Black Deth 101 Podcast: Black Film, Blaxploitation, Exploitation Movies, 1970s Film History, Soul

Oct 4, 2026 · 43m

THE BEAST MUST DIE (1974) | Black Horror, Werewolves & a Murder MysteryBlack Deth 101 continues our annual Month of Black Horror with the wild 1974 British horror mystery The Beast Must Die.Calvin Lockhart stars as millionaire hunter Tom Newcliffe, who gathers a group of suspicious guests at his isolated estate because he believes one of them is a werewolf. His plan is simple: watch everyone, wait for the full moon—and hunt the beast.But this is no ordinary werewolf movie.The Beast Must Die mixes horror, mystery, action, Blaxploitation attitude, and the structure of an old-school whodunit. It even stops near the end for the famous “Werewolf Break,” giving the audience a chance to guess who the monster really is.Johnny Deth and Nubius Black get into:Calvin Lockhart and his commanding performance as Tom NewcliffePeter Cushing doing what Peter Cushing does bestThe movie’s unusual blend of British horror and BlaxploitationThe suspects, red herrings, and murder-mystery setupThe legendary Werewolf BreakThe werewolf itself—and whether it actually worksAmicus Productions and the state of horror movies in 1974What America looked and sounded like when the film was releasedWhy The Beast Must Die remains one of the strangest and most entertaining werewolf movies of the 1970sIs it a horror movie? A detective story? A Blaxploitation film? A country-house mystery with a werewolf running through it?The answer might be all of the above.Join Nubius Black and Johnny Deth as we revisit The Beast Must Die on Black Deth 101.Who do YOU think is the werewolf?Subscribe and join us as the Month of Black Horror continues.#TheBeastMustDie #BlackDeth101 #BlackHorror #CalvinLockhart #PeterCushing #WerewolfMovies #Blaxploitation #HorrorMovies #1970sHorror #AmicusProductions

Sep 27, 2026 · 57m

BLACK PANTHER: Killmonger Wanted to Burn It ALL DownThis week on Black Deth 101, Nubius Black and Johnny Deth head to Wakanda for Ryan Coogler’s 2018 blockbuster, Black Panther.We look at the film’s cultural impact, Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa, Michael B. Jordan’s unforgettable Erik Killmonger, and the conflict at the heart of the movie: what responsibility does Wakanda have to the rest of the Black world?Killmonger has real grievances. He sees injustice, abandonment, and a powerful nation that chose isolation while people who looked like him suffered around the globe. But having a point doesn’t make him the hero. His answer isn’t liberation — it’s conquest, revenge, and burning the whole system down.We also take a trip back to America in 2016–2018, the political and cultural climate surrounding the film, what audiences were watching at the time, and why Black Panther became much more than another superhero movie.Plus: Wakanda, Afrofuturism, the women of the Dora Milaje, the soundtrack, the performances, and why this movie became a genuine cultural event.Wakanda Forever. #RyanCoogler #BlackCinema #Afrofuturism #MoviePodcastLet us know in the comments: Was Killmonger right about the problem, even if his solution was completely wrong?#BlackPanther #BlackDeth101 #WakandaForever #Killmonger #ChadwickBoseman #MichaelBJordan #Marvel #MCU

Sep 6, 2026 · 56m

ABAR: The Black Superman is coming to save your weekend, baby!This time on Black Deth 101, we’re digging into one of the strangest, wildest, and most unforgettable superhero movies to come out of the blaxploitation era — ABAR: The First Black Superman.Abar starts out as a tough, street-level hero standing up for a Black family being terrorized in their new neighborhood. Then somebody hands the man a mysterious formula…and suddenly Abar isn’t just taking care of business — he’s got POWERS.And these aren’t your standard Superman powers either. Abar can seemingly do whatever the movie needs him to do. Teleportation? Sure. Mind powers? Why not? Making bad people regret every decision they ever made? Oh, absolutely.We’re talking about the BFU, racist neighbors, mad-scientist chemistry, social commentary, crazy superpowers, and one seriously cool cat at the center of it all.So put on your finest threads, pour yourself something cold, and join us as we ask the important question:What happens when Black Power becomes SUPER power?It’s ABAR: The Black Superman — and whatever you do…DON’T MAKE ABAR LOOK AT YOU!👍 Like the video💬 Tell us what you think of ABAR in the comments🔔 Subscribe to Black Deth 101 for more blaxploitation, horror, cult movies, and all the funky cinematic madness we can dig up.Explicit Language#Abar #TheBlackSuperman #Blaxploitation #BlackCinema #CultMovies #BlackDeth101 #70sMovies #SuperheroMovies

