Reelblack Live: The RIVERBEND Blu-ray Is Here! (7/18/2026)

[00:00:00]Few particulars that make Omaha different from New York are just incidental. The problem exists because white people think they're better than black people and they want to oppress us and they want us to allow ourselves to be oppressed.

[00:00:12]>> This is the big I agree with you uh perfectly. This is the basic problem.

[00:00:16]>> Then what do you white people think they're better?

[00:00:19]>> I can't solve the problem. You guys pull the strings that closed schools. You guys draw the boundaries that keep our kids restricted to the ghetto. You guys write up the restrictive covenants that keep us out of houses. So, it's up to you to talk to your brothers and your sisters and persuade them that they have a responsibility. We've assumed ours for over 400 years. And we're tired of this kind of stuff now. We're not going to suffer patiently anymore. No more turning the other cheek. No more blessing our enemies. No more praying for those who despitefully use us. We're going to show you that we've learned the lessons you've taught us. We've studied your history. And you did not take over this country by singing, "We shall overcome." You did not gain control of the world like you have it now by dealing fairly with a man and keeping your word. You're treaty breakers.

[00:01:02]You're liars. You're thieves. You rape entire continents and races of people.

[00:01:06]Then you wonder why these very people don't have any confidence or trust in you. Your religion means nothing. Your law is a farce and we see it every day.

[00:01:13]You demonstrated it in Alabama. And I can say you because you're part of the whole system. You profit from it. In fact, you make your living from it. You couldn't walk around and talk to people, stand up in your pull pit on Sunday and preach nice little songs and say, "Now we're going to give thanks to the Lord for he is good and old Jesus be among us." As far as we're concerned, your Jesus is contaminated just like everything else you tried to force upon us is contaminated.

[00:01:39]>> So you can have him. And here's what I'll say. I wish you would follow Jesus like we followed him. Cuz if you did that, then we'd be in charge tomorrow.

[00:01:49]I think the problem is so bad that we can have no understanding at all.

[00:01:56]>> You think it's gotten to the point where there can never be that reconciliation?

[00:02:01]>> No. You talk about justice and means one thing to you and we talk about it means something else to us >> and it'll always be that way.

[00:02:11]And I' I'd like you to know I have a terrible feeling against preachers because I think you guys are the ones who are largely responsible for the problem in the first place. And you can accept it or not any way you choose. And for you this may be an excursion, you know, across the line.

[00:02:28]>> I'm not the person that wants to listen.

[00:02:31]I genuinely feel that I want to listen.

[00:02:34]>> Well, if you listen and try to do something, you get kicked out of your church. See, that's that's where your people are.

[00:02:40]>> Well, we can make changes. So, the change of hand.

[00:02:46]>> Three Vietnam combat heroes falsely accused of war crimes are hiding out in Riverbend.

[00:02:53]>> I don't have time TO PLAY. WHERE'S THE GUN?

[00:02:55]>> Only one man can teach them to fight.

[00:02:58]>> We are going to recruit all the young capable blacks that we can find. Train them into fighters. what we know and then take over the town. And we have been 10,000 miles away from home helping other people preserve their freedom.

[00:03:15]>> People we don't even know. An enemy we don't even hate.

[00:03:19]>> And what were we doing?

[00:03:21]>> Killing, burning, and destroying.

[00:03:24]>> Have we done any good >> exactly? Margaret Avery. If you don't get out of here.

[00:03:32]>> Steve James. We are all black men.

[00:03:36]>> Tony Frank.

[00:03:37]>> KILL ME. GODAMN IT.

[00:03:38]>> Two men locked in combat.

[00:03:44][screaming] >> Riverband. The battle for freedom has just begun.

[00:03:54]>> Hey boy, I want to talk to you.

[00:03:56]>> Answer me.

[00:03:59]This is my answer.

[00:04:06]>> Hey everybody, it's Mike. It's Saturday.

[00:04:10]You're watching I'm here. We're talking about movies tonight, specifically The River and Blu-ray, which just arrived from the pressing plant. And I want to give you the first look. I didn't come on last week. I thought that it was going to come in sooner. Uh but there was a delay in terms of uh well there were two delays. There's one uh the the original ship date got pushed back and then uh things got held up in customs.

[00:04:39]So that that cost a couple extra dollars because they had to warehouse it for a day or two. And um but it's the day is here. It's finally here. Riverbend, the movie that we've been sharing and talking about these last three years, I'd say since January 2024, we premiered in the Denton Black Film Festival.

