Memphis 1988 Film "The Contemporary Gladiator" name changed to "Kickbox Gladiator" & translated into German/Deutsch challenges Memphis White Supremacy & Racism

MEMPHIS, TN, UNITED STATES, September 30, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Anthony "Amp" Elmore is a Memphis born Five Time World Karate/Kickboxing Champion. In 1987 Elmore became the 1st person in Memphis film history to begin producing an Independent 35mm Feature film. Elmore made not only Black Memphis film history, Elmore made Memphis film history in July of 1988 when he sat with the owner of the Memphis Malco Theatre Mr. Steve Lightman to screen his Memphis made film "The Contemporary Gladiator" for Film exploitation at the Malco Theatre.

Elmore's film became the 1st Memphis made Independent Feature film to be featured in the over 100 year old Malco theatre in Memphis. Even more significant is the Black history fact that 24 years earlier because of legal segregation and Jim Crow laws Elmore could not walk through the from door of the Memphis Malco theatre. Elmore notes; we Blacks had to sit in the balcony of the Malco Theatre. We went from the "Balcony to the Box office."


Elmore notes that Memphis, Tennessee was "The Slave Capital of the World" where cotton is still King and the City that "killed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr." Elmore the father of Karate/Kickboxing in Memphis was the first to bring E.S.P.N. to Memphis in 1981. Elmore explains that the ABC mini-series roots did not premier until 1977. Elmore explains that years before the Cosby show or years before Spike Lee premiered his 1986 Black and White movie "She's Gotta Have it" we in Memphis were promoting World championship Kickboxing fights that aired on E.S.P.N. Elmore in 1986 produced a Kickboxing bouts that aired on BET or "Black Entertainment Television"

Elmore presented a problem for Memphis in that he was an unwelcomed Memphis "Muhammad Ali" of Karate/Kickboxing. Elmore Named by the Memphis magazine in 1983 as 100 of the most influential Memphians Elmore had the chance to bring NBC Sports World to Memphis via an agreement that would require community support. Memphis Mayor Dick Hackett who liked the idea of Memphis hosting Elmore's world title bout broke the news to Elmore that the Memphis business community declined NBC Sports world noting that Kickboxing is not something Memphis wanted to be associated with. Elmore understood that Memphis did not want to be associated with a Black person who was an another " Muhammad Ali type Black Karate/Kickboxing Champion."

Years earlier singer Elvis Presley hired White Kickboxing Champion Bill "Super foot" Wallace. Memphis embraced White Bill Wallace. Wallace left Memphis in 1980 to train actor John Belushi. While Elvis Presley died in 1977 there is no doubt in Elmore's mind that he and Elvis Presley would have "hit it off together." Elmore explains that there exist a culture in Karate and Martial Arts that transcends race and economic disparity. Elmore explains that this is noted in his Memphis made movie "The Contemporary Gladiator" whereas he joins White Karate fighter Jimmy Bland in Southaven, Mississippi who use to raise a confederate Flag, joins with Elmore to promote Kickboxing in Memphis.


While Elmore was undoubtedly Memphis 1st 35mm Independent Feature Filmmaker the fact that he is "Black and First" goes against the Memphis White Social norms., in that in Memphis, Tennessee a Black person must stay in their place. These social norms are not just enforced by Whites in Memphis, many Black leaders in power enforce these social norms.

White Memphis Film Commissioner Linn Sitler Subverted Elmore's Black film. Elmore explains look at the difference between how the Germans treated Elmore's film and how Memphis treated Elmore's film. In regards to Elmore's film there are almost no records of the film in Memphis. On the other hand the Country of Germany embraced the 1988 Memphis released film and culturally, skillfully translated the movie into the German language or deutsch. The German re-titled the film "Kickbox Gladiator."

The delineation between Memphis, Tennessee and Germany acknowledging this Memphis African/American film is Memphis Shelby County Film Commissioner Linn Sitler. The film buyers in Germany looked at the film for its historic, cultural, artistic, marketing and other values. In Memphis Film Commissioner Linn Sitler looked at how Elmore being noted as Memphis 1st feature filmmaker would affect white Memphis.

While Elmore's film is undoubtedly Memphis 1st Independent 35mm Feature film, Memphis Film Commission Linn Sitler in practice used her position as Memphis Shelby County Film Commissioner to put her "Thumb on the scales" to not only disadvantage Elmore's African/American Film production, Linn Sitler used her position to extricate Elmore's film out of Memphis film history.

The German version of the film Titled "Kickbox Gladiator" provides an unbiased and an uncut version of the film. The Germans carefully and meticulously dubbed the Memphis film in German. The Germans retitled , re-branded and market a film in a foreign Country cost 1000's of dollars. The fact that a Memphis made movie, written, produced, directed and starring a Memphis sports hero is featured international is respect worthy and news worthy.

In 34 years since Elmore began filming his movie Memphis Film commissioner Linn Sitler has never invited Elmore to anything film related whereas she always include any White person who has anything to do with the Memphis White film culture. One of the clearest examples and practice of Black on Black Racism in regards to the Memphis film culture is Memphis Film Commission board chairman Gail Jones Carson. Gail Jones Carson enforce the Memphis "Black stay in your place Rule." While she is African/American, an NAACP Vice President and the Memphis film Commission board chairman she remains silent. She is paid well a chosen Black leader and an advocate of the status quo.

While Black Filmmaker Tyler Perry created a multi-billion dollar Black film Industry in Atlanta Gail Jones Carson used her influence to get Tennessee State Senator Raumesh Akbari and Tennessee State Representative G.A. Hardaway to use their influence as Members of the Congressional Black Caucus to influence State of Tennessee to provide millions of tax payer funds to incentivize the failed NBC drama Bluff City Law that provided no benefit to the African/American Community.

Anthony Elmore
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German Movie Contrast to Memphis Film Commissioner's White Supremacy and Racism