers nest of conspiracies that extend from the internecine conflicts between groups of dealers to the collaboration of major elected officials. in every room, and can snort a half a piece of dope everyday? The film opens as the name ROCKY pans across the screen, filling the frame. .st1{display:none;fill:#FFFFFF;} I don't know nothing else but dope, baby. Reardon threatens Priest that he must continue selling drugs as long as he is ordered to, but when Priest refuses, the policemen begin to beat him. In this regard, Superfly mirrors the original, in which Priest also had two girlfriends by those names. He is inside listening to Curtis, his sapphire ring he brings the moon with him, this cat, and his eyes glow like mellow stones at my superfly threads. Super Fly (1972) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Gordon Parks Jr. After the men leave, Priest finds his partner, Eddie, and asks him how much cash they currently have. In commenting on the success of Super Fly at the box office, a Jan 1973 DV article reported that investors Allen and Jenkins had sold their 22 percent interest in the film profitably, and that the principals involved in the production were getting handsome payoffs. According to a 12 Mar 1973 NYT article, the picture had grossed $20 million in seven months, and modern sources added that despite the films controversial nature, it went on to gross more than $30 million by 2007. When a scene takes place in the budget furniture store he uses as a legit front, its news to us, because the setting drops in out of nowhere. Priest thanks Eddie for his help and prepares to leave the country with Georgia. Among the films many critics was Junius Griffin, the then-president of the Hollywood branch of the NAACP. Which isnt to say that the film lacks for racial consciousness. Applied post-scattering, so textures applied to this input will remain sharp. [12] It was the highest-grossing blaxploitation film at the time.[13]. Priest's white mistress, Cynthia, is dismayed to learn that Priest does not return her love and is planning on quitting the business. What the F*CK are you gunna do except hustle? Yes, Scream VI Marketing Is Behind the Creepy Ghostface Sightings Causing Scares Across the U.S. David Oyelowo, Taylor Sheridan's 'Bass Reeves' Series at Paramount+ Casts King Richard Star Demi Singleton (EXCLUSIVE), Star Trek: Discovery to End With Season 5, Paramount+ Pushes Premiere to 2024. Priest confides in his second-in-command Eddie that he wants out of drug-dealing, and has a plan. matplotlib is a Python package used for data plotting and visualisation. Their argument is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Scatter, who is being pursued by his supplier. The gaudy fashions might be as obsolete as the old crumbling '70s New York City that serves as the background to the scenes, but the substance of the movie has ensured that Super Fly remains something more than a relic. Prior to the opening credits, the following written statement appears onscreen: "This >>, In the onscreen credits, actor S. Z. Sakall's name is incorrectly spelled "S. K. On 23 Feb 1973, DV related that Mayfield had filed a letter of complaint with the Academy over its method of selecting nominees. The article noted that Mayfield was not qualified for a nomination for Best Dramatic Score because five songs needed to be submitted, and Warners only submitted three. Although the article stated that Mayfields manager was contemplating filing suit against the Academy, the action was not taken. He died in 1986 of an overdose. Sakall." To me that movie felt like an accurate portrayal of Harlem during that period. But one of those minions, Juju (Kaalan KR Walker), seethes with resentmenthe wants to do away with Priest and take over his business, and, without Qs permission, takes a shot at Priest outside the club, but instead hits a bystander. Youngblood Priest: I ain't bullshittin' you, captain. MORE TRAILERS AND CLIPS (30) 2:26 0 Superfly (Trailer 2) 1:00 0 Superfly: Director X (Vignette) 0:14 0 Superfly: Character Piece-Scatter 1:01 0 Superfly: Priest (Vignette) 0:56 0 Superfly: Everyone Loves A Hustle 0:53 0 See our. She very classic with a bit of glam, dressing in fur coats and elegant, sexy pantsuits. Superfly was remade by Director X and released in June 2018 with a cast that included Trevor Jackson and Jason Mitchell.