[7] Several California organized crime veterans, including drug trafficker "Freeway" Rick Ross, have cited the film as an influence in their decision to take up drug dealing and gang violence. The problem is that the Mob does not have a retirement plan and will give him a choice of staying and selling for them or dying if they find out his … Priest diffuses the situation and persuades Scatter to help them, although Scatter warns that it will be the last time. The best known face is veteran Julius Harris ('Live And Let Die') who has a pivotal role as Priest's former mentor Scatter. Carl Lee, who played Eddie, enjoyed television fame until he abused drugs – in particular, heroin. “Homeboy Cosmopolitan.” In Search of Africa, 252. Menu. Eddie argues that crime is the only option left to them by "The Man." Scatter gives Priest a packet of information on Reardon and his family. He decides to build an escape from the life by making his biggest deal yet, converting the coke to cash and running off to start a new life. ), this is what gives the movie a genuine edge, especially when what is on the screen is given a musical debate by Curtis Mayfield's superb score, one of the greatest of all time. Again unfortunately this SACD comes way short of my expectations. A 1972 Blaxploitation film directed by Gordon Parks Jr. Ron O'Neal stars as Priest, an up-and-coming … National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, https://catalog.afi.com/Film/54432-SUPER-FLY?sid=d59847b1-8a43-41ec-9e87-696a17aa47e7&sr=11.358578&cp=1&pos=0, "The return of "Freeway" Ricky Ross, the man behind a crack empire", "Trevor Jackson & Jason Mitchell To Star In Sony's 'Superfly' Remake From Director X; Future & Joel Silver To Produce", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Super_Fly_(1972_film)&oldid=1013998416, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2018, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-LCCN identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 24 March 2021, at 16:34. The working titles of the picture were Super Fly Two and Super Fly II . Movies like Shaft and Foxy Brown were the result. It was released on August 4, 1972. Super Fly is a 1972 American blaxploitation crime drama film directed by Gordon Parks Jr. and starring Ron O'Neal as Youngblood Priest, an African American cocaine dealer who is trying to quit the underworld drug business. 'Superfly' is very different from most of those movies because Ron O'Neal plays Priest, who isn't a private eye or a "righteous dude" but a DRUG DEALER. Altogether, such an independently financed film ultimately had unusually large financial backing. No other artist in popular music knew so well, and expressed through his music so naturally, the shades of gray inherent in contemporary inner-city life. He died in 1986 of an overdose. Priest (Ron O'Neal), a suave top-rung New York City drug dealer, decides that he wants to get out of his dangerous trade. 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. Their argument is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Scatter who reveals that the real head of the operation is Deputy Commissioner Reardon, who is trying to kill him for quitting. Super Fly, a blaxploitation film . Eddie threatens Scatter, demanding that he reveal his source if he will not supply them, but Scatter holds him at gunpoint. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. He decides to build an escape from the life by making his biggest deal yet, converting the coke to cash and running off to start a new life. The problem is that the Mob does not have a retirement plan and will give him a choice of staying and selling for them or dying if they find out his intentions. 'Superfly' is the best movie of the short-lived 1970s blaxploitation boom which gave the world the better known, but less substantial 'Shaft'. Manthiahas Diawara suggested that the film's glorification of drug dealers served to subtly critique the civil rights movement's failure to provide better economic opportunities for black America and that the portrayal of a black community controlled by drug dealers serves to highlight that the initiatives of the civil rights movement were far from fully accomplished. And so was Curtis Mayfield’s 3:51 “Superfly,” a song that brought the catchphrase to an even larger audience (in the film a character takes a snort of cocaine and exclaims “Superfly!”). Although the timid Freddie abhors violence, he agrees and accompanies another member of Priest's "family" of lower-level dealers to commit the robbery. ", Title: With retirement on his mind, a successful Atlanta-based drug dealer sets up one last big job while dealing with trigger-happy colleagues and the police. O'Neal is charismatic and super cool and displays some genuine acting talent. When normally discussed, moviegoers seem to focus on the cars, clothes, and drugs depicted within the film, but the film has much more to offer than the decorative full-length jackets that lead star Ron O’Neal is depicted in. O'Neal reprised his role as Youngblood Priest in the 1973 film Super Fly T.N.T., which he also directed. Nate Adams coordinated the fashion and wardrobe for the film. African-Americans voiced their opinions on the matter. O'Neal is supported by an excellent cast of mainly obscure actors such as the late Carl Lee and Charles MacGregor ('Blazing Saddles') as Fat Freddy. All these years later, in an era that is in many ways even more conservative (or at least more hypocritical! In the midst of the civil rights movement, a film like Super Fly was wrong on at least fifty-two levels, they felt. dgsys.com>. This remake is a terrible movie, indeed. Priest's white mistress, Cynthia is dismayed to learn that Priest does not return her love and is planning on quitting the business. Director Gordon Parks Jr. went on to make 'Three The Hard Way' starring Fred Williamson and Jims Brown and Kelly, but never fulfilled the his potential before being cut down in a plane crash in the late 70s. )Unsurprisingly, cocaine use is frequent. Super Fly is a 1972 American blaxploitation crime drama film directed by Gordon Parks Jr. and starring Ron O'Neal as Youngblood Priest, an African American cocaine dealer who is trying to quit the underworld drug business. Use the HTML below. Which makes it such a shame that his career quickly went down the toilet with little more than small supporting roles in 80s garbage like 'Red Dawn' and 'Hero and the Terror'. I watched it for a couple minutes. A standard definition DVD was released by Warner Brothers on January 14, 2004—the day its star, Ron O'Neal, died after battling cancer. As the soundtrack's composer, Mayfield was the only other person in the production who earned revenue approaching Shore's. Another quality that distinguishes Super Fly from other blaxploitation films was the technical crew, the majority of which was non-white, constituting the largest non-white technical crew in its time. In the DVD release, Warner Bros. decided to fade out the track midway right as "The End" is shown, and again brings up the AOL/Warner logo. Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. SUPERFLY is a remix of the iconic film that defined a genre through its characters, look, sound and feel. This FAQ is empty. A Harlem drug dealer and his girlfriend retire to Rome, where he joins an African revolution. The film is well known for its soundtrack, written and produced by soul musician Curtis Mayfield. SuperFly (2018) - IMDb. 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. He decides to build an escape from the life by making his biggest deal yet, converting the coke to cash and running off to start a new life. "[6], 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. Super Fly is a cocaine dealer who begins to realize that his life will soon end with either prison or his death. [5], At the time of its release, there were many African-Americans that were displeased with the images of themselves portrayed in films such as Super Fly, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassssss Song, and Shaft. February 5, 2004 Read more. Highly recommended to all fans of gritty 70s crime movies. The daily routine of cocaine dealer Priest who wants to score one more super deal and retire. The Student National Coordinating Committee also protested the film as a tool of white oppression.[7]. ‎Watch trailers, read customer and critic reviews, and buy Super Fly directed by Gordon Parks Jr. for $12.99. The powerless Reardon then watches as Priest stalks off, giving the policemen one final glare before driving off to join Georgia. The movie generated roughly $4 million in profits. A social worker tries to get a pimp to change his ways. 21 of 28 people found this review helpful. Two Harlem cops investigate a robbery, believing that a reverend has staged it in order to steal the money he's collected for a local fundraiser. Storyline. Working with his reluctant friend, Eddie (Carl Lee), Priest devises a scheme that will allow him to make a big deal and then retire. There's also marijuana and … As opposed to what you may believe, Super Fly has an enormous amount of emotional tone and political nuance. Film and music. 7 people found this helpful. The original red and black Warner logo is replaced by the updated AOL/Warner logo used at the time of DVD release. Mayfield’s songs give the movie an undeniable groove while also serving as a bit of extra exposition. Super Fly is a cocaine dealer who begins to realize that his life will soon end with either prison or his death. The film was acquired and distributed by Warner Bros. and had a white producer (Shore). So was the blaxploitation film genre. Written by The Harlem community backed Super Fly financially, and a number of black businesses helped with the production costs. One day, Priest confronts Fat Freddie, one of his dealers, about money that Freddie owes and threatens to force Freddie's wife into prostitution unless he robs a competitor. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. The problem is that the Mob does not have a retirement plan and will give him a choice of staying and selling for them or dying if they find out his intentions. Filming took place from January to mid-April 1972 in New York City. EXTRA NOTE On PICTURE QUALITY: Amazon's picture is sharp, clear and in sharp detail. Shore received the bulk of the profits since he put up the most money, 40 percent, while the actors, directors, and scriptwriters split the remaining profits. slang for “cool” or “on-point.” “Super Fly’s” male lead was superfly. Super Fly is a fine film that is also a real look at America at a particular time and in a particular place. By a crazy coincidence when I was about to start this film, what came on a local station but Super Fly! (Part 3), Best Film Score by a Popular Music Artist. Diawara, Manthia. During the 1970s, U.S. Special Agent Cleopatra Jones proves to be an