Reviews (15)

It's a great film
I love the Dolemite movies, which is quite possibly the greatest duo of films ever made. I'll never in my life forget the kung-fu action scenes and a naked Rudy Ray Moore rolling down a grassy hill in "The Human Tornado." These movies should be viewed every man, woman and child to walk the earth...they are truly an experience like no other.

The Kung-Fu is worth the purchase price alone!!!
Don't believe the fools who doubt Rudy Ray Moore!!! How can people look at the Dolemite movies seriously? The opening credits are printed on his GIANT JAMES-BROWN-STYLE CAPE!! You'll never enjoy the sensory overload and outright absurdity of these movies if you try to THINK about them. Just have a six-pack and a few smart-mouthed friends around when you watch it.

Nothing beats Dolemite's , jokin', hustlin' kung-fu ways. NOTHING!!! Step off, Batman!!!

I quote the man himself when I say: "Man, move over and let me pass, 'fore they has to be pullin' these Hush-Puppies out your ...!!"

My brother MADE me watch this, and I'm a changed man.

Dolemite's back!
Ok, last time we caught up with the godfather of rap he beat willie green and crooked politicans in a brilliant film. This time I'm affraid, Rudy Ray Moore fumbles. The Human Tornando succumbs to the sequel disease of being worse than the first one. It's not horrible it's a very good movie, but it tries to be to formulatic , it wants to be as good as the first one and use sub-plots resembly the first one.

The plot line, Dolemite leaves California behind and is somewhere in the south when he is caught with the sherrif's wife and jumps off a hill naked. The sherrif is pursuing him across the nation as dolemite puts his nightclub act on the go. He makes it back to Cali. and finds Queen Bee in some hot water with nightclub competiors, and Dolemite comes to the rescue. The movie's not horrible, but not as good as the 1st. It sometimes is choppy, hard to follow, and complete nonsense ( even more than in the original) Dolemite saves the day of course but a weird ending leaves you wanting a bit more well enough to leave on a high point. Remember the first had witty comebacks, and two rap songs performed you'll be lucky to catch him even run into rhyme this time. All in all this was good, close but no cigar.

Big time disapointed
I just loved the 1st one but the sequel was just too slow, not very funny and had lost it's charm. It just has a few memorable scenes.

A Dolemite Fan
Although the characters in this movie and other Dolemite movies
are a little rusty with their acting, I can't help but watch
these movies over and over again. The movie hits with the
rest of the top-rated movies of that era. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Based on Terry McMillan's best-selling novel, How StellaGot Her Groove Back stars Angela Bassett as a 40-year-old, Manhattan stock trader and single mom whose static life gets a jolt during a vacation with her pal (Whoopi Goldberg) in Jamaica. Sparks fly when Bassett meets a 20-year-old stud (Taye Diggs) who has an ambivalent career path but a great body and lots of sexual energy to burn. After some prodding by Goldberg's warm-funny secondary character, Bassett gets it on with the fellow--and proceeds to worry about what she's doing with a man half her age. The film is most enjoyable in its sunny, exotic early scenes and becomes more formulaic once the unlikely couple transports their will-we-stay-together-or-won't-we tensions back to the Big Apple. But director Kevin Rodney Sullivan goes out of his way to make a movie unabashedly thick with fantasy and wish-fulfillment for female audiences (it's Diggs who reveals a lot more flesh than the regal Bassett). This is a Saturday-night movie all around. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (66)

A nice movie for the ladies!
I just saw this movie again this past weekend. Each time I do, I want to hop on the next plane to Jamaica. The shots of the island and Stella's room were wonderful! Angela Bassett's performance as Stella was refreshing. There aren't too many movies which showcase successful, intelligent, and independent African American women. And, of course, Stella's beauty and physique makes 40 worth looking forward to. I didn't think that the chemistry between Winston (Taye Diggs) and Stella was very magical, at least not like in the book, but I thought they made a nice pairing thanks to Bassett's performance. And Diggs' performance in the shower made him a worthwhile addition. The best chemistry was between Bassett and Goldberg. They remind me so much of me and my best friend! And the bickering between the sisters was hilarious. The women, in general, just stand out in this film. A great movie to watch especially when hanging out with the girls.

I Wasn't Wild About This One, But It's Worth a Look
Terry McMillan's followup to "Waiting to Exhale," "How Stella Got Her Groove Back," was dismissed by some critics as a fluffy beach romance novel. It definitely had its spunk, but suffered from an overall blah-ness that weighed it down. The movie version has similar problems. Our heroine, played by the fierce talent that is Angela Bassett, is a broker trying to balance her career and being a single mom. She, along with her best friend (Whoopi Goldberg), takes a vacation to Jamaica, where she falls for the striking Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs, whose Jamaican accent fades in and out throughout his otherwise solid performance). The problem? She's 40. And he's 20. You can pretty much imagine the issues these two have to face, as they decide whether or not to start a "serious" relationship. "How Stella..." is a pleasant movie, despite the often sappy touches that almost mar the film. The love story itself is fairly predictable, although the supporting roles from Suzzane Douglas and the always-dependable Regina King are pretty good. Don't go looking to get blown away by this movie. Like the novel on which it's based, it will pass your time nicely without requiring any deep thought.

A movie for every library
When Stella Payne (Angela Bassett), a forty-something African American and successful businesswoman, goes on a wild vacation to Jamaica, she gets more than she bargained for in the way of unconventional romantic interests. Stella soon falls in with a younger, more Jamaican crowd featuring the winsome Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs) - a hot black stud who soon shows up back in the USA. Sparks may be flying, but when life settles back down does the anomalistic coupling of a native-born American and Jamaican have a true future?

Drama is also high among Stella's conventional acquaintances - with whom she is shy to display her all-too-Jamaican boyfriend - and, while Winston appears comfortable in spite of the nationalistic disparity, it is all too obvious that Stella is not. Throw in a protective son (Michael Pagan) and life-long friend, the convivial and cancerous Delilah (Whoopli Goldblerg), and you've got the perfect formula for an engaging and plenary love story for everyone. Based on the novel by Terry McMillan and directed by the celebrated Kevin Sullivan (of "Conviction" and "Barbershop 2: Back in Business"), "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" is both fun and political in a refreshingly unusual way.

Whoppi is funny
I love this movie because Whoppi is hilarious.

