Warner Bros. Pictures have hired Malcolm Spellman to write a feature based on the classic TV show “Soul Train”, according to Variety. Darryl Porter and Aaron Geller of Porter/Geller Productions will produce with Don Cornelius.
Spellman is working on a script for a movie set in the 80s about a breakdancer’s dreams of fame on a tour. We kid you not.
“All of the hip-hop street dances you see today were born during that time period and were first seen on that show, and I remember doing all of them when I was a kid” – Malcolm Spellman
See, kids? THIS is why it’s important to know your history.
WHO (else) was watching Soul Train for break dancing moves?
SOUL TRAIN was about the MUSIC. Basically this movie is a feature length version of that Cosby Show episode where Theo and Cockroach try to get on that dance show, but Cockroach leaves Theo outside because there’s only room for one more.
No. Seriously.
So far the story is about a dancer, who comes from “the L.A. hood”, and his ticket out is his gift for “popping”. Don Cornelius, who by the way, we love and respect immensely, told Spellman he’d always wanted to mount a tour with bands and dancers. When I hear this description, I think “Budweiser Superfest”, or like a Wattstax on tour. The writer heard “Stomp The Yard”, and has decided to make the tour, whcih never happened, a centerpiece of the film.
So let’s review. There’s an ACTUAL SHOW that existed, and ran from 1971-2006. With REAL people. SHALAMAR came from Soul Train. Countless stories happened surrounding Soul Train. Classic performances. Drama behind the scenes. An Awards show. This is a living part of Black history. Warner Brothers gives you a budget, and you write about :
“This guy is a serious popper, with street edge, and he wants to get on that tour, with the hottest of the hot”
But there WAS no tour! And why are we talking about this “Popper”?! Who IS this guy? Where’s Stevie Wonder? Where’s O’Bryan? Where’s Klymaxx? Where’s The Deele? THAT is what Soul Train did for most of the country, it introduced us to new SOUNDS.
Plus, young men wanted to be on the show to meet the GIRL DANCERS. This wasn’t “Solid Gold”, this was “Soul Train”!
Another opportunity to do a great picture along lines of Dreamgirls (yes, even a Soul Train MUSICAL would be a better idea than this) — LOST.
Maybe Don Cornelius can turn this around before it’s too late!
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