[00:05:02]um to today, July 18th, 2026, which is when the physical copies, the physical media arrived this weekend from the uh from the replicator, the the manufacturer, the the press, so to speak, of the Blu-rays. So, um you know, I want to give you uh I want to welcome you to the show. Molly's in the other room. She's knocked out. I don't think she's gonna make it, but uh Chaz Flex is here, I see. And Bergen Paris is in the building. Our mod squad, so to speak, and you're here. And uh I'll try and keep it interesting for the replay because I know this one will probably get a lot of views. A lot of people I haven't gotten to updates on Kickstarter yet. I've been busy packing uh boxes the last two days and it's uh averaging about 40 boxes a day. So, we'll get to you if you if you placed your pre-order. Um we're trying to do it in some log I'm trying to do it in some logical order. Um, but uh it's a lot it's a lot of stuff and uh but I I believe that I'll have it all done by next Monday and everybody will have their copies in their hands by uh August 1st, but uh because it's going ground or media mail, so it's it's taking a slow boat to get to you, but the international orders will go in last um around the same time. Uh, but the wholesalers, uh, and I should shout out I got to find that thumbnail. Um, shout out to our, uh, wholesalers. Let me see if I can find that. I'm on on the computer here.

[00:06:57]Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome. Um, partners, wholesalers, uh, maybe it's in here.

[00:07:05]Uh, pre-order thumbnail.

[00:07:13]Quick look. Yeah. Okay. Here's I think this will open uh if I can get in there.

[00:07:22]Image file pictures.

[00:07:29]Uh yeah. So if you I mean I would prefer personally if you order from shop.realblack.com.

[00:07:39]Um, but we do have some partners including Diabolic DVD, who is a legendary uh online retailer. I suggest you go over to all these places and and look and see what else is coming out around the same time. You you compare your order with some other things and get free shipping. Uh those are incentives to buy and they're all the same price where no matter where you go. Um so if you are online you can get a diabolic DVD. Um Movie Madness Portland is a rental store in Portland, Oregon who's going to be carrying one copy of the film. Odyssey video store is an online retailer based out of Richmond, Virginia or the TVA is as it called the DC Maryland DMV DC Maryland Virginia area.

[00:08:33]Richmond area static take video in Moskegan is a brick and mortar as well as a online retailer and the archive uh Vinegar Syndrome's retail brick and mortar space is also carrying uh Riverbend as well as um we just signed up with Outrun DVD in Australia so you don't have to worry about uh paying a whole bunch for shipping. because if you're down under, he's going to have your copies available. You can place your pre-orders there if you're watching from that part of the world. Um and um we also have Yeah, Outrun is the last one to sign up. So definitely check that out. Um I last Dejan's here, so we're who's ready to see the box, the artwork so to speak? Um, so proud of this. Whoops. So proud of this. Uh, and who supported. I want to personally thank you again [snorts] when you bought when you pledged to get this. I mean, we started way back last October taking pre-orders for this. So, and we thought it would be out Junth. We got uh the opportunity to do some interviews with some of the surviving cast members including Margaret Avery and Julius Tenan and Alex Morris and Vanessa Tate.

[00:10:07]We had Q&As's. We took the best of the Q&As's which was the the one we did at the Arrow Theater in Los Angeles and we put that on the Blu-ray.

[00:10:18]It's a whole lot of stuff. We have a commentaries uh four hours uh two different commentary tracks featuring director Sam Fenberg.

[00:10:27]There's a ton of stuff on this disc. Um and Chaz Flicks, you'll be getting it soon. Um I see. Uh so this is the packaging. Hopefully it shows up okay if I hold it next to my face.

[00:10:46]So, the the the first thousand copies have slip covers, right? And they're designed by Alan Pyre. I signed mine number one, but that's the slip cover.

[00:11:04]And then the uh the disc itself is shrink wrapped. And the reason we did that was to allow people to if they come to the signing, which is going to be um let me pull that up. I'll uh have it ready at the Atlanta Flyer. Um let me make sure it's the right one.

[00:11:31]Quick look.

[00:11:33]Well, this is good enough. It's bolder.

[00:11:36]Um, let me put this up. Riverband Atlanta flyer.

[00:11:52]So, if you don't know, now you know that uh tickets are on sale. We're having a big celebration at the Plaza Theater, the historic Plaza Theater in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, August 15th. So that means that's a show that we will be doing live um at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time.

[00:12:16]And uh tickets are available now. Uh Margaret Avery is going to be there.