Whack! Terrible
This movie was whack it was kinda of good but Taye Diggs cannot act Jamaican and he looked ugly! I bet you that Omar Epps could have done a better Jamaican. and the book was quadruple times better even more! ... Read more

Amazon.com

What was director Robert Townsend thinking? His movies, such as The Five Heartbeats and The Hollywood Shuffle, are sweet, enjoyable little pictures. But this "comedy" about two flashy Georgia women hoping to find money and men in Los Angeles is stereotypical, unfunny, embarrassing, and boring. Halle Berry and newcomer Natalie Desselle are trapped in pitiful roles playing against the distinguished but miscast Martin Landau and a wasted Ian Richardson. B.A.P.S., by the way, stands for black American princesses. There are better urban comedies out there, the badly named Booty Call for one. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Terribly funny and uplifting when you are down in the dumps.
I liked this movie; it made me laugh at a time when I was down in the dumps. I know Ms. Berry and Mr. Landau have been in better movies; but this one showcases their ability to be funny. Besides, if you cannot have any fun now and then; why make movies in the first place. The plot is great because it shows just what can happen when two blacks girls follow their dreams. Even though it doesn't seem like it will work out for them in the end, it really does after all. Troy Beyer is the writer, Robert Townsend directed, black actors starred in it. Give this movie a break; it is a comedy; it is not supposed to be a drama like "Titanic". The scenes in the restaurant were funny and realistic; two black girls meeting celebrites they have only read about and heard about. If that is not funny I don't know what is. When will we (African-Americans) start giving each other credit for our accomplishments in the film industry??? It is high time we started recognizing each other's talent. When we do, others will recognize our talent as well.

About time a campy BLACK comedy came along!
I for one am sick of reviewers like Mr. Maltin automatically panning everything that isn't of the same level as say "The English Patient" or "Casablanca". Some movies are just straight up comedy, aiight already?! While this movie does portray stereotypes such as the trashy ghetto fabulous urban black wannabe diva and the ultra snobby and stuffy white Beverly Hills millionaire, these stereotypes are (it seems to me) intentional and just add to the laughter! Yes, the plot is contrived, yes it probably couldn't happen in real life, but who gives a s@#$? It's funny as hell, filled with celebrity cameos, and let's face it - where else could one see Miss Halle Berry sporting gold teeth, finger waved platinum blond hair, and vinyl hot pants?! The hairstyles and clothes alone are enough to laugh oneself into intensive care! This movie is the type I have been waiting to see for quite awhile, a campy black comedy for the 90's!

Absolutely Hilarious!!!!
Long before Halle's Oscar, she was just another B star celeb. This movie is her best comedic performance to date. Halle shines as a southern girl who decides to live her drams of being famous in LA with her best friend (Natalie Desselle) and wind up acting in a much bigger role than they anticipated. Natalie played the perfect chubby, but funny sidekick to Halle's Niecy. Although it starts as a comedy, it ends with excitement and joy. I recommend this movie to everyone who needs a great laugh!!!

LOVED THE MOVIE
THE MOVIE IS HILARIOUS. YOU HAVE TO THINK OF HOW GREAT OF AN ACTING JOB SHE (HALLE BERRY) DID IN THE MOVIE CONSIDERING WHAT SHE WAS GOING THROUGH IN HER PERSONAL LIFE. SHE WAS FORCED TO BE FUNNY AT A TIME IN HER LIFE WHEN NOT A DANG THANG WAS FUNNY. YES, THE PLOT IS STUPID AND THE CHARACTERS ARE STUPID, BIG DEAL, THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT FUNNY. THE MOVIE ISN'T MEANT TO BE SERIOUS, IT'S MEANT TO BE FUNNY. THE SOONER THAT PEOPLE REALIZE THE PURPOSE OF SOME MOVIES, THE SOONER THE WILL BE LESS OFFENDED, OR WHAT NOT. MOST MOVIES ARE FICTIONAL, AND HAVE PEOPLE DO AND SAY THINGS THINGS THAT WOULD NEVER BE DONE OR SAID IN REAL LIFE. IF YOU LIKE SCREWBALL MOVIES THIS IS DEFINITELY THE MOVIE TO SEE. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL THE 13TH TO FINALLY GET THE DVD!!!!!

Fiiiinnne and yo' sef
Monster's Ball is ain't but then again, was it really intended to be?
Lots of fun, far from serious, light and entertaining. It was nice seeing Martin Landau in such a different role, too. I do think the intent of the movie was satirical and therefore meant to be enjoyed with all the sense of humor one could muster--(with that in mind)I laughed all the way through. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Take this as a Warning. I am serious.
This is a warning to anybody thinking of buying this dvd. Here and Now was awful. From the beginning you can see the stupid audience members heckling and bothering pryor. I wish i could invent a time machine to go back and kill those people before they entered the theater that night. I purchased Here and Now because i was at the store hoping to get Live in Conert or Live on the Sunset Strip. They were all out, then i saw this dvd. The price was 20 dollars and i had 20 dollars on me. I thought this must be fate, no it wasn't it was God's and Richard Pryor's way of making a big joke. I had told friends how great Pryor was in the other performance. Live in Concert was genius, just brilliant. So i bought it and showed it to the friends i had hyped him up to, and only one of them even laughed a little and the other's began to criticize Pryor for being so terribly unfunny. And that just made me look like an idiot for recommending him. This is a Warning. Please i beg of you not to buy this; take your twenty dollars and give it to me, I will put it to good use by hiring scientists to build time machines and spaceships to go back in time and smack the coke out of Richard's nose before he decided to do this show. I would only tell you to get it if you have a collection you wish to complete, because there are a only a couple of good parts. Be warned!

Lousy
Those who are familiar with Richard Pryor at his peak will be very disappointed with this one. Seemingly having no prepared material, Pryor shuffles up and down the stage, frequently stopping to shout at members of the audience (who heckle him throughout the show). Pryor never quite gets on track, and even the "Mudbone" routine falls flat. In all, it is a sorry, boring waste of time, a tedious testament to the creative and artistic decline of a once-great entertainer. Most infomercials are far more entertaining that this piece of garbage. Not recommended.

THIS FILM IS UNDERAPRRECIATED! THIS SHOW IS GREAT!!
People say that HERE & NOW didn't make as big an impact as his other concert films , particularly LIVE ON SUNSET STRIP , but I found the film very enjoyable. The excited (maybe drunken) hecklers would sometimes interrupt Pryor's routine early in the film but he rolls with the hecklers garnering applause at times.

The beauty of Pryor's stand-up is that he seems to share seriously revealing aspects of his personal life for the sake of comedy and entertainment. The moment when he is talking about the junkies are an example of that. The routine changes from stand-up to captivating theatre when he talks about the junkie "Motif". Pryor gets into character and when he begins to roll his sleeve up indicating he is about to 'shoot up' it goes from comedy to commentary. You clearly see the sad reality painted by him yet he doesn't go too far out of the comedic light to still make you laugh. He walks that fine line between funny and seriousness. That is part of the reason why Pryor is considered a comedy genius and I haven't seen another comedian do that better.

The DVD is a two-sided disc with widescreen on one side and full screen on the other. The audio is digital mono with english and french subtitles (at least on the disc I own).

