Black Deth 101 — Come Back Charleston Blue Episode Notes

This week on Black Deth 101, Nubius Black and Johnny Deth head back to Harlem with Come Back Charleston Blue, the 1972 sequel to Cotton Comes to Harlem.

Godfrey Cambridge returns as Gravedigger Jones, Raymond St. Jacques is back as Coffin Ed Johnson, and this time the boys are chasing a mystery wrapped in Harlem legend, gangland trouble, ghost-story flavor, and one nasty blue straight razor.

The story starts with bodies dropping, rumors flying, and folks whispering that Charleston Blue — a dead old-time gangster/vigilante — has come back from the grave to clean up Harlem his own bloody way. But in true Chester Himes fashion, nothing is ever that simple. There are hustlers, cops, crooks, community politics, white mob influence, Black resistance, comedy, chaos, and enough sharp dialogue to cut deeper than the razor.

We talk about how this film compares to Cotton Comes to Harlem, whether Coffin Ed and Gravedigger should have gotten more movies, and why this one feels like a strange cocktail of blaxploitation, detective comedy, ghost story, Harlem crime picture, and old-school pulp madness.

We also get into the mighty Donny Hathaway soundtrack, supervised by Quincy Jones, including the haunting power of “Little Ghetto Boy” and the cool, mournful groove that gives the movie more soul than the script sometimes knows what to do with.

Plus:
Who really is Charleston Blue?
Is this a ghost story or a hustle?
Does the movie waste a killer premise?
And why does Harlem look so alive even when the plot gets tangled?

Grab your razors, your wide collars, and your detective badge — because Coffin Ed and Gravedigger are back on the case.

Black Deth 101: where the films are funky, the streets are mean, and the cool cats never stay buried.

Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold — Cleo Goes Kung Fu

This week on Black Deth 101, Nubius Black and Johnny Deth follow Tamara Dobson’s iconic super-agent overseas for the 1975 sequel Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold. This time, Cleo leaves the streets behind and heads to Hong Kong and Macao, where missing agents, martial arts mayhem, casino corruption, and Stella Stevens’ outrageous Dragon Lady collide in one wild blaxploitation/kung fu mashup.

Directed by Charles Bail, the film stars Tamara Dobson, Stella Stevens, Ni Tien / Tanny, Norman Fell, Albert Popwell, and Caro Kenyatta. The plot sends Cleopatra Jones to Hong Kong after two government agents, Matthew and Melvin Johnson, disappear while investigating a heroin operation connected to the Dragon Lady’s casino empire.

We get into:

Cleo as an international action heroThe first Cleopatra Jones already made her larger than life, but this sequel turns her into a global superhero: fashion model, federal agent, martial artist, rescue squad, and walking disco explosion.

Blaxploitation meets Shaw Brothers energyThe movie leans hard into Hong Kong action, with casino intrigue, kung fu fights, boat ambushes, henchmen, and secret criminal operations. Run Run Shaw is listed as producer on several sources, which helps explain the East-meets-West action flavor.

Tamara Dobson’s presenceRoger Ebert noted Dobson’s striking height and screen presence, calling attention to the film’s parade of capes, hoods, metallic outfits, and impossible-to-miss fashion statements. That’s half the movie right there: Cleo doesn’t sneak into Hong Kong — she arrives.

Stella Stevens as the Dragon LadyIs the villain problematic? Absolutely. Is she memorable? Also absolutely. We talk about the camp, the menace, the stereotype, and the way the film turns its villain into a strange cocktail of Bond villain, casino boss, and grindhouse cartoon.

Mi Ling / Mi Lin-Fong deserves more loveNi Tien, credited in some sources as Tanny, gives Cleo a local partner and brings real action-movie energy to the team-up. The movie works best when Cleo and Mi Ling are fighting, investigating, and moving through the Hong Kong underworld together.

