Category: REVIEWS

Here is where you would find our film reviews on BRWC. We look at on trailers, shorts, indies and mainstream. We love movies!

Xenon Blaxplotation Classic Review: The Muthers

By Brogan Ord-Staunton.

Before watching the 1976 “blaxpotiation” classic “The Muthers”, 70s expolitation cinema was not a genre I’d delved into much. Being my first experience, I dipped my toe into the waters with his one and i was pleasantly surprised.

Directed by cult “B” movie favorite Cirio Santiago, “The Muthers” is yet another low-budget flick from the era, hijacking it’s way onto DVD courtesy of Vinegar Syndrome. It’s a combination of genres, Women in Prison, sexploitation and blaxploitation

The film follows the journey of Kelly (Jeanne Bell) and Angie (Rosanne Katon) who lead an all male crew, sailing the South Seas. Once they realise Kellys teenager sister has gone missing, the set sail to find her only to find she has been abducted by a human trafficking ring. After setting themselves up capture, they work to set themselves and the island of trapped women free, as well as bringing down the notorious kingpin Monterio, who runs the operation, down.

In some ways it could be argued this film was way beyond its time. I mean, a film lead with a female, african american cast? Considering we live in a time where it is seen as a milestone for a film to even consider a woman as a profitable lead, it seems this genre proved well before it’s time that unsurprisingly yes, people want to see kick ass, witty women on screen!

Saying this, this film does still give issue, but no more issues that are seen within film today. Not one but two graitious bathing scenes and some very questionable fashion choices (a turtleneck in the tropics?). Let’s face it though, this was the 70’s and that is the troupes of the genre. But taking that into consideration the film is actually pretty good natured. Most of the most shocking scenes are already in the trailer, so there isn’t much more watching the full film offers, but it is still worth an hour of your time, if only for some great one liners and seeing some kick ass women on screen. Also, arguable one of the coolest action scenes ever committed to scene, but I won’t spoil that for you, you’ll know when you see it.

It’s easy to see the influence films such as this has had on modern cinema (Here’s looking at you Tarantino). For those yet to have their exploitation education, this is definitely an good start to ease yourself in.

However, if you’re a fan of “The Muthers” already, this is the nicest version you’ll ever see. Cool, bright, crisp colouring and a lush, funky 70’s disco sound, it probably looks infinitely better now than it did upon its initial release.

13th July 2018
The BRWC Review: Whitney

Three years of investigation have resulted in Whitney – the untold story. Kevin Macdonald, the man who brought us Searching for Sugarman and Last King of Scotland both of which took a different, refreshing angle on demystifying icons. However, with Whitney, it is mostly off key but in a few places, it does hit the high notes through what is unsaid.

The opening sequence of Whitney reveals the woman rather than the icon in her own words. Whitney Houston is retelling a recurring dream/nightmare where she is running and wakes up exhausted. Her mother tells her she is running from the devil, but as we watch the film and read between the lines we start to question if this devil is more familiar than anyone wants to say – her family. At the tender age of 21 Whitney was exhausted and when she went too soon at 48 she was still exhausted.

Kevin Macdonald scores interviews with her brothers Michael and Gary Garland Houston, one of whom introduced her to drugs long before Bobby Brown, the sacrificial lamb and street boy appeared on the scene. Cissy Houston, Whitney’s mother features prominently and it is she who helped Whitney harness and control her gift and together with Clive Davis, who packaged Whitney, gave the world this indelible legacy. Whitney Houston like Prince, Amy and George Michael, these talents only appear once in a lifetime and are often damaged by the very ones who are supposed to protect. In Whitney’s case, it was her mother’s sister Dee Dee Warwick who was the alleged paedophile who molested both Whitney and her brother Gary. In Gary’s words, they stayed a lot with family whilst their mother was trying to reach the dizzy heights of fame. It was Whitney, and in some respects, her mother was and is still living through that fame, that achieved and excelled those heights.

The glaring omission from the documentary is Robyn Crawford, deemed as evil by the family no doubt because she never hid her sexuality. She is a lesbian. Also, the jealousy that she was the one who Whitney truly confided in and loved in the purest sense of the word.

As a black woman, I watched Whitney and felt something that many others won’t have. Black women are not allowed to fail by society or their family. The failure which is truly subjective is viewed negatively by the very ones who are supposed to love you, the family. It is this that is the most interesting aspect of Whitney the role her family played in her fame, demise and psyche. When she failed and let the drugs envelop her, she didn’t just fail herself but them as well and that was unforgivable.

Whitney was the soundtrack to my Tweens, teens, twenties and beyond. She has a song for my every mood: heartbreak, joy, sadness, drunk dancing and was the first black superstar I identified with. This is the Whitney I know and loved and there are glimmers of it in this documentary especially when she sings the national anthem, the raw footage of a young Whitney and never forget she’s one of the biggest female singers of all time. We needed more songs, a deeper investigation and less family interference not least because one of the executive producers is Patricia Houston. Ultimately the final product is still family controlled.

Whitney is on general release in cinemas nationwide.

13th July 2018
Xenon Blaxploitation Classic Review: The Human Tornado

To describe Cliff Roquemore’s debut film as “outlandish” would be more than a mild understatement. Based on the adventures of Rudy Ray Moore’s stand-up character Dolemite, the movie follows the eponymous 1975 film. Dolemite is ‘The Human Tornado’, himself a comedian and pimp, a tongue in cheek reaction to the blaxploitation leads of the early 70s – Super Fly and Sweet Sweetback.