People say that this isn't his best stand up routine but that doesn't mean it is bad stand up. Pryor has stand up routines that are tough to measure up to so it really isn't fair to belittle this film by comparing it to his other shows even though in HERE & NOW he is very much open , spontaneous , and connected with the audience. To me HERE & NOW is very funny enlightening , and revealing.

Richard Pryor - Here and Now
I saw this film originaly in the theater and I walked out dissapointed. I finnaly saw it just recently on Encore and laughed like crazy. You be the judge. This film had it's moments, but still doesn't live up to Pryors previous film, "Live on Sunset Strip".

Richard Pryor: Here and Now
This is not up to the Richard Pryor comedic standard. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great movie!!!
This movie stands the test of time. I remember seeing this movie on the big screen when I was little.I was so moved by young Larry Fishburn performance that I found myself crying right along with him during the big tearjerking scene. So much talent even at that young age of 12. It's hard to believe that the sweet kid in "Cornbread Earl and Me" grew up to be the mean Ike Turner in "What's Love Got To Do With It"! One of my favorite movies as a child, "Cornbread Earl and Me" is now one of my children's favorite. The teenagers love it for the violence( angry mob attacks cops,woman gets 'pimp slap' in the face by crooked cop, ... etc.) but I like it because of the beautiful touching story. Buy it, you wont be disappointed.

I've seen this movie years ago,and i luv it !!
This movie was so touching, to where its not even funny,and whats so sad about it is that,the same things that happened in the movie is happening in real life as i speak..its funny people can change..but not the polices..

Superb !!!!!!
I remember when I had saw this movie when I was a little girl and I had saw it on BET last year this is a great movie it is sad but it is still good I enjoyed this movie and I would recommend anyone who enjoys blaxploitation movies would enjoy this movie this is a great film about a little boy and his friend Cornbread he was a great basketball player and he had just recieved a scholarship to go to a college to play basketball and had dreams of becoming a pro- basketball player and one day a white cop accidentally shoots him and he dies and a big contorversy stirs in this small towm and causes havoc and trouble for everyone and really takes a toll on his friend and
makes it hard for him to cope with his loss but eventually things get better and then he goes on with his life but he never forget about his friend "Cornbread" . This is a touching heartwarming film that would make you just want to cry so therefore when you watch this movie be sure to have some tissue on hand. I would recommend anyone who is fond of dramas to purchse this video!!!!

Good film about the importance of friendship and manhood
Aw later for you, Leonard Maltin! This movie is GREAT! This is an important story about friendship and manhood. Young Larry Fishburne's admiration of "Cornbread" rings true with any child who had an older friend to admire as a role model. But the outstanding part is where Fish's mother (Rosalind Cash) tells Fishburne to go to the courtroom stand and BE A MAN and not to be intimidated into giving false testimony of Cornbread's death at the hands of the police as the other witnesses were! This scene borught tears to my eyes and a "standing-o" from the audience I saw it with. This scene alone, with the message it gives to young people about integrity, is worth the price of admission alone!

Classic Film
you can't ever say enough about a film that captures everything you want&hope in a film.Strong Cast&Acting,Solid Directing&great Music.it's a Feel Good Film.it is a Film that is still strong to this day.Check it out. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great music, great cast, Ethel Waters at her best
This is a delightful film. The Broadway score, already one of the finer scores for its time, with the classics "Taking a chance on love" and "Cabin in the sky", was further improved with the addition of "Happiness is just a thing called Joe". There are several other wonderful numbers, including the Duke Ellington number with some great dancing, and "Bubbles" singing "Shine". The cast was the finest black talent of the day, and the movie demonstrates why Ethel Waters was considered the greatest singer and entertainer of her day. In this movie, she also demonstrates that she is a fine actress and a fine dancer. It's a pity that the racial climate of the time didn't allow her more films - she's as magical on screen as she was, by all reports, in person. The remainder of the cast includes a stunning young Lena Horne, surely one of the most beautiful women ever to appear on screen, and who is here allowed to be smolderingly sexy, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, who's an endearing Little Joe, Rex Ingram as Lucifer Jr, and smaller but memorable appearances by Louis Armstrong, Butterfly McQueen, and "Bubbles" of Buck and Bubbles. Seeing Waters sing "Taking a chance on love", "cabin in the sky", "Happiness is just a thing called Joe" and her wicked reprise of "Honey in the honeycomb", complete with some dance steps that will floor you, is more than enough to recommend the movie, but all performances are delightful, and the songs and background music are great. If we take it as a "fable", as we are counseled to do at the beginning, then I don't see it as a racist or dated film. The characters are almost all well delineated and believable within the "fable" context, and are no more stereotypical in this context than numerous films of white people at the time that were also fantasies.

It's a pleasure to watch from beginning to end - clearly a timeless classic, especially valuable for archiving for all time the classic Waters performance and the superb acting, singing, dancing and comedic skills of some of the greatest black talent pre-World War II.

A TOUR-DE-FORCE OF TALENT FROM AN AMAZING CAST
In these enlightened times, a movie such as Cabin in the Sky - which is heavily laden with racial stereotypes - seems awkwardly out of place. However, before we all jump on the political correctness bandwagon, it's worth remembering that the movie was made during WW2, and that Civil Rights Movements were some 20 or so years in the future.

Much has been written about the plot, so I won't focus on that. I will say, however, that this movie is a tour-de-force of talent. It marked Vincent Minelli's directorial debut, and it's clear that he did a fine job. Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Lena Horne and Ethel Waters all play their parts brilliantly. If there was any animosity between Lena and Ethel, it was easy to understand. Ethel fought tough and nail to climb the showbiz ladder, whereas Lena was the first African-American actress to be groomed specially for Hollywood. Ms Horne had specially designed gowns and mingled with the upper echelons of MGM. The moviemakers even created a special make up range for her in an effort to pass her off as an exotic Latin American belle. Lena refused to disrespect her race by denying her heritage.

Anyway, back to the film. It's Ethel Water's character, Petunia, that I warm to the most. She may have been downtrodden, and reduced to scrubbing floors. However, there's a down-to-earth warmth that radiates from her. Her rendition of "Happiness is a Thing Called Joe" is superb. The late Waters was a remarkable, versatile performer, and it's a shame that she's not as well known among the masses like Lena.

As for Lena's Georgia Brown, she's nothing short of breathtakingly beautiful. Ms Horne was something of a WW2 pin-up, and it's easy to see why. She tempts the viewers (and the censors, no doubt!) with her sexy lingerie, and isn't shy to show off a good bit of thigh! The only other African American woman who showed this much flesh was Josephine Baker, but she was doing her thing in Paris!

The songs by Duke Ellington are great. Also look out for a young Louis Armstrong - he plays one of Lucifer's hilarious angels!

