Joe Bullet

Joe Bullet
Directed by Louis de Witt
Written by Tonie van der Merwe
Starring Ken Gampu
Joe Lopez
Abigail Kubeka
Jimmy Sabe
Cocky Tlhotlhalemaje
Sydney Charma
Music by "Silver Threads" (theme song)
Cinematography Louis de Witt
Edited by Oscar Burn
Release date
 South Africa
January 1, 1973

Australia
Sydney Film Festival
June 12, 2015

Running time
 1 hr 19 min
Country South Africa
Language English

Joe Bullet is a South African action film. It stars Ken Gampu. After being stored and not being seen for decades, it has now finally been re-released.

Background

The producer of the film was Tonie van der Merwe.[1]

Independently released in 1973, it played at the Eyethu cinema in Soweto. After just two screenings the film was banned.[2] This was done because the South African government at the time was concerned about the influence it could have on black South Africans. For about 40 years the original film reels were stored in a box in the back of van der Merwe's garage gathering dust. He kept the reels every time he moved home.[3]

The film was restored by Gravel Road Distribution under the supervision of its original producer, Tonie van der Merwe.[4]

Screenings

The film was scheduled to appear at the MoMA annual film preservation festival in 2014.[5] According to Variety on October 18, 2014, the film was to be screened at the New York fest on November 8 and 13.[6] It was announced on Jan 24, 2017 on Channel24.co.za that after 44 years the film was to be screened at the Bioscope Independent Cinema in Johannesburg on January 24 and at the Company Gardens in Cape Town on January 25.[7]

Story

A local soccer team gets caught up in the criminal underworld scene.[8]

It features Ken Gampu in the lead role playing the part of a strong action man, Joe Bullet. Described by The Guardian as being modeled on something between Shaft and James Bond, Joe Bullet drives sports cars, drinks, does karate, shoots guns throws knives and climbs up mineshafts.[9] Singer Abigail Kubeka also has a role in the film.[10]

Re-release

The film will be available to the public in Blu-ray format on September 11, 2017. It is part of the Vault series from 88 Films, a British film label.[11]

References

  1. ↑ The Christian Science Monitor, March 12, 2017 - Blaxploitation movies, South Africa style? A lost era of film sees new light. Ryan Lenora Brown
  2. ↑ Channel24.co.za, 2017-01-24 - Film banned in South Africa to screen for the first time in 44 years
  3. ↑ The Christian Science Monitor, March 12, 2017 - Blaxploitation movies, South Africa style? A lost era of film sees new light. Ryan Lenora Brown
  4. ↑ Brand South Africa, 02 Feb 2017 - Classic South African action film returns to the big screen
  5. ↑ IndieWire, Nov 11, 2014 - Exhibit Featuring Earliest-Known Feature Film Made w/ Black Actors Now At MoMA (NYC). See It! - Tambay A. Obenson
  6. ↑ Variety, October 18, 2014 - Cohen Media Group Inks Eight-Film Gaumont Classics’ Deal for North America (EXCLUSIVE), Deals go down at Lumière Fest’s upbeat Classic Film Market - John Hopewell
  7. ↑ Channel24.co.za, 2017-01-24 - Film banned in South Africa to screen for the first time in 44 years
  8. ↑ Brand South Africa, 02 Feb 2017 - Classic South African action film returns to the big screen
  9. ↑ The Guardian, Wednesday, 15 April 2015 - Sollywood: the extraordinary story behind apartheid South Africa's blaxploitation movie boom - Gavin Haynes
  10. ↑ Brand South Africa, 02 Feb 2017 - Classic South African action film returns to the big screen
  11. ↑ Blue-ray.com, July 6, 2017 - First Look at New Documentary to Be Included on Upcoming Joe Bullet Blu-ray Release (UPDATED)
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