The Johnson Brothers: Matthew and MelvinAlbert Popwell and Caro Kenyatta play the missing agents who kick off the rescue plot. We also ask the important question: are these guys smooth operators, comic relief, or just two brothers who should have stayed off that boat?

Cleo’s wardrobe is ridiculous in the best possible way. The casino setting gives the movie a pulpy Bond-style atmosphere. The Hong Kong location work and martial arts angle help separate it from the first film. And Tamara Dobson still owns every frame she walks into.

The Dragon Lady characterization is loaded with 1970s exploitation baggage, especially in how sexuality and Asian villainy are coded. The plot is thin, some of the comedy is uneven, and the movie sometimes feels like it wants to be Bond, kung fu, and blaxploitation all at once without fully committing to any one lane.

Is Casino of Gold a worthy sequel — or is it just a funky, fashionable, kung fu side mission?

Episode TopicsThings We LovedThings That Don’t Age GreatBig Question of the Episode

Scream Blacula Scream — Blacula Gets His Voodoo Groove Back

This week on Black Deth 101, we return to the coffin for Scream Blacula Scream — the 1973 sequel to Blacula, directed by Bob Kelljan and starring the great William Marshall as Prince Mamuwalde, with Pam Grier stepping into the supernatural spotlight as Lisa Fortier. The film was released by American International Pictures and runs about 96 minutes.

After the death of a voodoo queen, arrogant Willis Daniels gets passed over for leadership of the cult. Mad, jealous, and foolish, he resurrects Blacula — thinking he can control him. Big mistake. Mamuwalde rises again, still tragic, still regal, still cursed, and very quickly reminds everybody that he is no man’s puppet.

In this episode, Nubius Black and Johnny Deth dig into how Scream Blacula Scream shifts the series from gothic romance into voodoo horror, how William Marshall again gives Blacula dignity beyond the script, and how Pam Grier brings strength, intelligence, and spiritual power without simply playing “Foxy Brown with a spell book.” We also talk Richard Lawson’s film debut as Willis, Don Mitchell as Justin Carter, Michael Conrad as Lt. Dunlop, and the movie’s mix of African artifacts, occult ritual, vampire mayhem, and funky ’70s horror atmosphere.

We also get into director Bob Kelljan, best known for the Count Yorga vampire films, and how his horror experience gives this sequel a sharper genre flavor than the first film. Critics were split: Roger Ebert thought the movie looked rushed but praised Marshall and Grier, while Gene Siskel considered it better than the original.

Is Scream Blacula Scream a worthy sequel? Is Mamuwalde a monster, a victim, or the most elegant undead brother in cinema history? And does the movie make the most of Pam Grier, or leave too much power on the table?

Grab your wooden stakes, light the candles, and don’t mess around with bones you bought from a shady old occult dealer.

Featured film: Scream Blacula Scream
Year: 1973
Director: Bob Kelljan
Starring: William Marshall, Pam Grier, Don Mitchell, Richard Lawson, Michael Conrad, Bernie Hamilton
Genre: Blaxploitation horror / vampire horror / voodoo horror
Connection: Sequel to 1972’s Blacula

Blacula, Scream Blacula Scream, William Marshall, Pam Grier, Bob Kelljan, Black horror, Blaxploitation, 1970s horror, vampire movies, voodoo horror, American International Pictures, Richard Lawson, Black Deth 101, Nubius Black, Johnny Deth.

Episode Talking PointsTags / Keywords

Black Deth 101 — Shaft’s Big Score!

Nubius Black & Johnny Deth are back in the cut, and this time the streets are louder, the money is dirtier, and Shaft is moving through New York like a one-man storm.

In this episode, we dig into Shaft’s Big Score! — the 1972 sequel that brought Richard Roundtree back as the smoothest private eye in the game, with Gordon Parks once again behind the camera. The first Shaft made the man a legend. This one gives him more action, more attitude, more style, and a bigger playground to run through.