Cabin in the Sky is fine musical - a classic, and it's high time is was released in the UK! However, us Brits will have to do with imports for the time being. As with all US video tapes, you'll need a VCR with NTSC playback to watch this movie.

Good Movie Fo Sho
Vincente Minnelli, who directed the film, Cabin in the Sky (1943), composed this 'race movie' with an all African American cast. What makes this film extraordinary is that Vincente Minnelli is a white director who filmed this picture with an all black cast. Around the early 1940's, mainstream production studios (Hollywood) noticed that these 'race movies' which consisted of African American directors/producers/casts, were producing huge sums of money. In an attempt to tap this newly discovered source of money, the mainstream film industry began to produce these race films which consisted of white directors/producers, but included an all African American cast. In Cabin in the Sky, Minnelli includes many social issues that black America faced during this time. A major issue that black America faced back in the 1940's and still today which Minnelli included in this film is obtaining identity/home.
An example of obtaining home can be explained by the scene where the character Little Joe (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson) dies and rises out of his body only to awake to the presence of Lucifer Jr. (Rex Ingram). As Lucifer Jr. describes to Little Joe all of the evil things that will come to him in Hell, Little Joe screams out, "I don't want to die, I just wanna' go back home to Petunia." In this scene, Little Joe identifies home as Earth, all the physical objects in which he can interact with (the absence of the spiritual world). Another example of home can be identified with the character Petunia (Ethel Waters) in the scene where she sits beside Little Joe next to him in his bed. Petunia preys to God to not take Little Joe home yet. In this scene, home is identified as the spiritual world, in which all the sins of the corrupt physical world would not exist. So in Petunias case, home is a pure spiritual world. In Little Joe's case, Earth is a testing ground to determine if a person should ascend to heaven or descend to hell. If a person lives a righteous life on Earth, then God will open the gates of heaven to that person. On the other hand, if a person lives a sinful life on Earth, the devil will open the gates of hell to that person. The moral of the film is that one must choose their path wisely while they live on the battleground between heaven and hell.
The film's title also has great significance. The title, Cabin in the Sky makes a huge statement saying that home is identified as heaven. A lack of home which is Earth, creates a void in which that void must be filled. If one can't obtain home physically, then one will obtain it spiritually. As in many of the scenes where Petunia preys to God prove that one will obtain home spiritually.
Overall, this film was excellent. It is a rare occasion to see pictures of a black heaven, in which many of the angels consisted of neatly dressed African American men in trimly white uniforms. Also, the gate keepers of heaven were young black angels, sitting valiantly on pedestals. The music by Ethel Waters and Duke Ellington with his band was phenomenal. I would recommend this movie to viewers who want to see how music and dance evolved from the old genre of 'race movies' to the new genre of 'race movies'.

Cabin in the Sky !!!!Fo Sho Baby!!!!!
Vincente Minnelli, who directed the film, Cabin in the Sky (1943), composed this 'race movie' with an all African American cast. What makes this film extraordinary is that Vincente Minnelli is a white director who filmed this picture with an all black cast. Around the early 1940's, mainstream production studios (Hollywood) noticed that these 'race movies' which consisted of African American directors/producers/casts, were producing huge sums of money. In an attempt to tap this newly discovered source of money, the mainstream film industry began to produce these race films which consisted of white directors/producers, but included an all African American cast. In Cabin in the Sky, Minnelli includes many social issues that black America faced during this time. A major issue that black America faced back in the 1940's and still today which Minnelli included in this film is obtaining identity/home.
An example of obtaining home can be explained by the scene where the character Little Joe (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson) dies and rises out of his body only to awake to the presence of Lucifer Jr. (Rex Ingram). As Lucifer Jr. describes to Little Joe all of the evil things that will come to him in Hell, Little Joe screams out, "I don't want to die, I just wanna' go back home to Petunia." In this scene, Little Joe identifies home as Earth, all the physical objects in which he can interact with (the absence of the spiritual world). Another example of home can be identified with the character Petunia (Ethel Waters) in the scene where she sits beside Little Joe next to him in his bed. Petunia preys to God to not take Little Joe home yet. In this scene, home is identified as the spiritual world, in which all the sins of the corrupt physical world would not exist. So in Petunias case, home is a pure spiritual world. In Little Joe's case, Earth is a testing ground to determine if a person should ascend to heaven or descend to hell. If a person lives a righteous life on Earth, then God will open the gates of heaven to that person. On the other hand, if a person lives a sinful life on Earth, the devil will open the gates of hell to that person. The moral of the film is that one must choose their path wisely while they live on the battleground between heaven and hell.
The film's title also has great significance. The title, Cabin in the Sky makes a huge statement saying that home is identified as heaven. A lack of home which is Earth, creates a void in which that void must be filled. If one can't obtain home physically, then one will obtain it spiritually. As in many of the scenes where Petunia preys to God prove that one will obtain home spiritually.
Overall, this film was excellent. It is a rare occasion to see pictures of a black heaven, in which many of the angels consisted of neatly dressed African American men in trimly white uniforms. Also, the gate keepers of heaven were young black angels, sitting valiantly on pedestals. The music by Ethel Waters and Duke Ellington with his band was phenomenal. I would recommend this movie to viewers who want to see how music and dance evolved from the old genre of 'race movies' to the new genre of 'race movies'.

Great music...
Great performances.Duke Ellington,Ethel Waters,Lena Horne.Doesn't get any better than that. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great footage of many early jazz legends
I have always found jazz performances much more captivating live rather than recorded, and although I can't travel back in time and see Louis Armstrong play during his prime, this video is the next best thing.

The makers of New Orleans did not waste the talents of the musicians, and a good chunk of the movie is concert footage of many of the giants from the golden age of Jazz including Kid Ory, Woody Herman and Billie Holiday doing old standards such as Basin Street Blues and Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans.

These performances truly convey the joy that enrapt the musicians as they played, and Armstrong in particular, is irresistably charming and funny as usual and appears for much of the film.

Unfortunately, Holiday is possibly the most wooden actress I have ever seen, but since for most of her comparatively short screen time is spent singing, it isn't a problem.

I strongly recommended this one to all fans of early jazz.

Who knows
What are the names of the classical music songs and the jazz by Woody Herman?

Silly plot, fantastic music
I bought this DVD blindly just because I'm such a fan of Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and of New Orleans in general. The plot (what there is of it) is clichŽd and uninteresting, but the music is fantastic, and I ended up playing the musical pieces over and over. The entire movie is filmed on a Hollywood soundstage; if you're looking for shots of old New Orleans, look elsewhere.