[00:12:22]Julius Tenan and uh Vanessa Tate from the cast. I'll be there. Producer Valerie Vance and Marcus [clears throat] Coleman also appeared in the film. He's going to be there as well. And um Aaron Kai will be there who designed our artwork. So um yeah, Chris Dragnet just came in. Hey, getting the mod squad together. And if you're interested in buying, well, shop.realblack.com is where you can get the Blu-ray. But if you want to come to the screening and then get your Blu-ray signed, uh, we encourage that as well. And that the tickets there are at plazatheater.com, I believe, is the website. Somebody can double check that for me, but could be Plaza Theater Atlanta, something like that.

[00:13:15]Um, hey Nicole. I'm not sure what that means, but I'll post that up. Hey.

[00:13:21]Um, okay. So, I'll take that away for right now. So, yeah. So, this is the actual disc.

[00:13:30]And it looks it's got a hype sticker. It's a director's um approved edition.

[00:13:40]If you can see up close, we got Dr. Approved sign signed by Sam Fenberg.

[00:13:47]Um, and then, uh, that's the back. So, they're all shrink wrapped out inside of the O card.

[00:13:58]And I know there are a few people who purchased the limited edition Kickstarter only um old card limit to 100 copies.

[00:14:14]Um so this is the retro90s slip cover and it was only available on Kickstarter. He can't get this on the website, but I'll be uh Sam's gonna sign some and and Margaret Avery gonna sign some of the remainders. So, we'll be putting those up as fundraisers on eBay eventually, very soon. So, um if you just want if you want that as a collector's item, we we'll have signed um slip covers for Margaret and Sam uh from this design as well as the uh the Aaron Kai design. So, and you know, the reason we do that is so that we can get the next one together and I'll announce our next films in just a minute. Um how's everybody doing? We had some drop off here. Not too many people in the room right now. I think it's a little late for for folks, but um how's everybody doing? I'm just entertaining the chat and then we'll we'll delve into the disc. Okay.

[00:15:23][clears throat] All right. This might be a short show. I don't want this to be so long that people don't replay it. Um but um let's look let's look inside the disc itself, shall we?

[00:15:38]So, it's a Scenovo case, right, which is very similar. Well, it's identical to what Criterion uses for their artwork in Death Crocodile. Shout out to Craig Rogers, by the way, and Alan Pyrie. So, we'll open it up and we'll look inside. Inside, we've got the disc.

[00:16:06]It's got a reversible slip cover.

[00:16:11]So, if you don't like the updated version, you can always turn it around and slip it in the case and get the um the ' 90s retro feel that way. So, we made it reversible for everybody.

[00:16:38]Wow, I can't believe it. I'm really um this feels really good to be able to share this with people. Um you know, it took a lot of work to put this together and it [clears throat] wasn't just me and it was all the supporters as well.

[00:16:54]Was it was the talent that made the film back in 1988.

[00:17:01]um everybody who supported the screenings that came out to see it on the big screen. And there'll still be opportunities to see it on the big screen after the video release. I I'll have some more theatrical dates out soon. Um but um yeah um I love it when a plan comes together to quote Hannibal from the 18. And um one of the things that I'm really proud of is the beautiful booklet.

[00:17:33]And I put my hype sticker on the booklet. I always do this removable sticker, but that's the booklet cover.

[00:17:41]And then we have the credits on the back. And then inside we've got the centerfold.

[00:17:51]And then you get the story, director statement, producer statement, producer statement.

[00:18:05]Um, and then the whole story of Riverbend, what happened to it. Uh, lots of photos, tons of photos, and I won't give it all away. I want to leave a little bit for you to discover.

[00:18:21]And then, you know, we have um well, I'll get to that in a minute. We got some stuff. Oh, hey, Nicole. Let's see.

[00:18:29]Oh, happy birthday, Dad. Yeah. Okay. I thought that's what it was, but it wasn't clear. So, I appreciate you explaining. Happy birthday. Um, yeah. Oh, I'll be in Atlanta hopefully.

[00:18:44]Are you in Atlanta? Um, Nicole, come through. uh August 15th, Saturday, two about a month from now, four weeks from now. Um we'll be in Atlanta with Riverbend. But before that, I'm going to be bringing a limited number of copies of Riverbend to the bizaar at the Blackar Film Festival.