invaluable asset to the local police forces in the war on drugs. Youngblood Priest (Ron O'Neal), an African-American drug dealer of cocaine, enjoys a luxurious lifestyle in Harlem. Both enraged and scared, Priest gives the information on Reardon and an envelope of cash to two mafia men and takes out a $100,000 contract on "the Man's" life. That night, after picking up the kilo from Scatter, Priest and Eddie are apprehended by several policemen. EXTRA NOTE On PICTURE QUALITY: Amazon's picture is sharp, clear and in sharp detail. At least he left us with 'Superfly', which is not just a great blaxploitation movie, but a great movie period. Priest overcomes his foes using karate, then reveals that he knows exactly who Reardon is. Nearly every character in the film, with the notable exception of his "main squeeze," tries to dissuade Priest from quitting; their chief argument being that dealing and snorting are the best he ever could achieve in life. When white people started leaving urban areas in the US for the suburbs, movie studios realized there was a large black audience near theaters, and began making films catering to them. The majority of this can be contributed to the iconic Curtis Mayfield soundtrack that was a cultural phenomenon. That night, Eddie and Priest approach Scatter, a retired dealer who started Priest in the business. By a crazy coincidence when I was about to start this film, what came on a local station but Super Fly! Which movie has the best soundtrack? The choice of Curtis Mayfield to score the blaxploitation film Super Fly was an inspired one. He yearns to go straight, despite the money he makes. Charles McGregor, who plays Fat Freddie, was released from prison before the film's production. Superfly: Movie Clip - Casino Superfly: Exclusive Interview Trevor Jackson, Lex Scott Davis, Jason Mitchell, Joel Silver, and Director X discuss style, power, and the American Dream, as well as what it means to be super fly in 2018. Two New York City cops go after amateur crooks who are trying to rip off the Mafia and start a gang war. How about ending the film with an interrogation mark? View production, box office, & company info. Super Fly The film is well known for its soundtrack, written and produced by soul musician Curtis Mayfield. A remake was released in 2018. Priest is then picked up by the lieutenant and taken to the waterfront, where he is confronted by Reardon. Super Fly is a cocaine dealer who begins to realize that his life will soon end with either prison or his death. The problem is that the Mob does not have a retirement plan and will give him a choice of staying and selling for them or dying if they find out his intentions. Take a look ahead at all the major movie releases coming to theaters and streaming this season. Some black activists hated its glorification of the criminal life. Super Fly is thin sounding with no base and no balance. Super Fly is a fine film that is also a real look at America at a particular time and in a particular place. MCU fans, here are some streaming picks to watch while you wait for the next episode of "The Falcon and the Winter Solider. African-Americans were a part of the process as well, with Gordon Parks Jr. as director and Phillip Fenty as screenwriter. Freddie attempts to escape and is killed when he runs in front of a car. [3] The film was financed by two directors: Gordon Parks, who had directed the 1971 film Shaft and Sig Shore, who produced Super Fly, and played Deputy Commissioner Riordan, or "The Man" in the film. Scatter initially refuses to help Priest. Additionally, the end credits on the original film release and video cassette, differ from the DVD. Blaxploitation film about a former professional football player who becomes a bounty hunter in Los Angeles. Super Fly is a cocaine dealer who begins to realize that his life will soon end with either prison or his death. I watched it for a couple minutes. Priest and Eddie are joined by Freddie, who turns over the money he stole. 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. 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. Add the first question. Super Fly is a fine film that is also a real look at America at a particular time and in a particular place. Even turning up the bass, way up on my Tube amplification was not enough create the base needed to balance the sound. After saving a Black Panther from some racist cops, a black male prostitute goes on the run from "the man" with the help of the ghetto community and some disillusioned Hells Angels. Directed by Director X.. With Trevor Jackson, Jason Mitchell, Lex Scott Davis, Michael Kenneth Williams. He had done several fashion shows prior to Super Fly. On June 26, 2018 The Warner Archive Collection Released "Super Fly" on Blu-ray and has received mostly praise for its Video & Audio Restoration. The film was shot by director of photography James Signorelli, who would go on to become the film segment director for Saturday Night Live. [9] The filmmakers maintain that it was their desire to show the negative and empty aspects of the drug subculture. Soon after, the drugs are sold by Priest and Eddie's "family." Super Fly, a 1972 Curtis Mayfield soundtrack to the film "Superfly" (song), the album's title track Armour of God II: Operation Condor, a 1991 Hong Kong film released in the Philippines as Superfly; Superfly, a remake of the 1972 blaxploitation film . John Vogel

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