B-grade movie comes alive via Satchmo and Lady Day!
For years I've wanted to see NEW ORLEANS, knowing that thestoryline wouldn't match the quality of the music, and now it is finally available...on DVD no less. After watching it, I can say that the movie lived up (musically) and down (plotwise) to my expectations. However, with Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong and Billie 'Lady Day' Holiday in prominent roles, the musical strengths more than cancelled out the thematic/cinematic shortcomings.

The musical footage of Holiday and Armstrong (seen in solos and duets) is worth the price of admission, and the entirety of the movie is fairly entertaining if you don't expect too much....

Amid the cliched plot threads... fortunately the racial stereotypes are quite inoffensive by 1947 standards (albeit Billie is cast as a maid). Due to the lack of available Billie Holiday footage alone, this movie approaches essential status, at least among jazz fans.

The DVD includes two bonus shorts: a young Louis Armstrong sings and plays in the 1932 A RHAPSODY IN BLACK AND BLUE, and Duke Ellington teams up with a VERY young Billie Holiday in the priceless 1935 short SYMPHONY IN BLACK. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

This isnt a "Concert Film", it is a time Capsule
A great Film, my only dissapointment was the ommision of theDuke Ellington set, closing the actual event. This is an art film, thecinemaphotography is outstanding. The use of shape and light is masterful. Musical Highlights that ARE included in my opinion, are Anita O'Day, Louis Armstrong, Mahalia Jackson, and Monk.

If you are a (open minded!) jazz fan, and a art genre fan this is the film you have been waiting for!

DVD Info: Excellent color and sharpness. Audio is in Dolby Digital Mono. Crisp clear tone. Extras include a complete playlist for all three days of the festival. An interview with Bert Stern (both text and audio) with accompanying documentary imagery relating to Mr. Stern's other works mentioned in interview. Much insightful discussion about the planning, filming and post production of the film. Very fascinating and well worth the price.

Now, it may be me, but it seems that i noticed some brief segments of footage in the DVD release that i never noticed on my VHS copy. But im not running the VHS again to check, this DVD is so much better!

Phenomenal Work of Art
Contrary to some comments on this list, this film is not a documentary or concert film. It is a visionary work of art. It's like Robert Franks' book THE AMERICANS coming to life. If you don't know what that is about, see for yourself. This is the America that Kerouac loved. And if you don't know what that means, find out before it's too late.

This film is really about a summers day in America in 1958. As a musician, a Jazz lover, a poet and a film buff, this film is the best of all worlds. It is pure poetry. It is like seeing the world through Kerouac's heart-filled eyes. Eyes we all have, but forget in our daily malaise. Notice the minute particulars, the spontaneous nature of life. Speaking of Beats, if you look real close you can see Gregory Corso in a couple of audience shots.

Jazz on a Summers day is about time and place. It freezes a moment in time and makes it eternal. A time when jazz was common music of american culture. A summers day when people living in the cold war and the Eisenhower era kick off their shoes and truly live. It is filled with moments of deep sighs, AH. Like, the shot of the young girl singing along with Satchmo, if that's not art I don't know what is. The performers too, Mahalia Jackson is a great bodhisattva/angel. The cinematography is vibrant. You've never seen the fifties this real.

I actually love the parts that digress from the festival. Even though I regret not seeing all of Monk. But it's still magnanimous, and contrary to another comment, the stage announcer that says Monk is "unconcerned" should be understood as Monk is on a different level. He makes music for different reasons. If you don't what that means, just listen. Monk will whisper to you in a dream.

This was a time when the music was more than just refined listening for museums and chamber halls, it oozed into everything. Seeing the boating footage with the Jazz, it's just poetic. Jazz is part of life. It is the expression of life. The people are having a good time on a summers day. A day that seems so far away. This will never happen again. Not like this. This is what great films and art are made of.

There is beauty in every waking moment my friends. Just look. Breathe. Feel. Thank you Bert Stern.

As hip as they come
Bert Stern has both an eye and an ear for jazz, par excellence, capturing the spirit of the Newport Jazz festival in its heyday. This is a wonderful showcase of performances, ranging from the detached Thelonius Monk to the super cool Anita O'Day. But, without doubt, the performance that stands out is that of Mahalia Jackson who brings the crowd to their feet with "40 Days" and then brings them to their knees with her closing psalm, so passionately felt.

The movie takes you through a figurative day, capturing the sea air of Newport, the quiet practice sessions, the ebb and flow of the crowd as it grows to its evening peak, with a rocking performance by Chuck Berry. The Satchmo takes a wonderful turn at the mike with Jack Teargarden joining him in a fun duet. Chico Hamilton is there in all his seriousness with Eric Dolphy highlighting the band's performance. George Shearer looks like he could be playing at the Hollywood Bowl.

I was hoping for more extras on the DVD. The movie leaves you craving for more music. The 50's were the peak of the hip jazz scene and this movie is as hip as they come.

An absolutely wonderful documentary of Jazz
While I've not seen other Jazz movies or documentaries, I've seen Jazz on a Summer's Day on both VHS and on DVD and enjoy it so much that I've watched it several times and just had to purchase it on DVD.

I have always loved the classic Jazz of the 1950's and 1960's and this film documents one of the best Jazz festivals around, and I think this was the first Jazz festival in what we now know as the Newport Jazz festival.

What I love about this film is how Bert Stern uses his movie camera to shoot the film, much like a still camera and framed the shots just the same. I find it works on motion film as on still photography, especially in this kind of documentary where your documenting a concert. I love the B-roll shots of kids playing, grown ups sunbathing, the dixieland jazz band, the couples driving their vintage autos, and of course the Yaught(sp?) club races and overall, I find that Bert Stern does an incredible job of showing the general atmosphere of the concert and the weather of late summer in Rhode Island.

I find this an incredible film that is worthy of multiple viewings. Not just for it's incredible of shooting techniques, but for the music that is represented here. Lots of great names such as Anita O'Day, Thelonious Munk, George Shearing, Dina Washington etc. I love Bert's use of the reflections of the boats on the water for the opening sequence, mated to Jimmy Giuffrie's live rendition of the Train and the River. All in all, I rate this film a definate 5.

A piece of yesterday, live and in color
Bert Stern was a still photographer who got the opportunity to take a film crew to the 1959 Newport Jazz festival. With limited time and film, Stern and his crew set out not just to record a musical event, but to record a social experience.

For the most part, he succeeds, although there is more than enough footage of a boat race on Chesapeake bay that day to last me for the rest of my life.

The film cuts from performances to reactions of the crowd, as any concert film would. It's interesting to see the wide difference in clothing styles that appealed to people in 1959. Everything from men in suits to greasers in denim can be seen dancing and grooving along with the music.

People living nearby the festival can be seen partying on their roofs and dancing, booze in hand, to the music. People of every age are shown bopping along with whoever is on stage at the time.