[00:19:12]And that's very fitting because I think it was about five years ago whenever I last saw Toronto Burke, I had the idea. I said, I want to start a video label. And I don't even think I knew we were going to have Riverband as a film. Um, I have to look back at some of my notes and try and figure out what the timeline on that is. But about five years ago at Blackar, I was walking around telling people, I'm starting a video label. I think we had Black Ninja at that point, which didn't quite work out. And we might have had Riverbend. I'm not sure. But um so we're going to be at the bazaar and you can pick up your copy of Riverbend.

[00:20:06]I'll have a limited number of slip covers and I'll have a bunch of standard editions um available for purchase full price. Um you know the the Blackar Hooker Brother up discount applies when you're paying cash.

[00:20:22]you know, we'll discount it slightly for cash purchases, but um the credit card and um and uh PayPal and uh Cash App will will be $40 for that. So, um but please come out. Can I'll put that in the chat.

[00:20:43]We're going to be um a soft launch at Blackar Film Festival. Uh people know about Blackar.

[00:20:53]So in its 15th year and um they have a bizaar uh open market um on August 8th, Saturday, August 8th.

[00:21:16]And you know, I'll bring maybe 20 um slip covers and 20 sealed copies and uh we'll see how we do. Um Saturday, August 8th.

[00:21:32]So, um really excited about that. And then, um we're moving into um we'll also be at the African-American Museum Convention here in Philadelphia.

[00:21:45]the following week. And um yeah, I think the slip covers are going to go faster than people expect them to. Um you know, a lot have been pre-ordered already and um a lot have been reserved by retailers, so we'll just have maybe 200 left. And I suspect we're going to go through a lot of those in Atlanta. So, um, but we shall see how it goes. Um, let's delve into the disc itself and the menu screen. Uh, I posted this video a little while ago earlier this week. Hey, VQ. What's up, Peace? We're just I'm just uh showing people the cover if you're just tuning in.

[00:22:44]the Blu-ray. It's got a little spot gloss on it and that signature is my copy. Won't be on your copy.

[00:22:55]And then um we got the Let [clears throat] me see if I get the Okay, you can see the hype sticker, right?

[00:23:08]And uh it's all shrink wrapped and tons of special features. And we'll get into that right now. Let me um let me pull up the next video.

[00:23:23]Uh okay. So when when you go into the disc um and we'll look at some of Charles Woods.

[00:23:39]This is Mike from Real Black Renaissance and I just want to take a few minutes of your time to give you an exclusive sneak preview at the menu and some of the special features from our upcoming Blu-ray release of Riverbend Restore.

[00:23:59]All right, I'll pause it there. Let me see if I can get rid of this thing. All right, so um I have to go back a pinch. All right, so when you load the disc in, it's an animated sneak preview and you have the option to play the film or go and just do you have languages and captions choices and bonus features. So, we'll go into the bonus features, >> the menu, and some of the special features from >> and then in the special features, you've got the commentaries to answer your question, Chris Dragna. Um, we have two audio commentaries. One featuring Sam Fenberg, the director, and the cast, um, including Margaret Avery, Julius Tenan, Alex Morris, and myself moderating.

[00:24:48]Um, and then we have a second commentary with me and Sam Fenberg discussing the film with Debbie James, the daughter of the late Steve James.

[00:25:02]um the featurettes in documentaries um are m many and I don't think that um we have uh the insight on that but um we're going to scroll down to reflections on to we're going to go to featurettes eventually but reflections on riverband is another thing but I'll show you a little clip of uh Charles Woods since we all know who Charles is um now what Blu-ray. Blu-ray is an optical disc that you can use to watch movies with. You can watch Blu-rays on PlayStation machines as well as special Blu-ray players. They're like DVDs but higher quality.

[00:25:47]Yeah, thank you. Blu-ray is the next media type after DVD. So, the thing about this is that this movie was lost.

[00:25:55]It was only on VHS. Let me see if we can find the VHS tape here.

[00:26:00]Um, and people are starting to sell their VHS copies, but this pull that off for a second. But this is the VHS as it existed in 1990 and it came out on VHS and then promptly disappeared. No one knew what happened to it. I put it on my YouTube channel and got and then the director Sam Fenberg got in touch with me and it led to what became a three-year journey to uh reclaim the negative and now we have it on Blu-ray for people to purchase and have in their collections again. Oh, Chaz. Oh, Chaz, you saw Steve James tribute. I can play a little bit of that. Um, I think I have access to it. Let me see. Um, we can look at a little bit of that, too, cuz a lot of people don't have the cheat code for for that. But we can play like maybe five minutes of it. Um, if I can pull it up. Uh, videos unlisted and I'll get that one going. Download and Okay. Okay. So, we'll look at a little bit of that. I mean, did you enjoy it what you saw?