The Human Tornado opens accordingly, with Dolemite’s uproarious comedy set managing to balance the mocking of black stereotypes with sharp, culturally appropriate observational comedy. The sequence is driven by an almost intense score of African drumming, as if a sarcastic nod to one of the first examples of blaxploitation tropes crossing over into mainstream cinema: 1973 Bond outing Live and Let Die. To celebrate the end of his successful comedy tour, Dolemite throws a party at his mansion, and who might happen to turn up but the sheriff’s wife. A white woman at a party of only black guests, she is quite realistically just looking to pay Dolemite to sleep with her. And of course he obliges.

Driving the story forward, a noise complaint is made (by some white neighbours) about the party, and the police decide to head over. There are strange echoes of last year’s Detroit as they interrupt the proceedings, with the sheriff proclaiming: “Only shoot them if you have to”. There are important civil rights issues dotted throughout the film, deliberately accentuated to draw attention, only to be laughed off or brushed over. Of course, the sheriff discovers his wife in bed and shoots her, leaving Dolemite to go on the run to sunny California.

What follows is perhaps one of the most madcap adventures ever to grace the big screen. The plot is about as focused as The Blues Brothers – Dolemite and his cohorts are constantly distracted from their mission, which incidentally is to rescue 2 dancers that have been kidnapped by a gangster. But they are slowed down by one too many poorly choreographed fight sequences, a few too many ridiculous characters, and far too many graphic sex scenes. One of which, quite literally, brings the house down. Tonally and structurally, the piece doesn’t really adhere to cinematic rules, becoming almost just a collection of absurd vignettes – a blaxploitation version of Woody Allen’s Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex. But with more sex.

The Human Tornado, as well as its predecessor Dolemite, could be a masterpiece, if it only knew how self aware it should be. The film steers away from Mel Brooks’ style outright fun poking, but of course has its fair share of send ups of the blaxploitation genre. But, like in Paul Verhoeven’s excellent Starship Troopers, there is a sense of respect for the style behind the obvious spoof gags. Sadly, Moore’s tongue isn’t quite as far into his cheek as Verhoeven’s, and perhaps that is why you might not realise the film is a spoof just from watching it. It feels like Moore and writer Jerry Jones were let loose to do absolutely whatever they wanted, and if Roquemore had reined them in a little, The Human Tornado might be more than just a niche cult classic.

11th July 2018
Candy & Ronnie: Review

This is a story of excesses, of wanting more, of pushing the boundaries. And it all comes with a high cost.

Billy (Tyler Tackett) and Alice (Mair Mulroney) are a young couple in love who seem to have it all. And sometimes having it all is simply not enough. So they seek more and find refuge in a drug-fuelled weekend in, joined by a pizza guy (Paul Stanczak) who delivers much more than food.

This award winning short film is beautifully shot, and at times their excessive ‘fun’ becomes unbearable as it vividly depicts the high and lows of drug taking. And we know right from the beginning that things will not end up well, as Billy wakes up on his couch desperate to piece things together, while Alice is nowhere to be seen.

Flashbacks thread this short film with vivid imaginary and impressive acting. I found it hard to simply follow and enjoy it but knowing that there was a silver lining in there somewhere, turned it into addictive watching. Because, after all, this is a cautionary tale, and with cautionary tales, you want to go back, and watch it again.

Candy & Ronnie

Billy Isaaks (Tyler Tackett) sits paralyzed in his darkened living room piecing together fragmented flashbacks of his tumultuous relationship with live-in girlfriend Alice Murphy (Mair Mulroney). He fondly remembers the early days of puppy love but his memory soon unleashes the not so distant past when an innocent evening of recreational drug use 360’s into a weekend drug binge with the pizza guy (Paul Stanczak). Is Billy repressing thoughts of a threesome, the drugs he knows they took or both? His nightmare unravels before our eyes.

10th July 2018
Xenon Blaxploitation Classic Review: Dolemite

By Afonso Almeida.

Technicolour clothing and karate. That’s essentially what’s on offering with D’Urville Martin’s 1975 Dolemite. Starring Rudy Ray Moore as the titular Dolemite, the movie tells the story of a Pimp who is framed by a rival and serves 20 years in prison. When he returns to civilisation, Dolemite sets about to regain his reputation, crew and club, all in exuberant style.

There’s not much plot to detail when it comes to Dolemite. The initial set up of the film, involving two policer officers falsely arresting the titular character on drug charges is only the loose thread that holds the film together. What follows is almost a day in the life of this larger than life, karate chopping figure. We are introduced to the Dolemite girls, who need no further introduction given Dolemite’s job description, as well as an assortment of local layabouts and characters that surround his life. There seem to be very few obstacles in Dolemit’s rise back to the top, even though there is the looming presence of corrupt white police officers and a rival. Nevertheless, the film culminates in an over the top display of karate and excessive wigs.

Dolemite features a lot of the Blaxploitation genre tropes. A larger than life protagonist, boisterous supporting cast, the presence of stereotypical white oppressors and a genuine attitude of resistance and joy of life in light of these harsh circumstances. In a hilarious scene at the beginning (though the intention for comedy remains debatable) Dolemite sheds off the grey suit and tie he was issued by the prison, to don his sky blue pimp uniform, climbing aboard his Cadillac with five of the Dolemite girls, only to immediately disrobe with them. There are several moments like this that carry through the film. Light hearted, and downright funny, but nevertheless carrying a sentiment of not being subdued by the oppressing forces.

Despite the light-hearted tone and clunky dialogue (which could almost earn a comparison to Tommy Wiseau’s The Room when it comes to failed moments of earnest sentiment) the film does present an entertaining look at social issues, without being overbearing. There are references to the ramped drug culture devastating Los Angeles, the corruption of the police force, and the inability for African Americans to simply go about their lives.

Ultimately, Dolemite is simply a good time. With psychedelic outfits, cheesy dialogue, funky music and the slowest karate chops ever recorded to film, it is impossible not to simply sit back and enjoy the ride.

8th July 2018