The Swamp

Soul Man (1986)
Director: Steve Miner
Starring: C. Thomas Howell, Rae Dawn Chong, James Earl Jones
Running Time: 104 minutes
Budget: $4.5 million
Box Office: $35 million
Streaming availability: Appears to be none
On-demand/PPV: $2.99/$3.99 on cable, satellite, online on-demand services
Start Time: 8:30 p.m. (movie starts at 8:40 p.m.)

NOTE: This movie features pretty offensive use of blackface even by mid-80s standards, by current standards it’s shocking that it’s still available to be rented from mainstream online/on-demand PPV services which is another reason why we’re watching it while we can.

Note, made the decision to move the start time up a little bit to 8:40 p.m to hopefully make it a little easier for the East Coasters but still late enough that those with younger kids will still be able to get them to bed hopefully. We can adjust the time back to 9/9:10 if necessary.

Just popping in to mention it's available for rent on YouTube, as well, and that I'm down with the 9:10pm start, if that helps anyone make the show.

I haven't seen this movie since it first came out so I'm looking forward to it. I was like probably about 14 when I saw it, so I remember the obviously treacly "message" central to the movie that keeps it from being an out and out abomination (after all, Rae Dawn Chong and James Earl Jones are in it remember, so its not like it's Birth Of A Nation or anything).

I remember thinking it was pretty funny at times but even as white bread as I was in 1987 remembered thinking that the movie could have been perceived in bad taste.

I couldn't tell you any specific bits I remember. Could be a lot of cringing on Thursday night.

I definitely saw it at some point. It wasn't in theaters, so it must have been later in the 80s on video.

rass wrote: ↑Tue Feb 16, 2021 4:31 pm I definitely saw it at some point. It wasn't in theaters, so it must have been later in the 80s on video.

Same. Back then movies aired literally hundreds of times over a month or two on HBO so I probably saw it at least two or three times but I couldn't tell you more than a couple of things I remember other than the "main" plot.

The only thing I think I recall clearly is the basketball scene.

When I checked YouTube for its availability, it listed a couple other supporting cast members. Gonna be some extra fun.

rass wrote: ↑Tue Feb 16, 2021 4:36 pm The only thing I think I recall clearly is the basketball scene.

It's one of the first movie scenes that made me cry from laughing so hard. I expect a bunch of cringes tomorrow night. I have a lot of those thinking back on some of the things I said and did growing up where I did and who I grew up around. Jason Isbell's "White Man's World" speaks to me way more than I wish it did.

I'm not going to spend money on this, especially when I'll be watching hockey tonight anyway. But I did find free versions that have been dubbed into Russian and French. I might play one of those and be outraged visually.

I love stuff like this -- seemed like a bad idea at the time, and now it's just so much worse. Have fun tonight. I hope that this is an active thread because I'm looking forward to reading it.

bapo! wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:26 pm I'm not going to spend money on this, especially when I'll be watching hockey tonight anyway. But I did find free versions that have been dubbed into Russian and French. I might play one of those and be outraged visually.

I love stuff like this -- seemed like a bad idea at the time, and now it's just so much worse. Have fun tonight. I hope that this is an active thread because I'm looking forward to reading it.

The movie viewings from spring/summer usually ran at least 150 posts. The only exception (I think) was "American Psycho", which was just brian and me (understandable). We had about 300 posts from the viewing of "Showgirls".

Those were the two I missed.

rass wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:03 pm Those were the two I missed.

Thought you chose to skip "American Psycho", with good reason. I'm not judging anyone who chose to skip that one. It is certainly... bleak.

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:01 pm

bapo! wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 2:26 pm I'm not going to spend money on this, especially when I'll be watching hockey tonight anyway. But I did find free versions that have been dubbed into Russian and French. I might play one of those and be outraged visually.

I love stuff like this -- seemed like a bad idea at the time, and now it's just so much worse. Have fun tonight. I hope that this is an active thread because I'm looking forward to reading it.

The movie viewings from spring/summer usually ran at least 150 posts. The only exception (I think) was "American Psycho", which was just brian and me (understandable). We had about 300 posts from the viewing of "Showgirls".

That sounds fun. I'll have to go back and read those.

I guess I have a few hours to learn Russian. Wish me luck.

missed, skipped, whatever

I had seen both of them and didn't feel like rewatching them whenever it was that they came up. American Psycho actually would have been the more interesting one since I think it's got a little more going on.

I've seen Showgirls like three times since then and rented the documentary about it (You Don't Nomi). I love it.

PSA: Soul Man is available for free from Hoopla (if your library is part of that).

As amazing as Christian Bale was in that movie, I'd have really loved to see Leo in that role.

P.D.X. wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:25 pm PSA: Soul Man is available for free from Hoopla (if your library is part of that).

Mine is. I should see if I can set that up before the movie.

P.D.X. wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 4:25 pm PSA: Soul Man is available for free from Hoopla (if your library is part of that).

Look who saved me $3!

Don’t you forget it

PDX, thank you so much for the Hoopla recommendation! I think I had looked into that about a year ago, but my library wasn't connected then. All set up, and now I'm waiting to press play.

Hoopla for me as well! The look of horror on my wife's face when I described the plot was pretty epic.

I just got it from my library as well. I feel even better about not paying for this movie.

These libraries out here with their pro-blackface messages... including ours.

We still doing 8:30 or does the pushback to 9-9:10 help anyone?

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 6:46 pm These libraries out here with their pro-blackface messages... including ours.

We still doing 8:30 or does the pushback to 9-9:10 help anyone?

I'm cool either way. I say we let 8:30 ride unless anyone can't make it because of that.

Any time works for me. The rest of you can decide. I'll just be watching the Penguins frustrate me in the meantime.

While we're waiting, and this seems on-topic, I'll mention that I read Rachel Dolezal's autobiography a few years ago. Remember her? It was...an experience. She sounded like a troubled person who had experienced trauma, and that was a place she went to in her head to escape or soothe herself. She also seemed to get herself involved in a lot of lawsuits.

Can you do a break point for the movie?

"Cheerful, frat-house version of Tootsie!" - New York Times

Tag line - "He didn't give up, he got down."

Just a remarkable movie poster.

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:08 pm Can you do a break point for the movie?

Oh man. I have literally no idea. Give me a minute and I'll try to find one. We'll start on the "Lakeshore International" vanity card though.

How about at 52:06? End of the scene is an instructor telling C. Thomas Howell to "Have a nice Thanksgiving." It cuts to a shot of a TV dinner when the scene changes.

I literally went forward to about the middle of the run time and got lucky, as this seems like a nice break point.

The Chromecast set-up worked the first time. Feeling good about this.

We're starting now right?

P.D.X. wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:31 pm We're starting now right?

8:40 Eastern.

Ten minute lag time for everyone to show up, get set up, etc.

Yep, that's what I was thinking, DSafe. Call it right before his montage of sadness scored to Louis Armstrong's "Black and Blue".

brian wrote: ↑Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:32 pm Yep, that's what I was thinking, DSafe. Call it right before his montage of sadness scored to Louis Armstrong's "Black and Blue".

Cool. Basically 52 minutes from the top of the movie is the pause point. We'll do the usual ten minutes and round up to the nearest five.

I little searching at YouTube (for one of those dubbed versions bapo! mentioned to try to find a break point a little while ago) revealed some fun cameos we may all enjoy.

Five minutes out from the start (40 after the hour), roll from before the production company title card.

Swamp Sorta Quarantine Movie Night is back in 3... 2... 1...

I'm ready this gonna be fun.

Really hope I don't lose power.