[00:27:22]Um, are you So, you're converting VHS documentary to Blu-ray. No, we went to the original negative um 35mm film and transferred that. Uh, so it's it's better quality. I I can show you a restoration demo. Um, since we're talking, let me let me find um the before and after.

[00:27:48]So many files on this computer.

[00:27:52]Um, before and after.

[00:27:57]It's coming.

[00:28:11][groaning] Before and after.

[00:28:18]Okay.

[00:28:20]All right. So, um go in here and then um so Riverbend is about a trio of black soldiers in Vietn who are on the run from a court marshal. They're Vietnam veterans and they land in a small town in 1966 called Riverbend, Georgia, which is being terrorized by a racist sheriff.

[00:29:00]And they make the decision to stick around and teach the black community how to stand up for themselves and um get uh national attention for what's going on in that town and to correct the racism. So, here's a scene from the film and you'll see before and after. Um, but let's check it out.

[00:29:28]>> We're going to get national attention.

[00:29:30]What do we have to do?

[00:29:32]>> We are going to recruit all the young capable blacks that we can find. Train them into fighters, what we know, and then take over the town.

[00:29:43]>> You probably expect me to be your goddamn drill sergeant. I guess I'm supposed to take a bunch of country backwards and turn them into soldiers in what? A couple of weeks so you can put another metal to your chest. No way. I'm out of here, man.

[00:29:59]>> Tony, now you can do anything that you want, but you're going to listen to me one more time.

[00:30:13]Now, we have been 10,000 miles away from home, helping other people preserve their freedom.

[00:30:20]People we don't even know. An enemy we don't even hate. And what were we doing?

[00:30:26]Killing, burning, and destroying.

[00:30:29]Now, have we done any good?

[00:30:32]>> No.

[00:30:33]>> Exactly.

[00:30:35]Now, we're back here in the world, and we have an opportunity to help our own people. A people that we should care about.

[00:30:44]So now you want to run out before the battle.

[00:30:47]>> I've heard enough of your lectures and now >> Yes. So that's a taste of the before and after. What we did uh Austin uh used the original negative u the um inter positive actually and we use the original sound ress to to create a new restoration master. So, um, I'll go back to the upcoming Blu-ray release.

[00:31:14]>> I'll go back to this. And, um, so we have commentary tracks, featurettes and documentaries, conversations and Q&As's, reflections on Riverbend, promotional materials, and a deleted scene. So, we're not going to go we're not going to show you all these special features or that would defeat the purpose of you discovering it for yourself. But, I do want to give you a taste of a couple things before we go.

[00:31:38]Um the first of Riverbend restored.

[00:31:45]>> All right. So we go into features and documentaries. This is what we have under that heading. And we're going to go right to Charles Woods on Riverbend and look at a few minutes of that.

[00:31:59][singing] >> [music] >> Bill, I'm sorry about your husband, but my answer is still no, >> think about it.

[00:32:22]Hollywood never intended or had any um aspirations of putting on film blacks who had the the militancy, the the pride, the dignity, men in particular, their image can't come off as threatening and subversive in some way, shape, or form, Hollywood will find a way to contain, dilute, neutralize any kind of subversive image of the black man.

[00:33:12]Yes, that's that's a taste. So, we have a lecture from Charles Woods as as um Chris Dragnet says. Charles Woods is the cheerleader. Um he cheerleader for the film for me to investigate and revitalize the project. So, trying to get this a little straighter. But, um yeah. So, uh there's a couple other things I want to share with you. Did anybody see Black Chariot? I want to see it. It's not It's only in New York right now and it was only for a week at the Anthology Film Archives, but eventually it'll make it to uh Kino Lorber home Entertainment or you know I was trying to get it to come to Philly. I don't know if it's going to make it to Philly, but uh it's a Bernie um Casey movie that was lost again, lost for decades, and they restored it from the African-American Museum in the Smithsonian in Washington DC had a print of it that was donated and they restored it and now it's available. So, so it's a good season for black cinema long gone.

[00:34:21]I still will argue that Riverbend is the best movie you'll ever see that you've never heard of. And the reason why I say that is because it's true.

[00:34:36]Um, all right, let's get into this thing. Um, Willie Miner, we have the Reflections on Riverbend sequence and here's a taste of Willie Miner talking about it. And then uh I'll give you the um updates on the label and the plans for the label and um we'll look at a little bit of larger than life a tribute to Steve James and then we'll get on here. But try to keep it to an hour.