[14]. All rights reserved. Both movies tell the story of Youngblood Priest, a coke dealer looking to make one last big score and then get out. Priest turns to Scatter (Julius Harris), an older and retired dealer who now runs a popular bar and grill, for help in getting Scatter's supplier. According to modern sources, K. C., who played a pimp in the film, was a pimp in real life and owned the car driven by Priest. Making his feature directorial debut, Director X whose background is in music videos (Rihanna, Drake, Kendrick Lamar) shoots in Atlanta instead of Harlem, glamming up the story with fast cars,. On the one hand, its a clever idea to have the pair negotiate drug supplies while sparring in Scatters martial-arts gym; on the other, the cleverness becomes beside the point because Director X cant manage to make both the action and the dialogue work in tandem. It was like the fastest production ever!, says the Jamaican-born designer. Priest must find a way to keep the money he has made while staying several steps ahead of the corrupt police department. There's also marijuana and cigarette smoking and drinking. He came out of a dance background. Filming & Production Now, if you don't get me my money *tonight*, I'm gonna put that young girl of your's out on whore's row. Chasing Priest, Juju is injured and Q is killed in a car crash. In the Jan 1973 LAT article, Parks, Jr. defended the film by asserting that black audiences, critics and filmgoers needed to support black artists while they attempted to break into the white-dominated motion picture industry, even if their initial efforts were not completely acceptable to all audiences. Although the timid Freddie abhors violence, he agrees and accompanies a member of Priests family of lower-level dealers to commit the robbery. https://www.quotes.net/movies/super_fly_142696, https://www.quotes.net/movies/super_fly_quotes_142696. And he was there a week ahead of time doing the work and getting the choreography down. Common Sense Media. Cynthia: [after refusing a snort of coke because Priest is going to leave rather than stay for sex] Some things go better with coke. The Custom Scatter node has the following attributes: Surface Color: The overall color of the surface. But Priest wants out of dealing and comes up with a plan to make it happen. thecredits-expanded-wt. Scatter gives Priest a packet of information on Reardon and his family, then arranges to meet him later, when Priest will give him money with which to flee New York. He confides to a lieutenant, Eddie (Jason Mitchell), that he wants out. All Rights Reserved. (Click here to read about the 2018 remake.) The songs "Freddie's Dead" and the title song both shot up the Pop Top Ten chart in late 1972, with each single selling over a million copies. I am new in PyTorch and I have faced one issue, namely I cannot get my torch_sparse module properly installed. Later on in the story hes dressed in a bejeweled jacket and splashy watch where hes like Ive now got the dough and Im going to put it on my back. We're out here building a new nation for black people. [10] The filmmakers maintain that it was their desire to show the negative and empty aspects of the drug subculture. Fat Freddie: Listen, Priest, that's my wife you're talking about, man. suggesting a diversity update. Nate Adams coordinated the fashion and wardrobe for the film. (Hes played in the earlier film by Ron ONeal; in the remake, by Trevor Jackson.) With Mason's gun at Freddie's head, Freddie's girlfriend reveals his criminal history and Priest's identity. Working with his reluctant friend, Eddie (Carl Lee), Priest . He died on 17 April 1986 in New York City, New York, USA. Review: Superfly Adds Bling to an Old Tale, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/12/movies/superfly-review.html. Michael isnt trained as far as I know, but hes a dancer. The film is well known for its soundtrack, written and produced by soul musician Curtis Mayfield. He also has a run-in with the Snow Patrol, a rival crew of coke dealers who dress in white. I'll tell you what you do, you go get you a gun and all those black folks you keep doin' so much talkin' about get guns, and come back ready to go down, then I'll be right down front killin' whitey. The next day, Freddie is picked up for fighting, and when he is beaten by the police, he reveals when and where Priest and Eddie are to pick up the first kilo of cocaine from Scatter. But we cant do these things right away. When I get out what am I gunna do? A remake of the 1972 blaxploitation classic trades in its drug-dealer-as-outlaw-capitalist mythology for a glossy, slammed-together genre flick. [5] The film made $1.2 million on its first day,[9] $938,583 on its second and $1.8 