A Vietnam vet haunted by childhood visions is thrust into a shadowy arms smuggling plot in the Philippines.
BLACK FIRE
Sgt. Frank Johnson is a man without a past. Now they want to take away his future. Death and destruction is his only way out.
Gorewitz employs an ancient metaphor drawn from Jewish ritual in Black Fire. The light of a flame used by Jewish mystics as a source of contemplation is transposed by Gorewitz into a collage of ominous, erupting images. Juxtaposing scenes of urban decay with pastoral landscapes, he ultimately transforms the screen into a burnished, glowing icon that echoes the ritual's origin.
Quick Answer
Black Fire is a 1986 Philippine action-crime film directed by Shalom Gorewitz about a Vietnam War sergeant who, plagued by childhood flashbacks and ninja dreams, is sent as a military adviser and uncovers an arms smuggling operation.
Programmer's Pick
Clocking in at just five minutes, Black Fire is a feverish punch of postwar trauma and exploitation action, equal parts Rambo riff and surreal collage. Shalom Gorewitz’s blend of martial arts fantasy, military intrigue, and urban decay makes this a micro-dose of grindhouse adrenaline.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Why Cult
Sgt. Johnson's concussion-induced reveries cast him as a ninja, blurring the line between war trauma and martial arts fantasy.
Gorewitz’s film fuses ominous, erupting images and Jewish mystical metaphors into a burnished, surreal action piece.
At just five minutes long, this is a rapid-fire injection of exploitation action and experimental style.
A chance encounter with a corrupt officer’s gun-running operation pulls our haunted hero deeper into a web of military crime.
Scene Gallery
Questions from the Vault
When was Black Fire released? +
Black Fire was released in 1986.
Who directed Black Fire? +
Black Fire was directed by Shalom Gorewitz.
How long is Black Fire? +
Black Fire has a runtime of 5 minutes.
What genre is Black Fire? +
Black Fire is an action and crime film.
Where can I watch Black Fire? +
You can watch Black Fire on SassyFlix.