[00:35:10]>> Oh wait, hang on.

[00:35:12]>> That'll help. It will help. Hi, I'm Willie Miner. I played the character Jacob.

[00:35:19]in Riverbend.

[00:35:22]>> Okay. Tell us about Jacob.

[00:35:24]>> Well, Jacob is just one of those people that lived in the same town, Riverbend, that the the white culture had just overwhelmed them completely and he was recruited to be a eagle and did his job well. Ended up dying in and rest in peace, Jacob. Rest in peace.

[00:35:47]>> Okay. And you have famous line in the movie.

[00:35:51]>> I I've forgotten it completely to Vanessa. Start talking about it.

[00:35:54][laughter] What is it again, Vanessa? Tell me again. Say it again.

[00:35:59]>> And that's your problem.

[00:36:01]>> You white [clears throat] and that's your problem. You're a good man, Mr. Cook. But right now, you white and that's your problem. Now get on in the church.

[00:36:13]>> Yeah.

[00:36:17]Yeah. So, uh, okay. Let's see. We got some questions. Saw it on saw it on Wednesday. Oh, how was it? You have to put it in the chat. Um, I heard it was okay. Um, Black Terri. It's a little dated is what I was told, but I love movies like that um that are set in the past and Barbara O is, you know, from Bush Mama is in it, so it's got a lot going for it. And, um, Bob Goodwin is a great writer. um songwriter from the 70s. Uh can I give something away?

[00:36:51]Cuz we had a talk we talking about Confederate flags. This one's not signed, but um this is the original artwork that we started with in January 20 24 and then we were we revised it after the Los Angeles screening to this, you know. So, a lot of people still have this image because we have signed postcards that we've been selling to raise money for the restoration. But um you know this was my conceit my con my my my um concept you know when we first started I said I want a burning Confederate flag on one side the American flag on the other side because um you know we were trying to counteract this dated '9s look which is kind of photoshopppy and and we wanted something to say you know more like less straight the video action film and more. What if Steve James was the star of his own Canon films production? What would a poster like that look like if he was, you know, catapulted into Leading Man by Canon Pictures? Because Steve uh Sam Fenberg and Steve James worked together on three other movies that were all produced by Canon Films. So this is that was the concept for this poster idea originally and but we had to withdraw the poster um voluntarily. It wasn't under any kind of protest but we realized that um it may be a little triggering in this climate and that we might be putting a target on our back prematurely if we went out with that image um in a in a in a major way.

[00:38:47]um we might be putting a target on our back and and the people that were supporting the film um might catch some shrapnel as a result.

[00:38:59]>> So we you know we decided to be a little um safe than sorry and um that's what we did. Okay. So, um, okay. It was okay.

[00:39:16]Uh, rewatched Bush Mama last night.

[00:39:19]Yeah, Bush Mama was great. Uh, and Highly Garma. I should mention this at Blackar Film Festival, uh, which is the second weekend in August. Highly GMA is premiering all I think it's five parts of his epic documentary on the liberation of Ethiopia called um Alliance and Wolves um but black lions German wolves or something like that or some well they fought in Italy but um you know it's his epic work he's been spending well over a decade working on it and Real Black is proud to be a community partner on those screenings. So, we're super duper excited about that.

[00:40:12]Um, okay. So, let's see what um Oh, the documentary. Let's look at about five minutes of it maybe. Uh, just to give you a better sense. I don't know if Nicole is still here, but this will give you a better sense of who Steve James was. Um, the star of the film, he he passed away at a very young age. Um, 43 41 years old in 1993, uh, of pancreatic cancer.

[00:40:46]So, I I want to share with you a little bit of uh what uh they did. Uh Christian SM made a documentary about Steve James. Uh let's see.

[00:41:08]Um [clears throat] okay, let's see what the question remains. Is a place to purchase Dr. wasn't tape with a Blu-ray of her educational illustration of the ISIS papers. Um, you can watch it for free on the channel.

[00:41:23]Uh, I'll put the link in.

[00:41:26]Um, well, it's not it's not hard to find.

[00:41:38]Um, there's two, actually there's two videos, Francis Crest Wells and there's a part two of white supremacy and AIDS audio and then there's a video from 2010 uh where she talks about um the ISIS papers specifically and um so if you click this link when we're done, you can find it. Um yeah, I got brother Charles behind me.

[00:42:08]Yeah. Okay.