million on its third. Within those cynically defined contemporary parameters, Youngblood Priest (Trevor Jackson, dressed to the nines and sporting what one character derides as Morris Day hair) is doing well. Superfly is a 2018 American action crime thriller film and a remake of the 1972 blaxploitation film Super Fly. Super Fly, Miracle Workers, Black Lightning, Ozark, and Avengers", "Future Unveils 'Superfly' Soundtrack Track List", "Film News Roundup: Sony Opening Crime Thriller 'Superfly' Two Days Earlier", "At $2.5B To Date, Summer's B.O. Mayfield, who made his film scoring debut with Super Fly, received a Grammy nomination for the films soundtrack. There's brief female nudity (breasts and buttocks) and one extended sex scene in a bath tub; characters moan with pleasure as the camera moves in slow motion up and down their bodies. Shot in a functional, slammed-together manner thats less sensually stylish than youd expect from a music-video auteur, the film is a competent yet glossy and hermetic street-hustle drug thriller, less a new urban myth than a lavishly concocted episode. ' Messam outfitted Mitchell in GStar jeans and a John Varvatos leopard print leather jacket. Those released in the previous decade could probably be counted on one hand. Speaking from Toronto, Messam shared insights about the hip looks that help sell the story of drug dealer Priest (Trevor Jackson) and his crew. Priest discusses his plan to buy thirty kilos of high-quality cocaine with the $300,000 he and his partner Eddie have, which they can sell for $1,000,000 within four months. However, w. Refused by Scatter, Priest has to pitch himself to a deadly Mexican cartel manager played by Esai Morales. Given human nature, the alliances and affinities are almost always short term, of course. Courtesy Sony Pictures. "Pusherman," "Little Child Runnin' Wild," "No Thing on Me," "Give Me Your Love" and "Superfly," music and lyrics by Curtis Mayfield. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. | And you really ain't got the stomach for that. Priest further explains that the men with whom he met were contract killers, whom he hired to murder Reardon and his entire family should anything happen to him. The lead character contends with an attempted mugging; he chases one of his attackers all the way back to the attacker's apartment, catches him, and kicks him in the chest, after which the attacker vomits. If you go back and . Now we're through talkin'. [9] The Congress for Racial Equality, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other organizations attempted to block the film's distribution and pushed for more African-American involvement in Hollywood's creative process. ', Messam fondly remembers taking in the stylish street energy emanating from the original 1972 Super Fly. According to a 5 Feb 1973 DV article, the meeting was held because of the emotions involved, and the songs exclusion was upheld. * Remember Me Forgot Password Tags: Members Only Previous Feds Get First Co-Defendant In Philly Mob Case To Cop Plea, Tony Meatballs Admits Booking Bets . Theyre led by the roly-poly, hard-as-rusty-nails Q (Big Bank Black), the closest thing this movie has to an authentic hoodlum, but its when Priest is attacked by Qs hothead-sociopath protg, Juju (Kaalan KR Walker), that he realizes the time has come for him to take the money and run. Curtis Mayfield's soundtrack is also considered to be a classic. It was important to show a bit of an arc with Eddie, so thats why the clothes change through his storyline.. Eddie is elated by the new situation, claiming that they are set for life, although Priest is still determined to quit after selling the thirty kilos. Scatter, who now runs a popular restaurant, initially refuses to help Priest, but Priest plays on his emotions, claiming that he wants to get out while he is young and before he has to endure the extreme hardships faced by Scatter. A remake of the 1972 blaxploitation classic trades in its drug-dealer-as-outlaw-capitalist mythology for a glossy, slammed-together genre flick. That night, Priest enjoys a romantic bath with his girl friend Georgia, although she disapproves of his drug usage. A standard definition DVD was released by Warner Brothers on January 14, 2004the day its star, Ron O'Neal, died after battling cancer. He lives with his two girlfriends, Georgia and Cynthia. In response, Freddy (without Priests permission) shoots up a barbershop thats a Snow Patrol hangout, and a game of bloody vengeance is launched. The first, Super Fly T.N.T., was released in 1973 and was directed by and starred ONeal, in addition to Frazier, who reprised her role as Georgia. Shore also directed the second sequel, The Return of Superfly, which was released in 1990 and starred Nathan Purdee as Priest. Its very much an Atlanta look. If George Michael and Mr. T had a baby and dressed him in the sleekest of designer leather, he might look like this guy. On Freddies Dead, a song on the 1972 soundtrack album (its not sung in the film itself), Mayfield calls out Another junkie plan/Pushing dope for the Man, vocalizing in a tone that the critic Greil Marcus (in his great book Mystery Train) called incredulous and disgusted.. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. If you go back and watch a vintage blaxploitation film like Super Fly (1972), it has a time-capsule quality that only enhances the low-rent documentary scuzziness of its atmosphere. The hot-tempered Eddie threatens Scatter, demanding that he reveal his source if he will not supply them, but Scatter disarms Eddie and holds him at gunpoint. Trevors only 21 playing a 27 year old, and he worked so hard, she says. He has two live-in girlfriends, the quietly sophisticated Georgia (Lex Scott Davis) and the younger, flintier Cynthia (Andrea Londo). That night, Eddie and Priest approach Scatter, a retired dealer who started Priest in the business. By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. Priest demands his half of their profits from Eddie. While controversial among civil rights groups for its portrayal of African Americans as negative and antiheroes, this film has stood the test of time as a classic of the "blaxploitation" genre. After Super Flys release, Filmfacts reported that the picture turned out to be the most commercially successful black film to dateas well as the most controversial. Reviews of the picture were mixed, with some critics praising its authenticity and others decrying it as exploitive and poorly made. The Atlanta locale of Superfly seems like the perfect high-low setting, but though Director X exploits a number of colorful locations (a hair salon that turns into a drive-by slaughter, a mansion that looks as big as Versailles), the film has very little visual texture or sense of place. K. C.s only other motion picture appearance was in the 1972 United Artists release Across 110th Street (see above), which was also filmed on location in New York City. It ended up grossing $6.9 million in its opening weekend (a five-day total of $9 million), finishing sixth at the box office. When Eddie states that they have $300,000, Priest reveals his plan to buy thirty kilos of high-quality cocaine, which they can sell for $1,000,000 within four months. With such a big score, they will be able to retire comfortably and find other employment, although Eddie protests that crime is the only option left to them by The Man. Priest is determined, however, and that night, approaches Scatter, a retired dealer who started Priest in the business. Now somebody's gonna work tonight, Freddy. Mean Free Path: The mean distance that light travels in the surface before it scatters. Priest defuses the situation and persuades Scatter to help them, although Scatter warns that it will be the last time. [11], After an initial gross of $24.8 million, the film was re-released in 1973 and earned $2 million in US and Canada rentals. Some contemporary and modern sources list the films title as Superfly, although the opening title card and copyright records list it as two words. Harlem Costume Designer Deirdra Elizabeth Govan on Season Twos Evolving Looks. Thats how hungry the audience was for a new screen mythology of African-American manhood. This is evident in the movie from the beginning as Priest communicates his desire to leave the business. Anyone can read what you share. As an explanation for his desire to get out of the drug life, he says, All the power in the world cant stop a bullet. The movie generated roughly $4 million in profits. We also have the scene at a strip club where Georgias wearing a micro mini, but when shes in her gallery with the mayor, there needs to be a feeling of strength there: I am the owner of this gallery and not just a club girl. Franklin kills Freddie and Rochelle. When they reached out to me, I was like Tell me what you got? 58 views, 1 likes, 0 loves, 1 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Superfly: See Michael Kenneth Williams as Scatter when #SUPERFLY arrives At Cinemas September 14 The soundtrack alone generated about $5 million in profits one of the first film soundtracks to earn such a sizable return primarily from the biggest singles "Super Fly" and "Freddie's Dead". How Do I Protect My Young Child from Cyberbullying? "Scatter" Stephens Was A Cleveland Street Legend & The Real Superfly 2 years ago Scott Burnstein You are unauthorized to view this page. Motion Picture Association, Inc. Controls how far light can scatter through the surface. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. [10][11], On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 51% based on 102 reviews, and an average rating of 5.3/10. No car can outrun fate. He voices his sense of vulnerability from the heights of his terrace overlooking the city: This can all be taken away for stupid shit. He hammers the movie home in a one-liner reserved for the end, but to quote it is to make the whole plot unravel. In the middle of the film, a sequence of still photographs, taken by director Gordon Parks, Jr., illustrates how the thirty kilos of cocaine purchased by Youngblood Priest and Eddie is prepared, distributed and used. He needs one big score to do it. "Future to Co-Produce Director X-Helmed 'Superfly' Remake", "What's filming in Atlanta now? The powerless Reardon then watches as Priest walks away free, giving the policemen one final glare before driving off to join Georgia. Although a Sep 1971 HR article listed Shores company Plaza Productions as the films intended production company, Superfly, Ltd. is listed onscreen and by copyright materials. After Priest leaves with the cash, Eddie betrays him by phoning the lieutenant. All these corrupt agents of the law are white; Priest and his circle, as well as the entire Snow Patrol, are black; and, clearly and bitterly, Superfly puts ingrained American racism and its resulting inequities, injustices, and outrages at the center of the filmmost conspicuously, in its depiction of the ease with which white police officers can get away with summarily executing black people and even be celebrated for doing so. After the announcement, Warner Bros. issued an apology for its erroneous submission of the song for consideration. Can you dig it? Despite the controversy surrounding Super Fly's drug use, the production of the film made significant advances for African-Americans. New York City--Harlem New York United States. The powerless Reardon then watches as Priest stalks off, giving the policemen one final glare before driving off to join Georgia. Your privacy is important to us. He is murdered after being forced to reveal information about Priest to Mason. Priest, as presented in Superfly, is a master plotter who distills his hard-forged wisdom into terse yet gaudy aphorisms, which adorn the soundtrack in dialogue and voice-over. He had done several fashion shows prior to Super Fly. BUY THE MOVIE:. Mason threatens to expose Priest's dealing if he does not work with her. The new films twists and turns are strongly, if fleetingly, absorbingeven if Director X delivers them in a mainly decorative mode that merely conveys them without expanding them. In Jan 1973, trade papers reported that although it previously had been announced as under consideration as a nominee, Mayfields song Freddies Dead had been ruled ineligible for entry in the Best Original Song category because it appeared in the film only as an instrumental. The film was acquired and distributed by Warner Bros. and had a white producer (Shore). Super Fly also marked the first effort as a motion picture producer for Shore (19192006), . His competition is a flamboyant and much larger outfit known as the Snow Patrol, led by Q (Big Bank Black) and recognized by their all-white attire. I mean, maybe this is what you're supposed to do, maybe this is what you're growing to. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC. 2019 AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. The film was directed by Director X, written by Alex Tse and stars Trevor Jackson, Jason Mitchell, Michael K. Williams, Lex Scott Davis, and Jennifer Morrison. Priest (Ron O'Neal), a suave top-rung New York City drug dealer, decides that he wants to get out of his dangerous trade. Movie Info. "[7], Super Fly resonated with many of the post-Civil Rights Movement generation of African Americans, who saw Youngblood as a new example of how to rise in the American class system. | The first name of actress and former model Sheila Frazier, who made her debut in Super Fly, is spelled Sheila in the opening cast credits and Shiela in the ending credits.
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