Abar, the First Black Superman (1977)

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Siskoid
Though made in 1977, Abar, the First Black Superman feels like a much earlier effort based on its low do-it-yourself production values, one-time actors doing their best with single takes, bad sound, and truly horrific depictions of racists. Abar is the kind of sincere political film we might have expected from the end of the 60s or early 70s, with the eponymous character a charismatic Black Panther-type leader, and Dr. King's speech weaving in and out of the soundtrack. The original title was House of Fear, and at the top of the film, a well-to-do black family moves into a well-to-do white neighborhood (that for production reasons seems to be filled with hicks and hippies). They are greeted with swastikas, racial epithets and violence. In comes Abar and his gang from the ghetto to protect them, despite some resentment that they have abandoned their community for the bourgeois lifestyle. The cheapness is part of the fun, and Abar at least is a cool anti-hero, but as to whether this really is a "superhero movie", well... They tease the idea of giving Abar super-powers for 80% of the film, and when it finally happens, it's so loopy it might as well have been written by Alejandro Jodorowsky. So yes, it's a superhero movie, but on that score, it will try your patience (especially during those pointless scenes with the man from the city council). 1 year 6 months ago