Highlights: Anita O'Day's spot-on performance, in spite of the fact that she's well into her much-ballyhooed drug and booze habit (in a recent radio interview she said she couldn't remember doing this gig after even watching the film); Louis Armstrong, Jerry Mulligan, and the rather out-of-place, clearly there-for-the-kids but dressed to the nines and behaving himself, Chuck Berry. Older jazz guys have no idea what to make of Chuck, and one guy, in an attempt to "jazz up" Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen," starts playing some rather odd clarinet runs. Think "Sweet Little Bar Mitzvah."

There's a nice bunch of extras on here, too, including an interview with Stern that expalins a lot about what was going on.
If you like jazz, or documentaries, or just good music, this is a keeper. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Based on a novel by Terry McMillan, this weepy melodrama about four African American women and the men who wronged them became an instant cultural phenomenon when it was released back in 1995. It's easy to see why Exhale struck a nerve: the movie boasts an attractive cast of African American actresses and personalities, including Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, and Lela Rochon. Unfortunately, though, Exhale sags under the weight of its soapy, crisis of the week plotting and relentlessly cheery "you go, girl!" optimism. And African American men, cast here as insensitive lovers and pigheaded materialists, get the very short end of the feminist stick. Perhaps moviegoers were simply responding to the brilliant soundtrack by R&B superstar Babyface, who provided the movie's only real groove. --Ethan Brown ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Chick flick? Yes. But men will laugh too!
I think this movie would have gotten a more informed review from movie critics who could actually relate to the African-American female experience. If you have lived the Black female experience, then you will realize why women flocked to this movie in droves, dragging their husbands and boyfriends along with them. Finally, someone was telling a story about the joy and support of friendship, the pain and anger of loss of love. At the same time, the cinematographer made Black people look beautiful on-screen.

Best scenes, Bernadine (Angela Bassett) destroying her ungrateful husband's material possessions, then meeting the surprise man of her dreams. People refer to this as a man-bashing story, but I'd like to point out there were actually two men who revealed themselves as strong, loyal, and moral characters in the movie.

Written by Terry McMillan, directed by Forest Whitaker, and acted by a strong ensemble cast - notably Angela Bassett (who can do no wrong in film), Loretta Devine, and Gregory Hines. Waiting to Exhale was the precursor to Soul Food, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Eve's Bayou, Love Jones and more films featuring a Black, ensemble cast. Hollywood, are you listening? There is a market for these movies!

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.
Depending on who you are, Terry McMillan's 1992 novel "Waiting to Exhale" is either a blessing or a dreaded curse. McMillan's third novel about four African American women struggling to attain stability, identity, and normalcy in Phoenix was praised in some circles for giving contemporary Black women a much-needed voice. But in other circles, mostly male, "Waiting to Exhale" was ripped to shreds as a spiteful and ungrounded damnation of Black men as philanderers, deadbeats, and no-good-dooers. It also made McMillan the biggest literary target of criticsm since Alice Walker unleashed her novel "the Color Purple." But whatever your take on the book is, the film adaptation won't likely change your stance, as it stays overall faithful to the book. Director Forest Whitaker does a respectable job bringing to life these characters: Savannah (Whitney Houston) is the buppie still in search for Mr. Right; Bernadine (Angela Bassett) just got dumped by her husband of 11 years for a white woman; Robin (Lela Rochon) is the ditzy bimbo still trying to shake off her no-good ex, and Gloria (Loretta Devine) is the full-figured owner of a successful hair salon. The best performances, hands down, are Bassett and Devine, who make the best impressions, and they help keep the film moving at a good pace. The script, co-written by McMillan, is crisp with enough funny one-liners and a story compelling enough to keep the viewer interested. But there are flaws. Whitney Houston struggles in her role as Savannah; her performance is wooden and forced, and when paired against a seasoned pro like Bassett, she flat out crumbles. A more relaxed approach to the material would have helped. Also, memo to Black filmmakers: drop the swishy gay hairdresser stereotype! It's tired, done a million times before, and, frankly, is grossly out of touch with reality. That aside, it's not often that a movie successfully adapts a novel as well as this one, and "Waiting to Exhale," warts and all, merits a B in my school of cinema.

Blah Blah Blah @ The Critiquing Of This Movie
This is a great movie, will definately keep you laughing at the Diva's in this movie. So what the movie is not as good and thorough as the book(what movie is?) I mean if you want ever detailed in a book put on screen then we will still be sitting in the movie theatre trying to see the end.

good
This should have been better but Angela Bassett's performance was the best, so I guess it's worth a watch.

"No she di-uhn": A different type of review
Okay, so I've read every review on this movie, and none of them touch upon the things that I (and most of my friends) personally think make this movie great. One might say this movie is man-bashing, woman-empowering, etc, etc, and while it IS about these things, I think that those aspects pale in comparison to why this movie is great for me: these women are such DIVAS, it's RIDICULOUSLY hilarious! The lines that come out of their mouths, and the situations that they get themselves into are utterly jaw-dropping, causing you to say "NO SHE DIDN'T" just say that! "No, she DIDN'T just do that!" "NO SHE DIDN'T" just have sex with a man and say "my body NEEDS this!" You are constantly left absolutely amazed with the boldness, brashness, and utter DIVA-ness of these crazy hoochie ghetto mamas, who do and say the things that you wouldn't dare do yourself. If you are into seeing beautiful black divas who know they da sh*t, work their bad-a** selves and shake their booties, and still come out clean without breakin their acrylic nails, then you will think this movie is off the hizzy. If you don't understand what I just meant when I said all that, then you probably won't appreciate the humor in these BLACK DIVAS! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's been branded with the "blaxploitation" label, but there islittle that's exploitive in J.D.'s Revenge, a film of well-drawn,articulate characters dragged into a supernatural showdown. Glynn Turman(Cooley High) is especially fine as the sensitive and quiet Ike, adetermined student moonlighting as a cab driver, so wound up he's on theverge of cracking. Enter (literally) the ghost of J.D., a violent, vengeful gangster murdered in the opening moments. He could be Ike's own Mr. Hyde, a dapper, flamboyant ladykiller with a fiery temper and a straight razor whoslowly smothers Ike's easygoing personality. Driven by flashes of memory,he sets his vengeful sights on fire-and-brimstone preacher Reverend Bliss(Louis Gossett Jr.), whose dark past is intricately tied up with J.D.'smurder. Director Arthur Marks (Detroit 9000) sidesteps the usualspooky clichés to stir up a modern New Orleans gumbo of ghost story,gangster tale, and character drama. J.D. is both devilish sadist andavenging angel, while the tortured Ike awakens from J.D.'s violent rampages with a hole in his memory but a sick feeling from his imagined complicityin the crimes. The story gets wrapped up a little too neatly in the end, but the dark character shadings and the evocative mystery at the center ofIke's possession makes J.D.'s Revenge an unexpectedly compellingsupernatural thriller. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Interesting...
This movie came out when I was about nine years old. Just out of the blue, the title popped into my head and I decided to purchase it....