We break down how the film opens with a bang — literally — as a friend of Shaft’s is killed and a missing stash of money sends gangsters, cops, and hustlers all circling the same prize. From Harlem streets to sleek high-rises, from backroom deals to dockside shootouts, Shaft’s Big Score! takes the detective story and blows it up into a full-blown urban action thriller.

We also talk about:

Richard Roundtree stepping deeper into the Shaft persona
Cool, confident, sharp as a switchblade, and never begging for permission.

Gordon Parks as director and composer
Yes, the man directed it and scored it, giving the movie its own flavor separate from Isaac Hayes’ legendary first-film soundtrack.

The shift from street detective story to bigger action spectacle
Car chases, boat chases, helicopter action, shootouts — this sequel went for scale.

The women, the villains, and the power plays
This film has everyone chasing money, control, respect, and survival.

The deeper subtext
Shaft isn’t just solving a crime. He’s navigating a world where Black power, organized crime, police pressure, and money all collide in the early 1970s urban landscape.

Why this movie still matters
It may not have the same cultural earthquake reputation as the first Shaft, but Shaft’s Big Score! proves the character had room to grow — bigger, bolder, and more cinematic.

So slide on in, cool cats. We’re talking money, murder, muscle, and that leather-coated legend himself.

Shaft’s Big Score!
The baddest private eye is back — and this time the score is bigger than ever.

Listen now to Black Deth 101 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your funky film history.

Hell Up in Harlem — The Sequel to Black Caesar

Slide on in… you’re back with Black Deth 101, where the streets talk, the funk walks, and the cinema hits like a back-alley deal gone wrong.

This week, Nubius & Johnny break down Hell Up in Harlem, the hard-hitting sequel to Black Caesar, starring the one and only Fred Williamson as Tommy Gibbs—a man clawing his way back from death’s doorstep.

After being gunned down in the streets he once ruled, Tommy ain’t finished—not by a long shot. This time it’s personal. Betrayal, revenge, and power collide as he fights to reclaim what’s his in a city that’s already moved on.

• The rise and fall… and rise again of Tommy Gibbs
• How this sequel doubles down on grit, violence, and revenge
• The shift from empire-building in Black Caesar to survival mode in Hell Up in Harlem
• Why Fred Williamson became one of the coldest antiheroes of the 70s

• Street-level storytelling with no apologies
• Raw energy and real-deal locations
• That unmistakable 70s edge—slick suits, hard choices, no heroes
• A story about power… and the price that comes with it

• Fred Williamson as Tommy Gibbs
• Gloria Hendry
• Julius W. Harris
• Directed by Larry Cohen

“First he took the throne… then they took him down… now he’s back to settle the score.”

Follow Black Deth 101 on Spotify, share it with your crew, and keep the conversation alive.

Because this ain’t just a podcast…
…it’s a revolution with rhythm. 🔥

Black Caesar Episode:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5O9VS95GJVxyIpPT3MR0ei?si=tLVysJ8-TEySy3TsM-iR6Q

🎬 What We Break Down:🎧 What Makes It Hit:🔥 Key Players:🎤 Black Deth Take:📢 Tap In

Black Deth 101 episode: The Candy Tangerine Man (1975)

Slide on in, cool cats… this week Nubius and Johnny cruise through the neon-soaked, streetwise hustle of The Candy Tangerine Man — a slick slice of mid-70s L.A. life where the daytime grind meets the nighttime game.

By day, he’s a straight-laced businessman.
By night… he’s Candy. 🍊

This ain’t your typical blaxploitation pimp flick—it’s a character study wrapped in Cadillac chrome, with a beat that rides somewhere between ambition and illusion.

• Year: 1975
• Director: Matt Cimber
• Star: John Daniels
• Genre: Blaxploitation / Drama / Slice-of-Life
• Setting: Los Angeles – day hustle vs. night fantasy

🔸 Dual Identity Hustle
Johnny by day vs. Candy by night — we dig into what that split really means. Is Candy power… or performance?