[00:42:11]You know, and then I got I got um Spooker Sat by the Door, Coming to America French, and Riverbend, the original Riverbend poster. Um, you know, but uh all right, let's look at a little Steve James documentary and then we'll we'll call it a night. Uh maybe 10 minutes and then we can finish at midnight. Uh but I really appreciate everybody being here. if I'm if I don't have time to say it at the end. Um, and I hope that people will go now that it's physically available and it's becoming quickly. It's becoming scarce. The first pressing um the first pressing has a special sticker on it. Um, and it has the booklet and all that stuff. But, um, we want you to get it and we want you to get it from us. um either Blackstar at the plaza drrome screening or um on shop.realblock.com.

[00:43:15]But here's here's uh let's look at 10 minutes of this. Let's see how it goes.

[00:43:22]I I'll stay on the side so that it's fair use. I don't want anybody, you know, well, you can do I mean, we're only looking at a few minutes of this.

[00:43:32]Oh, but Steve and I take this away.

[00:43:37]>> Now, none of you men have ever killed before, >> but you may have to have to die.

[00:43:46]But if that's the price for freedom, then that's the price that you, I, all of us are going to have to pay. And one more thing, I don't ever ever want to hear the words boy or colored used again.

[00:44:06]We are all black men and we should be proud of that fact.

[00:44:12]>> Understood.

[00:44:15]>> Understood.

[00:44:16]>> Yes, sir.

[00:44:19]I feel that Steve James really should have been one of the biggest action [music] stars of his era. You'll be hardressed to find a more incredible screen presence, a more magnetic personality, a a person more believably able to throw dudes across a room, a a man built like a statue of a Greek god.

[00:44:46]Steve James should have been the Black Stallone. He should have had the careers that Schwarzenegger or Vanam had.

[00:44:55]>> It's like he became that [music] character. His lines and things like that. He had no problems with he was so professional. It was ridiculous.

[00:45:02]>> The minute he walked in, he was like a black Hercules, you know, huge shoulder, tall, big, impressive. [music] He had to look. He had the the talent. I promise you we won't make any trouble for you, your husband, or your son.

[00:45:18]>> And the voice, that voice, that voice is awesome, man.

[00:45:22]>> He was far from a muscle head. He was not a muscle head. He never had a bad word to say about anybody.

[00:45:30]>> He was such [snorts] a generous, sweet, and kind man. He was a person that loved to [music] to help and support others >> in terms of who he was as a human. Man, you couldn't beat Steve James.

[00:45:57]Before the explosions, before the fight scenes, there was a performer whose presence could fill the screen without ever saying a word.

[00:46:06]>> [music] >> Steve James was born in New York City on February 19th, 1952. He grew up in Brooklyn, raised by his jazz trumpeter father, UB James, and his mother, Dolores.

[00:46:19]Steve's maternal uncle, [music] James Wald, had a long career as a stage manager in television and on Broadway, but was best known to audiences as the captain's neighbor, Mr. Baxter, on the children's television show Captain Kangaroo.

[00:46:34]Steve's godfather was singer turned actor Joe Cynica, who later appeared in classic films like Silverado, Crossroads, and the 1988 remake of The Blob.

[00:46:46]Joe Cynica often took Steve to the movies as a teenager where he was bitten by the acting bug, watching James Bond films and later black exploitation and kung fu movies at the Grindhouse theaters that ran along New York's 42nd Street.

[00:47:00]>> Everyone loved the guy. Everyone. We we had a mutual love of movies. You know the cinema that uh is featured in Taxi Driver? It's on the poster. It's like a Twin Cinema that he's walking under.

[00:47:15]Well, that became a revival house. And the first one we went to was like on Her Majesty's Secret Service. We both were fans of that movie. And and Steve and I were like, you know, we were like real real film buffs. He was a great big collector of uh so-called what he called black cinema. He had more than 2,000 different copies of different movies from the silent era. All of them that had to do either black director, black actors, black writer, the star, the subject matter, big collector of [music] cinema. He always took off his shirt at some point in the movie without asking me, without nothing. And suddenly in some scene that he already conceived in his mind but he didn't tell anyone. He suddenly he will rip off the shirt and take it off.

[00:48:07]The first time I saw say Steve what are you doing? Why are you taking off the shirt? He turns to me and say are you crazy? Am I working so hard in the gym to to have this body? I'm not going to show it off. Of course I have to show off this body.

