Upon hearing the tragic news, his brother investigates to avenge Alex. Review of Who Killed Captain Alex? Let's try it again. It has gained viral notoriety for being a no-budget action film, produced on a reported budget of under $200 though producer Alan Hofmanis admitted that it was a meager $85. Whoa — there is a lot of drinking going on right now. There is no other film quite like Who Killed Captain Alex?, and despite the obvious influences of Western action films and Chinese Martial Arts films, it does not strictly adhere to their traditional structures. It cannot just be written off as an attempt to enter into those canons of filmmaking. It’s unlikely, This is a point I have brought up before many times, because I believe this is the best way to kickstart a fourth phase of African Cinema. © 2014-2020 Cinema Escapist, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. “We love the Chinese culture of Kung Fu which has its own importance like body fitness, self-defense … we need that in our society, it is almost a medicine,”. 1 Blu-ray/DVD combo by the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) on 14 May 2019. African Cinema, as advanced as it was becoming, was not truly independent from forms of European influence. They spearhead what I consider to be the three phases of African and African-American Cinema (more on that in a moment). A recent documentary saw Nabwana visit China, as part of the latest Wakaliwood epic, As it becomes the largest film market in the world, Western filmmakers are scrambling for Chinese money with very mixed results –, It can certainly be problematic to assume, What Black Panther's Success Means For African Cinema, If Indian Movies Want Bigger Profits, They Should Focus on China, "Wolf Warrior 2" Shows a New Kind of Chinese Patriotism—That Speaks to Overseas Chinese, Interview: Berni Goldblat, Director of "Wallay", Review: "The Cursed Ones" and the Burden of History. Join our 20K+ followers on Facebook and Twitter. Soviet ships’ officers would have been familiar with the story of Aleksandr Dudnik, the captain of the Aleut, the only factory ship the Soviets owned before World War II. What Nabwana has achieved in Wakaliga since then is nothing short of remarkable. You should leave him alone! The captain's brother takes matters into his own hands, while mafia henchmen take to the skies to bomb Kampala. arrived on YouTube to little fanfare, until it quickly exploded into the most-exposed piece of African filmmaking ever. has sold over 10,000 copies in DVD sales in Uganda and pirated copies of the film have sold an estimated 10 times of that amount. This lack of infrastructure makes it even harder to alter the situation. Uganda's president gives Captain Alex the mission to defeat the Tiger Maffia, but Alex gets killed in the process. As the West experienced the benefits of the digital revolution, and film production became more democratized, in Africa there was still a lack of preservation, education and development on any great scale across the continent. [2], Who Killed Captain Alex? Sembene was a pioneer in truly reclaiming African culture and telling African stories, both in literature and on screen. He sends a female spy to seduce Captain Alex for the Tiger Mafia to capture him. There was less of a sociopolitical motivation to leave an African mark on the cinematic medium, as this had been achieved over the last three decades. “I know we need good cameras, computers but even without, you can not just sit, we have the talent, we have the passion, we can do it… We are training children, they are ten in number. There is nothing academic, analytical or intellectual about it- the film’s only intention is to be a film. As it becomes the largest film market in the world, Western filmmakers are scrambling for Chinese money with very mixed results – The Great Wall, Iron Man 3 and Transformers being notable culprits of trying to appease Chinese audiences who were left unimpressed- and the key seems to be not pandering to them. is the first African film that has taken advantage of that. There is a reason that superhero films and action-heavy blockbusters like the Fast and Furious franchise have performed so well internationally. Who Killed Captain Alex? [14], 2010 action-comedy film directed by Isaac Nabwana, "Fantasia 2015: Watch the Trailer for Uganda's First Action Film WHO KILLED CAPTAIN ALEX | Film Pulse", "Uganda's Tarantino makes $200 action movies", "Inside Wakaliwood: Kampala's action movie studio", "ALAN HOFMANIS INTERVIEW – What Up, Son?! Like a twisted Twilight Zone episode, featuring some damn fun practical effects. African Cinema (or what could also be referred to as Post-Colonial African Cinema, but I believe this terminology to be inaccurate) was born in 1963 with the release of Senegalese filmmaker Ousmane Sembene’s short film Borom Sarret (The Wagoner), and truly arrived with his debut feature film La Noire De… (Black Girl) in 1965. However, with Colonial forces leaving, there was clearly little desire for them to share and exhibit African films in any great way- it would have been a further demonstration of their perceived failure to maintain control. But when troop leader Captain Alex is killed during a raid, a violent war escalates between the two sides. | Stars: Kakule William, Kakule Wilson, Sserunya Ernest, G. Puffs. What Amy Schumer Did for Love? How can conversation turn to National Cinemas when the vast majority lack an awareness of the vast distinctions between African nations and their cultures? Gross. [3] Production began in late 2009 in the ghettos of Nateete. Directed by Rob Cohen. According to John F. King, Georgia’s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner, Kevin Lee Botsford, age 56, was killed in the accidental explosion in Zebulon on Tuesday. The fact they are masterpieces has ensured they are more than just an