🔸 The Illusion of Control
Candy looks like he runs the streets—but does he really? Or is he just another player in a bigger system?

🔸 Masculinity & Image in the 70s
Flash, women, cars… but underneath? Pressure, insecurity, survival.

🔸 L.A. as a Character
From quiet suburban streets to neon-lit boulevards—this film feels like 1975.

• Johnny / Candy – John Daniels
• The Women in Candy’s World

• Directed by Matt Cimber, known for blending exploitation with oddly personal storytelling.
• Star John Daniels also co-wrote the film—this is his vision of the lifestyle, not just a role.
• Shot on location in Los Angeles, giving it that raw, lived-in authenticity.

This ain’t just about a man with two names…
This is about the cost of becoming what the world expects you to be.

Candy ain’t just a persona—he’s armor.
And every night he puts it on… he loses a little more of the man underneath.

• Funky, laid-back grooves
• Street jazz energy
• That cruising-at-night, windows-down L.A. feel

Unlike heavier hitters like Super Fly or Shaft, this film plays it quieter… more personal.

It’s not about taking over the system—
It’s about surviving inside it… and maybe fooling yourself along the way.

“Some cats chase the crown…
Candy? He wears it—
Even if it’s made of glass, baby.”

What do you think—
Is Candy in control… or just playing the role too well?

Drop your thoughts, leave a review, and keep those reels rollin’.

🎬 Film Basics🧠 What We Break Down🎭 Key Players🎥 Behind the Scenes🔍 Subtext Corner (Johnny Deth Style)🎶 Vibes & Sound🧨 Why It Matters🎤 📣 Join the Conversation

🎤 Episode Description (Black Deth 101 – Get Out)

Slide on in, baby… but don’t get too comfortable.

This week on Black Deth 101, Johnny Deth and Nubius peel back the polite smiles and eerie silences of Get Out—the film that flipped horror on its head and made the whole world look twice at a friendly handshake.

We take you back to a different kind of nightmare… where the danger ain’t loud—it’s quiet, smiling, and sipping tea. Where compliments cut deep, and “welcome” don’t always mean you’re safe.

From the hypnotic horror of the Sunken Place to the razor-sharp vision of Jordan Peele, we break down how Get Out blends psychological terror, social commentary, and straight-up soul-snatching fear into one unforgettable ride.

🎬 We dig into:

• The making of the film and how it redefined modern horror
• The performances that made you uneasy for all the right reasons
• The symbolism behind the tea, the deer, and that silent scream
• And why this story hits different—then and now

So pour yourself a drink… maybe skip the tea… and remember:

Some doors open easy.
But getting out?
That’s the real horror.

🎧 Press play… and ... Sink

🎙️ Black Deth 101 – Legend of Black Charley (1972)

Slide on in, cool cats… this episode we ride into the dusty, dangerous frontier with Fred Williamson as Black Charley — a man born into chains who breaks free and writes his own legend in blood, grit, and fire.

From the ashes of slavery to the edge of outlaw justice, Legend of Black Charley flips the Western on its head and loads it with raw 1970s attitude. Alongside his brothers-in-arms Joshua and Toby, Charley runs, fights, and survives in a world built to crush him.

🔥 In this episode:

• America in the early 1970s — why Black Westerns hit different
• Fred Williamson’s rise as a Blaxploitation icon
• From Africa to Slavery to Legend!
• Themes of freedom, revenge, and survival
• What the film gets right — and what it leaves behind
• D'Urville Martin became the voice of reason in Fred Williamson's movies

🎬 We also break down:

• Key scenes and standout performances
• Cultural context you might’ve missed
• Inspiration for Blazing Saddles

This ain’t your typical Western, baby… this is outlaw justice with a revolutionary soul.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube
💬 Got a film you want us to cover? Drop it in the comments and ride with us

#BlackDeth101 #Blaxploitation #FredWilliamson #BlackWestern #70sCinema #CultFilm #MoviePodcast #OutlawJustice