[00:48:23]>> Yeah. So that gives you a little taste of of what to expect when you get your Blu-ray in the mail. Um, and I'm mailing them all. It's going to take about a week to get them all out the door. Um, so and we're we're targeting August 1st for them all to be delivered. Um, in the United States, it might take a little bit longer worldwide depending on where you live. Um, but we got you. We got you covered. Um, so I appreciate you. I say Nicole. Um, so any final questions, any thoughts, any feelings? Are you excited? Did you pre-order your copy? It's going to go fast. Um, okay. So, I'll just get I'll close with this and then um Oh, I didn't know I could do that.

[00:49:23]That's pretty clever. All right, let's see if this works.

[00:49:28]>> Do you have a gun?

[00:49:29]>> No.

[00:49:30]>> No.

[00:49:31]>> Don't lie to [music] me. Where's the gun?

[00:49:34]>> Don't you talk to me like that. I don't care who you people are.

[00:49:37]>> Listen here. I don't have time TO PLAY.

[00:49:38]WHERE'S THE GUN?

[00:49:41]>> Car's getting close. Quinton, stop.

[00:49:54]Ba, >> Mike, what say you of Riverbend?

[00:50:09]>> It's the best movie you'll ever see that you've never heard of. We had this at the store that I used to work video library in Mount Airy and this cover did not sell me on. And I was like, I don't want to see this crap. I don't want to see this crap. And then um Charles Woods, the professor, people that watch my Real Black channel know him. He had like five copies of this thing.

[00:50:30]>> Wow.

[00:50:31]>> Yeah. He said, "You got to see it.

[00:50:34]>> If you really are what you say you are, then maybe you could stay here and help us protect ourselves or show us how to do it." It really is one of two movies.

[00:50:49]Maybe I think it's this and Spook Who Sat by the Door are the only two movies that are like this that show black people fighting back against their oppressors.

[00:50:58]>> We three men are combat veterans of Vietnam.

[00:51:02]And when this period of your life is over, you men will be combat veterans of Riverbend.

[00:51:11]>> Okay, so that's our show. Um, any requests music-wise? What do we want to close with? Um, Dejan, do you have any favorites from the archive? I think I can pull them pretty quickly.

[00:51:27]Um, [clears throat] what's this?

[00:51:35]Okay, I remember this. Um, I can't show that music. Yeah. Um, I'm looking for um a music a video from the thing. Bill, ain't no stopping us. Oh, that's Oh, you're throwing going way back on that.

[00:51:59]I don't know if we can play it anymore um without getting blocks.

[00:52:04]Um, ain't no stopping us now. I don't know if we can get uh I don't know. Um, let me let me dig in the crates. I'll surprise you with something. Let me let me see. I'll go live in Philly. Oh, Alice Smith. Oh, she just she was just here in Philly.

[00:52:32]Oh, this is a good one. Ron the hip tones.

[00:52:37]Shame. [snorts] I like Ron and Hipton. Let me find the other one.

[00:52:47]Um, okay. Shame.

[00:52:58]So, I get the money from this one. All right.

[00:53:04]running away. Uh okay. Uh from the archive, Ron and the hip tones. Shame.

[00:53:37]Okay, hang on. Didn't come through.

[00:53:57]Try it again. Okay. Sorry about the quietness. Cookout classics. Um, yeah, some of the music's lives are good. Um, it's I I can't look at them obviously, but the playlists were fantastic.

[00:54:13]We we used to improvise, Nicole. We I used to sit in the same chair uh during COVID and just DJ and take requests. And that's how a lot of people got to know me specifically from the channel.

[00:54:30]Um, it's taking a minute.

[00:54:39]Okay. All right. I see. I see what's going on. I have enough space on this thing.

[00:54:46]Am I still here? Okay. Um, Dr. Pepper promo on YouTube. Michael Jackson. Interesting. We're not We're not going there tonight. I got to play something from the archive.

[00:54:59]Um, run.

[00:55:13]It's not working.

[00:55:20]Let me see what uh I can't play that either.

[00:55:24]I cannot play any of this stuff. Um I think we're done. Oh, this is fun. And I I'll close with this.

[00:55:42]Finally tonight, the Philadelphia Film Society hosted the world premiere of a newly restored movie by a Philadelphia filmmaker. Michael J. Dennis Ridley released Riverbend back in 1989.

[00:55:53]Tonight's Showade marks the first time the film about three black Vietnam soldiers has been available in over 35 years. The event also marks the return of Real Black Presents, a local screening series dedicated to black film culture.

[00:56:09]Stand up because your rights are on the