The movie literaly had me on the edge of my seat once JD's spirit took over Ike's body. I disliked how this possession affected those close to Ike. He couldn't remember hurting his girlfriend or one of his customers. JD was CRAZY!!! It really did not take me long to figure out who killed JD and his sister, but I don't want to give it away. If your into "blaxplotation" movies, check this one out...

J.D. Walker the boss talker
Because my nickname is JD i had to get this title. The movie is ok and is worth buying. I don't know if it was meant as a comedy but that is what it was for me. Don't expect too much with this one, rather take what you get.

Endless Repetition...
I first saw this in the late 70's while on a USN ship in the Med. It was a good distraction - and absolutely hilarious! In those days, the crews would exchange movies while underway via a large canvas bag. We'd send our "viewed" movies to another ship in exchange for the movies they'd seen.
EVERY EXCHANGE we'd end up with a copy of J.D.'s Revenge and Revenge of the B Girls. J.D.'s Revenge was so funny that the crew and wardroom watched it nearly every night for nearly 6 months. In a few months, nearly everyone had memorized the entire movie. It was like J.D. was taking over the crew...
Yup. Life was much harsher in the "Old Navy". How could anyone NOT want such an enjoyable (and quotable) movie?

J.D.'s Revenge (1976)
I had to get this title. The movie is ok and is worth buying. I enjoyed this movie. It's a movie that I grow-up with as a kid. I refers DVD's to the VHS Tape edition.

JD's Revenge
I perserved with this DVD, but it was certainly a 'B' rated. Considering the actors where known the story line was poor. Not a film I would keep in my collection, very disappointing. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

it is the best of tapes, it is the worst of tapes
Contrary to what a previous reviewer wrote, "I Have a Dream" has had three sections chopped out of it; it's still a good version of an important speech. The audio here is often excellent -- good selections from the December '62 speech to the SCLC, a good cutting from "I Have been to the Mountain", a good (but too brief) quote from one of the anti-Vietnam speeches. One long section from just before the third Selma march (the one that succeeded) is also very fine. Well worth the money for those with an interest in public speaking and rhetoric. As sort of a bonus, you also get Bobby Kennedy's impromptu eulogy (though the space might have been better used for more of King).

Editing, however, veers all over; there are four "assembled" speeches (ones that were never given, assembled from pieces of other speeches). All of the Birmingham material is fragmented and out of order.

Further, the nostalgia footage, while giving aging boomers an excuse for a good cry, is so extensive that we only actually see King for about 1/3 of the tape -- the rest of the time you get the tiresome video editorializing for which the Speeches Collection is infamous. You don't learn nearly as much as you should about his delivery, and practically all footage of audience reaction is missing, so if you want to study King as a speaker, in detail, this tape will be very frustrating. (Is Joan Baez on a march really more interesting than MLK?)

Finally, two areas of King's career are stinted: his antiVietnam activity (we get only his short defense of his doing it -- none of his actual critiques of the war), and his preaching. To really represent him and his style, at least a few minutes of a sermon -- especially of one of his evangelical ones -- should have been included.

So three stars: there's material here that belongs in any good collection of public speaking, but there's also a lot of "Speeches Of" video hash and emotional pandering. If you use it to teach speech or rhetoric, now and then you will need to teach against the tape.

Brillant
i bought this video tape about 2 or 3 years back and was very moved by it.Dr.King's words have always given me hope and helped me think out problems.his speeches are timeless and important to all Human Beings that are striving for a better Future.

good summary of civil rights era in addition to speeches
I use this video in my Language and Culture class. It not only contains the full text of many of King's important speeches, including "I Have a Dream," but also contains original footage of many important events of the Civil Rights Movement. It is excellent for both history and rhetorical analysis. Most students are moved by the film and come away with new respect. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Amazon.com

James Brown, the venerable "Godfather of Soul," has the mountainous highs and cavernous lows of his life examined in this lively installment from the A&E Biography series.From the poorest of beginnings in South Carolina, Brown went on to be the first black entertainer to fly to gigs in his own jet, although it was never easy for the singer who became known as "the hardest working man in show business."Archival photographs illustrate Brown's ascent in the nightclub circuits, where he first gained fame before hitting his peak in the 1960s, when he sold out Harlem's famed Apollo Theatre, had chart-topping hits, and appeared on the covers of major magazines.A particular highpoint of the video is film clips from Brown's stunningly energetic performances in the 1960s.Interviews with fellow musicians Stevie Wonder and B.B. King place Brown's profound musical influence in context, and provide a contrast to interviews with family members that illuminate the troubled life that led to two years in prison for drug-related crimes when Brown was a grandfather.This is a fascinating and lively look at a man whose life was as different as his music. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Career Retrospective
Unlike so many biographical documentaries, this videocassette covers the artist's entire career to date. The typical presentation concentrates on "the hits". "James Brown - The Godfather Of Soul" provides insight into the development of his music in general, thanks in part to comments from Stevie Wonder, B.B. King, and biographer Bruce Tucker. For the already initiated the very rare stills which permeate the production, plus the c. 1969 live clips of "Please, Please, Please" and "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud" should make it more than worthwhile. (Looka here - How about a future expanded edition with long excerpts from the 1968 TV Specials? Just kidding...).

FANTASTIC FROM THE GODFATHER SUPERBAD
JAMES BROWN IS THE MAN.this is a Solid Video Tape.Great Footage&Interviews.You Hear The Grand History of The Hardest Working Man in Show Business.His Impact on Music Around The World is TImeless.It's Great Having This Video Reflecting on a Man Who Wasn't Afraid Too Say I'M Black&I'M Proud.FOr Me He is Way Underrated.Because He is The Mozart Of His Time.SO Many FOlks Have Rocked His Style it Ain't Even Funny.&Sampled Him Too Death in Music&in Style.He is a True One Man Show&Still SUPER BAD! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

And I was there....
What can I say, I'm bias, why... not because this was another of those "black" films everyone thought should be made but because I actually had a small bit part in it. Yep, stood out there in the cold of Platte City (MO), with about 16 other extras. Saw the open call for extras on the bulletin board at school and answered the call. Hey, no money, no true fame, but at least my segment didn't get tossed to the cutting room floor and it was fun "being in a movie"

Williamson Takes Over the Town, and the Film, Too
As a soul cinema fan, it is hard for me to criticize this film, which unites two Afro-American icons, Pam Grier and Fred Williamson. Still, I must confess my disappointed feelings after watching "Bucktown," a rather mediocre film, considering those two fantastic leads.

