In the early 70’s, “Mainstream films did nothing to give black people a sense that they were powerful and physically beautiful, or, at least for black women, that they were desired if they were darker than a brown grocery sack.” (McKissack).
That is why blaxploitation films started to come out. The genre was the most productive period in black film making, but it is often difficult to track the titles down. “At a time when most black men realized a fundamental freedom and power over their lives was denied at every turn, the pimp, for better or worse, was equated with self assertion”. (Quoted in McKissack). Two movies, Dolemite and The Mack, are both blaxploitation movies about pimps which clearly show the conditions and inherent social problems behind the blaxploitation phenomenon. Blaxploitation movies affected the music industry as well, because modern hip hop music is derived from these movies.
Dolemite, starring and produced by Rudy Ray Moore, was made in 1975. “Directed by D’Urville Martin, Dolemite deals with a street smart pimp who was framed by the 4th ward’s biggest dope dealer, Willie Green (played by D’Urville Martin). After two years in jail, Dolemite is released to help apprehend Willie Green and avenge the death of his nephew, Little Jimmy.” (Goodwin). “The self proclaimed ‘King of Party Records’ pooled his money and produced Dolemite on a “low, low, low, low” budget. ‘I was made fun of here in Los Angeles,’ Says Moore. ‘They called me a fool and said I was spending all my money and the movie would never get shown.” (Damiani). “Moore persisted despite his critics. His efforts resulted in a timeless gem of low-budget brilliance filled with rhyming banter, stagy fight scenes, rampant sex, patchwork leisure suits and some of the most quotable lines in movie history.” (Damiani).
The Research paper on Blaxploitation Film Black Films Tom
Analysis Of Blaxploitation Films Analysis Of Blaxploitation Films Essay, Research Paper In today? s culturally diverse, politically correct society, it is hard to believe that at one time racism was not only accepted as the norm, but enjoyed for its entertainment value. Individuals of African descent in North America today take the large, diverse pool of opportunities offered by the film industry ...
Dolemite has had a positive influence on rap music. “Rudy uses a short story-telling pattern in his films and it’s rap artists who have kept those traditions alive. They (rap artists) have re-invented many of the figures who appeared in Blaxploitation films. Moore has had an amazing influence on the music,” (Quoted in Damiani). The legend of Dolemite has been kept alive by the medium that Moore helped define: rap music. Moore has been sampled over 70 times by big-time artists like Dr. Dre and Easy E, recorded with Big Daddy Kane and Busta Rhymes, and been given lyrical nods by Ice T and Snoop Doggy Dog. He is widely known as the “Godfather of Rap.” “The King of the Party Record.” “The master of the pimpin’ lifestyle.” (Damiani). Not surprisingly, the soundtracks to blaxploitation movies are usually very very good. For example, Yvonne Gomez said this about the soundtrack to Superfly, another blaxploitation movie: “As an album, Superfly was an artistic masterwork and a commercial hit. Curtis’ fourth solo album and first soundtrack, it became his second of three gold albums and topped the Billboard pop chart for four weeks.”.
“The Mack was a 1973 film starring Max Julien as Goldie, a recently released convict who enters the highly lucrative pimping business on the mean streets of Oakland” (McKissack). “The movie tried to be a morality play involving two brothers, one a pimp, the other a black nationalist. The two are at constant odds, until white policemen, upset that Goldie won’t pay them protection money, kill their mother. This act brings the brothers together in an attempt to clean up the streets.” (McKissack). The Mack was first released on video in 1991, and in 1997, it had sold 67,000 copies.
The movies are similar to each other because the main characters are both pimps who are persecuted by racist cops, and have had enough of it. I think Dolemite is more of a comedy than The Mack is, because The Mack tried to be serious. In Dolemite, the police work for Willie Green, so they are corrupt, and the police in The Mack are corrupt because they want Goldie to pay protection money. There seems to be a trend of “the white man” being racist police officers in all of the blaxploitation movies I have seen, because that is what the movies are about. Both The Mack and Dolemite have the same theme, but I consider each of them worth watching for their individual merit.
The Review on Public Perception Towards Intercultural Romantic Relationship Based On Yasmin Ahmad Movie " Sepet"
PUBLIC PERCEPTION TOWADS INTERCULTURAL ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP BASED ON YASMIN AHMAD MOVIE “SEPET” CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 3 1.1 Background of Study 3 1.2Problem Statement 5 1.3Research Objectives 6 1.4Scope and Rationale of Study 7 1.5Significance of Study 8 1.6Profile 9 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 10 CHAPTER 3:RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 14 3.1 Background (Qualitative Paradigm) 15 3.2Population ...