interesting historical marker. This does not dilute its contribution to African Cinema, in fact quite the opposite- like Black Girl, it is a film that spearheads a phase of African Cinema. Wakaliwood’s work has received tens of millions of views on the internet, and all despite a budget of approximately $200. One look at Wakaliwood’s growth, and its continued international attention through various press outlets and film festivals, draws very promising comparisons- but on Wakaliwood’s terms. But you would be surprised how much these four films have in common, even though one of them features a helicopter literally flattening a skyscraper whilst a narrator screams “What Is Happening?!?! It may have been creatively influenced by both East and West, but the viewer is always aware that it is a Ugandan film. Fan Videos! So what does Who Killed Captain Alex?, a film whose narrator blurts out “dinosaurs” with no context as its hero hides among a flock of Pelicans, have to do with these masterpieces? Why “Who Killed Captain Alex?” is the Most Important African Film of the 21st Century Cinema Escapist. He got promoted to captain about a year and a half after two of his brother slaves of Allah killed and maimed Boston Marathon watchers and murdered a police officer across the river in Cambridge. Who Killed Captain Alex. The film's props and camera equipment were fabricated from scrap metal at a machine shop next to Nabwana's house. As Tyra Boisseau and Alex split some fans seemed a bit surprised at that. It's an important component of GDP. is the best African film of this century, but it is the film that signifies a shift in cultural influences, of overcoming the continent’s past limitations in distribution and exhibition, and responding to a supposedly decolonized, increasingly globalized world, where power is shifting Eastward. June 6, 2017 - These hair-raising moments are the first video footage from renowned rock climber Alex Honnold's ascent of the 3,000-foot wall of El Capitan—without a rope. Nearly 180 people — including 18 teenagers — have been killed in grain-related entrapments at federally regulated facilities across 34 states since 1984, records show. It was one of the fastest decimations of an animal population in world history—and it had happened almost entirely in secret. [3] The original version of the film was lost due to power outages and "strained conditions", while the surviving version of Who Killed Captain Alex? — Jason Hudson to Alex Captain Alex Mason is a CIA operative and retired Marine Force Recon Captain.2 He is the main protagonist and the main playable character in Call of Duty: Black Ops. Filmmaker Isaac Godfrey Geoffrey Nabwana (nicknamed Nabwana IGG) was inspired by his love of Hollywood action movies and martial arts films from childhood. Come on, Malia, way to be a c*ck block. October 8, 1989 and August 17, 1991. Their experimentation led to the most powerful global cultural institution of the last 100 years. Storyline. Black Girl is an essential part of a continent-wide sweep of political development, but Who Killed Captain Alex? “Magnificently Bonkers” - Variety. The first film to come out of the L.A. The film was produced on an estimated US$200 budget. As Africa rebuilt in the post-colonial era, Cinema was considered as hardly an essential factor in the development of an independent continent, compared to infrastructure and economic sustainability. Who Killed Captain Alex?–Uganda. The West was making enough money- and influencing their own culture with movements like French New Wave, Italian Neorealism and the “Movie Brats” of Hollywood- that they had no need to show audiences what Africa was producing. Black Girl. A young woman named Aubrey Fleming (Lindsay Lohan) falls victim to a sadistic kidnapper. Their employers were issued a total of $9.2 million in fines, though regulators later reduced the … Captain indicted in deadly Conception boat fire that killed 34 ... including Michael J. Just the fact they exist is enough of a milestone. 2. This author has consistently argued, to much ridicule, that a movie which proudly declares that everybody in Uganda knows Kung Fu can be compared to masterpieces like Ousmane Sembene’s Black Girl, Charles Burnett’s Killer of Sheep, and Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight. This thinkpiece could be criticised for being yet another analysis written within a Western frame of reference- that I am praising Who Killed Captain Alex? The Red Falcon: The Fleetwood tragedy which killed 19 sailors The near 500 ton ship called the Red Falcon was a regular to Fleetwood Port. Nabwana has developed an international outlook far earlier than any of the Hollywood studio moguls ever did. Bruce U leaves in frustration, with the master reminding him to bring a cake in their next meeting. The common thread between these films is that they were announcements of a new type of filmmaker, or a new type of storytelling, or both. Action, Horror and Sci-Fi films trade in the emotional manipulation of the audience. Antonio Caponigro (aka Tony Bananas) ordered the killing but was himself killed just a few weeks later in retaliation. ... Alex Schachter . Murderpedia. The explosion took place in the city’s Spin Kalay square in Police District 5 (PD5), reports Khaama Press. will give the entire heritage of African Cinema back to Africans”. A teenager has told a court he killed a schoolboy after he threatened to "ruin" his life by revealing their sexual relationship. is a love letter to movies Joblo. The studio was able to receive US$13,181 from 374 backers by 1 April. And there may well be an unintentional, subconscious element of that, especially in my earlier comparison of Nabwana’s efforts to that of the early Hollywood moguls. However, the Runaways were forced to run as they had been framed for the death of Gonzalez. Directed by Nabwana I.G.G. The fact they are masterpieces has ensured they are more than just an interesting historical marker. It marks a totally different kind of African film- one that is not about reflection, introspection or announcement. This kind of kinetic cinema will reach wider audiences and be a much easier sell to distributors both niche and mainstream. The BEA releases the current GDP statistics report for each quarter. No other African film can boast this kind of influence or success. The trailer for Who Killed Captain Alex? Votes: 7,111 “Nabwana is the first true African movie mogul.”. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/27/us/minneapolis-police-officer-kueng.html and Fantastic Fest 2016 Audience Award winner BAD BLACK — CRAZY WORLD is a non-stop barrage of insane energy, deft comedy, fantastic action, and boatloads of passion. As captain of the school swim team, he could always be counted on to lead the team to victory. We surpassed our Kickstarter Goal by an incredible 8,238%! The report, titled “Violent Incidents Report: November 2020,” tracked violent killings across the country. But Who Killed Captain Alex? The first Captain America film, Captain America: The First Avenger, has an IMDB rating of 6.9/10 an 80% and a 66% Metacritic score. It all starts with Nabwana- he has more ambition for Cinema beyond the art of filmmaking than perhaps any other African filmmaker in history. Killer of Sheep. Rebellion movement in the USA, and his film deals with the Diaspora’s need to remember its heritage. Most moviegoers don’t always want profound, challenging films- sometimes they just want to have a good time. Sembene’s work slowly found some sort of second life in Europe, but that was confined to academia and the cinephiles. General audiences do not inherently refer to the Cinema of France as European Cinema, or the Cinema of South Korea as Asian Cinema. The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) measures durable goods as part of its quarterly U.S. gross domestic product report. will achieve the recent crossover success of Tommy Wiseau’s The Room, but the financial support of its fanbase allows for Wakaliwood to be a full-time profession for Nabwana and many of the people of Wakaliga. A lack of desire from international markets to support African Film in a significant way, combined with a lack of resources and technology to preserve and develop, plagued this difficult first phase which produced some remarkable films and filmmakers, who remain criminally under-exposed. + Bad Black Blu-ray", "Help Build a Ugandan Action Movie Studio", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Who_Killed_Captain_Alex%3F&oldid=993060037, Articles with dead external links from June 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Bukenya Charles as Bruce U, Captain Alex's brother, This page was last edited on 8 December 2020, at 16:09. Starring Kakule William. Check out the latest breaking news videos and viral videos covering showbiz, sport, fashion, technology, and more from the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. Captain Alex Mason is a CIA operative and retired Marine Force Recon Captain. We need more African filmmakers and more African academics, growing up with better resources and a more varied cinematic canon to draw upon. Who Killed Captain Alex? Sienna Miller and J. K. Simmons appear in supporting roles. Crucially, Who Killed Captain Alex? This is where Who Killed Captain Alex? A British dad has died after moving 11,600 miles away to start a dream new life in New Zealand. As Puffs wreaks havoc on Kampala with the helicopter, Bruce U is captured by the Tiger Mafia. EastEnders fans were left reeling after Stuart Highway revealed he had killed DI Thompson the night of Ian Beale's brutal attack. doesn’t have this problem. Abderrahmane Sissako, as well, represent an increasingly emotionally complex, philosophically sophisticated and sensitive type of African Cinema. Thank you to all our Supa Fans! It currently has over 5 million views. There are a variety of reasons for this, such as a lack of proper preservation of original negative prints, a lack of awareness among African audiences, and a lack of voices bringing African Cinema into mainstream conversation. At least, not without referring to relations with the West. Moonlight.Three films, two from African American filmmakers, that stand out not just because of their quality, but because they are films that broke new ground. They spearhead what I consider to be the three phases of African and African-American Cinema (more on that in a moment). Iraqi troops torture and execute civilians in secret videos Elite unit was once praised by U.S. military officials By BRIAN ROSS, RHONDA SCHWARTZ, JAMES GORDON MEEK and RANDY KREIDER wakaliwood@gmail.com. ... Zach is made captain … The fact it is a piece of Genre cinema is crucial, too. Nabwana’s maverick approach is markedly different to other film industries within Africa, leading him to the kind of success they have been unable to achieve. If China pushes for as much development and intersection in Cinema as they have in so many other parts of the Continent, it will accelerate awareness of African Cinema- and Nabwana’s films would have started it all. These are the tactics of Silent Cinema, as previously mentioned. Soviet ships’ officers would have been familiar with the story of Aleksandr Dudnik, the captain of the Aleut, the only factory ship the Soviets owned before World War II. Unlike the pioneers of Hollywood, both Nollywood and Wakaliwood have an extraordinary tool at their disposal- but only the latter has made use of it to attract the wider world. Kimberly Bowersock, Lillian Contino, Jerry McMillen, Calvin Reynolds (October), along with Rodney, and Lynn Vaughn (August) were all shot and killed by Robert Foley in Madison County. 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