Aug 19, 2026 · 56m

The Spook Who Sat By The Door The Film the FBI Didn’t Want Black America to SeeThis week, Nubius Black and Johnny Deth dig into one of the boldest, most politically explosive films of the 1970s: The Spook Who Sat by the Door.Based on Sam Greenlee’s novel and directed by Ivan Dixon, the film follows Dan Freeman, the CIA’s first Black officer, who learns the agency’s tactics, returns to Chicago, and quietly begins building a revolutionary movement from the streets up.We break down the film’s story, its guerrilla-style production, its view of America in 1973, and why its message of organization, education, power, and resistance still hits hard more than 50 years later. We also get into the film’s disappearance from theaters, the long-running controversy surrounding government pressure, and how The Spook Who Sat by the Door nearly vanished before being rediscovered by a new generation.This ain’t just Blaxploitation, baby. This is a movie with something on its mind.🎬 Film: The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973)🎙️ Hosts: Johnny Deth & Nubius Black🔥 Black Deth 101 — where Blaxploitation gets the respect, history, and attitude it deserves.#BlackDeth101 #TheSpookWhoSatByTheDoor #Blaxploitation #BlackCinema #IvanDixon #SamGreenlee #1970sMovies #CultCinema #FilmHistory

Aug 8, 2026 · 1h 6m

Black Deth 101 BLAXPLOITATION CITATION AWARDS The votes are in — and the winners might start some arguments.We’re handing out the first-ever Black Deth 101 Blaxploitation Citation Awards, honoring the best heroes, villains, anti-heroes, fights, soundtracks, fashion, horror characters, and the best film we’ve covered so far.From Truck Turner, Coffy, Cleopatra Jones, Blacula, Shaft, Sugar Hill, Dolemite and more, nobody is safe from judgment.Who won? Who got robbed? And what takes Best Film So Far?Hosted by Nubius Black & Johnny Deth.#Blaxploitation #BlackCinema #CultMovies #MoviePodcast #Coffy #Blacula #Shaft #TruckTurner #CleopatraJones #Dolemite #1970sMovies

Jul 22, 2026 · 59m

Can you dig it? Black Deth 101 has officially been bringing the funk, fear, fights, fashion, and cinematic madness for one full year!In this anniversary episode, Nubius Black and Johnny Deth look back at the films, heroes, villains, soundtracks, wildest moments, and unforgettable characters that defined the show’s first year. From stone-cold detectives and fearless women to smooth-talking hustlers, supernatural soul brothers, outrageous stereotypes, and villains we loved to hate, we revisit the movies that made this journey so much fun.We also begin setting the stage for the first-ever Black Deth 101 Blaxploitation Citation Awards, where the finest—and sometimes the most ridiculous—achievements from the films we covered will finally receive the recognition they deserve.Which movie was the best of the year? Who was the coolest hero? Who had the sharpest wardrobe? Which villain deserved a beatdown? And which fight scene brought the most righteous destruction?Join the celebration, share your favorites in the comments, and get ready for the awards episode.Thank you to every Funkateer, cool cat, soul sister, horror head, and movie lover who watched, listened, commented, subscribed, and helped keep the Black Deth 101 groove alive.Stay black. Stay bold. Stay funky. And remember—the Deth never dies!

Jul 1, 2026 · 46m

Black Deth 101 — Come Back Charleston Blue Episode NotesThis 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.

Jun 17, 2026 · 47m

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

Jun 3, 2026 · 50m

Scream Blacula Scream — Blacula Gets His Voodoo Groove BackThis 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 ScreamYear: 1973Director: Bob KelljanStarring: William Marshall, Pam Grier, Don Mitchell, Richard Lawson, Michael Conrad, Bernie HamiltonGenre: Blaxploitation horror / vampire horror / voodoo horrorConnection: Sequel to 1972’s BlaculaBlacula, 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