(187) BLACK FIRE (1979) Plantation Slaves revolt! Uncut Rarity!
6039DVD
ONCE
UPON A TIME IN A REMOTE PLACE IN AMERICA,
WHERE SLAVERY HAD BEEN ABOLISHED....
original
Mexican title: FUEGO NEGRO
[Black Fire]
director:
Raul Fernandez
starring: Roland
Ferlini
ˇ Yvonne de Carlo
ˇ Susana
Kamini
ˇ Aurora
Clavel
ˇ Cesar
Imbert
ˇ Delroy
White
Long
considered a LOST film, here is a MegaRare
English language print that survived the Grindhouse circuit [suffers
from careless treatment and heat exposure, resulting in some color loss;
please note actual screen shots on this page].
Manuel
is a rebellious slave who gets whipped by the overseer after rescuing
a black girl from a rape. However he is rescued from the beating by
Gabrielle Jones, the daughter of the plantation owner. As Gabby nurses
Manuel back to health, they fall in love. Meanwhile, the slaves learn
that back in Washington, the government has signed papers guaranteeing
their freedom. They react by storming the plantation on a murderous
rampage. Manuel saves Gabby from the massacre and they take refuge in
a remote shack. But the white survivors are now retaliating with a killing
spree of their own.
Cesar
Imbert (real
name Julio César Imbert), playing the rebel Manuel here, is a
Mexican actor of black heritage. He is only one of a handful of black
performers in the movie. Seemingly, due to a shortage of actual black
actors available in Mexico, most of the plantation slaves are played
by darker skin Latinos. And - in some uncomfortable cases - they are
Mexican actors in blackface [see pic below left, Aurora
Clavel is the plantation house nanny; elsewhere she has been an Indian
in Soldier Blue and a Mexican whore in The Wild
Bunch].
Oldtimers
will also recognize the name of Yvonne de Carlo [see pic below right].
Yes, this is the same actress who was part of the Hollywood elite in
the '40s, starring in most of the Bing Crosby/Bob Hope Road
pictures. She has a cameo in this film as Catherine Jones, wife of the
plantation owner.
Just
prior to this movie, filmmaker Raul Fernandez directed Troy Donahue's
notorious ULTRAJE!
(RAPE!).
A
Mexican film, in English language; uncut 98 min, fullscreen,
DVD encoded for ALL REGION NTSC WORLD FORMAT; extras include selected
trailers.
Nudity,
Strong Sexual Segments, Violence, Racism
Rape, Sexual Brutality, Adult Situations
for Mature Audiences
