MMA Fighter Turned Actor

 

 (imdb)

ANTIDOTE-2018-In Mexico, two treasure hunters (former MMA fighter Randy Couture and bodyguard/stuntman Chuck Zito) search for "the white witch". Meanwhile, an American nurse works in a clinic where children are dying of a strange malady. 

Low budget stuff by a guy (Ken Barbet) who wants to be Quentin Tarantino.

Thanks for reading!

Melinda

 (imdb)

 

MELINDA-1972-Frankie Parker (Calvin Lockhart; THE BEAST MUST DIE), conceited Karate asshole DJ meets and falls for Melinda (Vonetta McGee; in BLACULA the same year), an exotic mystery woman from out of town. While they have sex in his apartment, a guy jerks off in the hall. Later she's killed and Parker is arrested for her murder. His friend Tank (Rockne Tarkington; in BEWARE! THE BLOB the same year) gets him out of jail. Later after a woman who tried to kill him is murdered at his house, he goes on the run with his neglected ex-girlfriend Terry (Rosalind Cash; THE OMEGA MAN). It turns out Melinda was the ex-mistress of gangster Mitch (Paul Stevens; BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES) and she took something from him that he thinks Parker has. He has a henchman named Gregg (Ross Hagen). 

This messed up misguided blaxploitation movie is pretty tough going with its inane dialogue and outrageous acting until the whacked-out kung fu flying ending. Both Jim Kelly and Jeannie Bell make their screen debuts. Gene LeBelle in is there too. It's also the debut of director Hugh A Robertson, then a well-known editor (MIDNIGHT COWBOY, SHAFT). Theme song by Jerry Butler.

Thanks for reading!

Three Way

 

 

 (wikipedia)

THREE THE HARD WAY-1974-Record producer Jimmy Lait (Jim Brown), PR man Jagger Daniels (Fred Williamson) and Kung Fu guy Mr. Keyes (Jim Kelly) team up to rescue Jimmy's wife (Sheila Frazier) from the clutches of the racist madman Monroe Feather (Jay Robinson) and his mad scientist pal (Richard Angarola) who's created a secret formula to destroy all our black brothers and sisters. There's lots of fights and shootouts. Keyes gets help from his Asian friend (David Chow). Later Feather has a party where his Aryan troops all wear Guardian Angels like red berets. Despite the overwhelming numbers the trio invades Feather's citadel and destroy everything and everybody. Alex Rocco, Jeanie Bell, Irene Tsu and Roberta Collins have small roles. The weirdest part is the three topless women Jagger hires to torture a hit man. 

Director Gordon Parks, Jr. keeps the movie going at a fast pace despite the thin plot. It could have been better but seems the selling point were the three stars themselves. Parks' best-known film is SUPERFLY (1972). He made THOMASINA & BUSHROD the same year as THREE. He only completed one more film after this as he was killed in a plane crash over Kenya while making a film called “Revenge”. It was later finished by another director and re-titled THE BUSHWHACKERS. He was 44 years old.

Thanks for reading!