The Black Connection (1974) / Speeding Up Time (1971)
DIRECTOR: The Black Connection: Michael Finn / Speeding Up Time: John Evans (Black Godfather, Blackjack)
STARS: The Black Connection: Bobby Stevens, Sweet Louie, Sonny Charles, Steve Edwards, Tommy Moe Raft, Sonny Charles / Speeding Up Time: Winston Thrash, Pamela Donegan
SYNOPSIS: Two extremely rare blaxploitation films on one disc
The Black Connection: I'm always interested in seeing a no-name, no-budget, genre film from the 70's or early 80's and this one is a good example. In what may be the first and last time this was ever done, a Top Ten chart topping R&B group, The Checkmates Ltd, are the stars of the film! In the late 60's they had a handful of hits but broke up in 1970 — so this film marks a bit of a reunion for Bobby Stevens, Sonny Charles and Marvin "Sweet Louie" Smith. Stevens is very likable in the lead role as slick drug dealer "Miles Carter". He returns to Las Vegas to settle a debt with the mob over some missing drugs. He scrambles to avoid mobster goons as a well as a kooky hired assassin. The film switches locations to Albuquerque about halfway through and includes a tense ride with Miles and the hitman on the Sandia Peak Tramway ("3rd longest in the world!"). All the actors playing mobsters are doing the worst stereotypical performances and accents. Even Duke Mitchell would be embarrassed. Car chases, bloody shootings and a surprising amount of nudity is packed into this forgotten film. One of the biggest advantages to having The Checkmates Ltd as part of this film is that the soundtrack is packed with funky songs. A typical low budget film could never afford to fill the soundtrack with music like this. They even sing the politically incorrect alternate title "Run, N*gger, Run"! If you dig films like Massacre Mafia Style, Guy From Harlem and Deathshot you might enjoy this rarity. Running time: 1hr 26mins
Speeding Up Time: Clocking in at just a little over one hour this well intentioned film owes more to progressive black cast films like Sweet Sweetback's… and Top of the Heap than to the more exploitative ones (Foxy Brown, Black Caesar, etc). With a marquee ready name Winston Thrash stars as a mild mannered man living in the rough Watts area of California. He's not a man of violence but when his mother dies as the result of arson he sets out for revenge. The best part of this film is all the location shooting. The early 1970's streets, clubs and atmosphere. Thrash makes his way from one shady character to the next looking for the people responsible. He's occasionally distracted by flirting around and having sex with his girl (Donegan). Some arty choices show a little more effort than the usual fare. Running time: 1hr 6mins
Bonus: Two trailers for The Black Connection
Fullscreen / Color (both films)
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: The Black Connection: Michael Finn / Speeding Up Time: John Evans (Black Godfather, Blackjack)
STARS: The Black Connection: Bobby Stevens, Sweet Louie, Sonny Charles, Steve Edwards, Tommy Moe Raft, Sonny Charles / Speeding Up Time: Winston Thrash, Pamela Donegan
SYNOPSIS: Two extremely rare blaxploitation films on one disc
The Black Connection: I'm always interested in seeing a no-name, no-budget, genre film from the 70's or early 80's and this one is a good example. In what may be the first and last time this was ever done, a Top Ten chart topping R&B group, The Checkmates Ltd, are the stars of the film! In the late 60's they had a handful of hits but broke up in 1970 — so this film marks a bit of a reunion for Bobby Stevens, Sonny Charles and Marvin "Sweet Louie" Smith. Stevens is very likable in the lead role as slick drug dealer "Miles Carter". He returns to Las Vegas to settle a debt with the mob over some missing drugs. He scrambles to avoid mobster goons as a well as a kooky hired assassin. The film switches locations to Albuquerque about halfway through and includes a tense ride with Miles and the hitman on the Sandia Peak Tramway ("3rd longest in the world!"). All the actors playing mobsters are doing the worst stereotypical performances and accents. Even Duke Mitchell would be embarrassed. Car chases, bloody shootings and a surprising amount of nudity is packed into this forgotten film. One of the biggest advantages to having The Checkmates Ltd as part of this film is that the soundtrack is packed with funky songs. A typical low budget film could never afford to fill the soundtrack with music like this. They even sing the politically incorrect alternate title "Run, N*gger, Run"! If you dig films like Massacre Mafia Style, Guy From Harlem and Deathshot you might enjoy this rarity. Running time: 1hr 26mins
Speeding Up Time: Clocking in at just a little over one hour this well intentioned film owes more to progressive black cast films like Sweet Sweetback's… and Top of the Heap than to the more exploitative ones (Foxy Brown, Black Caesar, etc). With a marquee ready name Winston Thrash stars as a mild mannered man living in the rough Watts area of California. He's not a man of violence but when his mother dies as the result of arson he sets out for revenge. The best part of this film is all the location shooting. The early 1970's streets, clubs and atmosphere. Thrash makes his way from one shady character to the next looking for the people responsible. He's occasionally distracted by flirting around and having sex with his girl (Donegan). Some arty choices show a little more effort than the usual fare. Running time: 1hr 6mins
Bonus: Two trailers for The Black Connection
Fullscreen / Color (both films)
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: The Black Connection: Michael Finn / Speeding Up Time: John Evans (Black Godfather, Blackjack)
STARS: The Black Connection: Bobby Stevens, Sweet Louie, Sonny Charles, Steve Edwards, Tommy Moe Raft, Sonny Charles / Speeding Up Time: Winston Thrash, Pamela Donegan
SYNOPSIS: Two extremely rare blaxploitation films on one disc
The Black Connection: I'm always interested in seeing a no-name, no-budget, genre film from the 70's or early 80's and this one is a good example. In what may be the first and last time this was ever done, a Top Ten chart topping R&B group, The Checkmates Ltd, are the stars of the film! In the late 60's they had a handful of hits but broke up in 1970 — so this film marks a bit of a reunion for Bobby Stevens, Sonny Charles and Marvin "Sweet Louie" Smith. Stevens is very likable in the lead role as slick drug dealer "Miles Carter". He returns to Las Vegas to settle a debt with the mob over some missing drugs. He scrambles to avoid mobster goons as a well as a kooky hired assassin. The film switches locations to Albuquerque about halfway through and includes a tense ride with Miles and the hitman on the Sandia Peak Tramway ("3rd longest in the world!"). All the actors playing mobsters are doing the worst stereotypical performances and accents. Even Duke Mitchell would be embarrassed. Car chases, bloody shootings and a surprising amount of nudity is packed into this forgotten film. One of the biggest advantages to having The Checkmates Ltd as part of this film is that the soundtrack is packed with funky songs. A typical low budget film could never afford to fill the soundtrack with music like this. They even sing the politically incorrect alternate title "Run, N*gger, Run"! If you dig films like Massacre Mafia Style, Guy From Harlem and Deathshot you might enjoy this rarity. Running time: 1hr 26mins
Speeding Up Time: Clocking in at just a little over one hour this well intentioned film owes more to progressive black cast films like Sweet Sweetback's… and Top of the Heap than to the more exploitative ones (Foxy Brown, Black Caesar, etc). With a marquee ready name Winston Thrash stars as a mild mannered man living in the rough Watts area of California. He's not a man of violence but when his mother dies as the result of arson he sets out for revenge. The best part of this film is all the location shooting. The early 1970's streets, clubs and atmosphere. Thrash makes his way from one shady character to the next looking for the people responsible. He's occasionally distracted by flirting around and having sex with his girl (Donegan). Some arty choices show a little more effort than the usual fare. Running time: 1hr 6mins
Bonus: Two trailers for The Black Connection
Fullscreen / Color (both films)
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R