"Bucktown" is a corrupt town where the corrupt cops donimate. Now Duke (Williamson), after his brother's suspicious death, comes back to this hometown (in a "Ger Carter" way), only to find himself trapped in between the hostile police and beautiful Aretha (Grier). Reluctantly he decides to stay there because of legal problems, and to manage the local bar. As (expectedly) the love between Aretha and Duke develops, the local police begin (expectedly) to show their true colors.

The film is given a unique twist here; Duke calls in his old buddy Roy (Thalmus Rasulala, regular of blaxploitation genre) to wage a war against the cops, but the result turns out worse than he hoped. The film tries to provide a new point of view on this genre, giving a picture of a conflict between blacks, but it seems the film doesn't know how to end this awkward situation.

Though the film is far from perfect, it keeps on going with a good pace, and Williamson as always shows his charismatic presense effectively though Pam Grier as a result is pushed aside to a minor role despite of her previous successful roles in "Coffy." My verdict is, "Bucktown" is not a terrible film as some critics label it, but it is, I must say, strictly for fans of this genre.

cool film
this film worked really well.Both The "Hammer"&Pam Grier get down to Business here.it's so sad at how they didn't get there Props back in the day because films like this Showcase how tight they were on screen&they always had alot of Great Action in the films.Pam Grier still Blows My Mind She is SuperBaddd!!

Excellent Revenge Movie!
Fred Williamson is cool as ever-- though the character he plays, Duke, is an ex-football player-- okay, not much of a stretch..

Still, you can't front on the action that takes place when Duke takes on the corrupt police force in his old hometown--

The cast includes several blaxploitation regulars: The sheriff, played by Art Lund, also menaced Williamson as a crooked cop in BLACK CAESAR.

Bernie Hamilton went on to play STARSKY & HUTCH's police boss Captain Dobey, and he shows up here as a longtime Bucktown resident who spends too much time at the local bar that Duke's brother owned before his death..

Pam Grier is more subdued in this piece, not the "kick-behind-chick" of most of her roles.. But golly, is she fine as ever..

Thalmus Rasulala (Blacula, What's Happening) is Duke's big-city hustling pal Roy, who recruits a gang of cronies to give some payback to the redneck cops who terrorize the black residents of Bucktown. Among the cronies is "Hambone", played by future ROCKY star Carl Weathers.

After Duke, Roy and the gang send the crooked cops running (and violently so), they unofficially take the place of the cops in running the protection scam-- Duke is reluctant, but Roy revels in his newfound power. For the moment, Roy and Duke come to a compromise, as Roy promises not to "lean" on the townsfolk like the cops did..

But Roy's over-zealous henchmen could care less about being civil, as they roughhouse everyone who crosses their path, including Grier and Hamilton, the latter of whom is brutally beaten-- Next on their hit list is Duke, as he and Grier are assaulted in his home.. That sets the stage for Duke to get some long-coming revenge, assisted by a local boy who becomes his sidekick..

The showdown between Duke and Roy is long and bloody-- and satisfying...

Amidst all the mayhem in this film, some sly social commentaries are made: The kid who befriends Duke is a hustler wannabe, and has a precocious knowledge of all the nightlife vices in Bucktown-- "Girls, gambling, we got it all!"

Also, the audience is introduced to the cold reality that Black political corruption and criminality is just as dastardly as when it is done by Whites-- turning the tables on the traditional source of inner-city social ills in post-civil-rights-era America.

Fantastic Fred Williamson / Pam Grier vehicle
"Bucktown" is certainly less melodramatic and more savvy than most 70's blaxploitation fare. In this film, Fred Williamson stars as Duke, who returns home to Bucktown to bury his brother and resume business at his brother's bar - "Alabama". He soon discovers the corrupt white police force had his brother - alongside everyone else - in their pocket and intend to keep it that way. Urging against any confrontation is the eternally sexy Pam Grier as Aretha, a local at Alabama. Duke calls in some friends from the big city to oust the cops, who are led by Duke's longtime pal Roy. Once the cops are out, the grateful mayor wants to thank Duke's friends with a great parade; but unbeknownst to Duke, Roy and his crew have become aware of the power the police force had, and now they suddenly have other plans...

Pam Grier fans should note that she doesn't appear naked or even scantilly clad in every frame. She surprisingly appears classic and tasteful in fine outfits. The film is loaded with blaxploitation regulars. The final showdown of the film is tremendous, loaded with "I'm gonna beat you down, boy" prologues between Duke and Roy. There is also good use made of a tank in this film, but I don't want to spoil the whole experience for you. Check it out for yourself. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

This one is great fun
Sure it's over the top. Sure Shelley Winters' character is absurd. But this one is a lot of fun. In the genre of blaxploitation movies, this movie is closer to "Shaft" in quality than it is to "Foxy Brown". "Foxy", while enjoyable, is a very amateurish production. "Cleopatra", on the other hand, is very well done. The car chase rates as one of the best of the era.

As for the transfer, it also is very well done. My only complaint about the DVD is the lack of any additional features. In fact, it is so bare that the menu is a generic Warner Bros. logo instead of related to the movie.

Regardless, even if you aren't a big fan of the blaxploitation genre, this one is great entertainment....exciting and funny at the same time.

Major Company's Answer to Blaxploitation Vogue
As a good example to see how a major studio handles topics in vogue, "Cleopatra Jones" is worth watching. I mean, there is nothing new in this film except the fact that more money is invested than in "Coffy" or "Foxy Brown," small, independent company's works. The formula is basically the same as those of so-called blaxploitaion films, but the shoot-out, car chase, or explosion scenes are all updated.

This movie is about Cleopatra Jones, or "Cleo," sexy, cool, no-nonsense secret agent for government, who fights against drug syndicate. And she uses karate (a bit). Well, the rest is as you guess. Tamara Dobson is remembered as Cleo, and rightly so. Her tall, slender body fits exactly Cleopatra's character, and she is pretty impressive, and her acting is not bad.

However, much, much more impressive is Shelley Winters (Oscar winner!!), who plays "Mommy," ruthless mastermind behind drug business. Her hammy performance -- wearing a black leather jacket, yelling "I will kill HERRR!!! -- is something you see in your nightmare. She overacts so much that if Golden Raspberry Awards had been there back in the 70s, she surely would have win the prize of the decade. The final scene, in which Cleo fights Mammy (yes, they fight!!) in a junkyard, will become ... well ... a bizzare memory for you.

Okay blaxploitation film
"Cleopatra Jones" is a surprisingly well-made action film, and although it offers nothing new, it has more going for it than many other films of this type. Drugs, inner-city violence, dealers and their remora of enforcers are what Amazon warrior Cleopatra Jones is up against and she tackles these evils with the help of two karate experts. Car chases, shootouts, killings and karate fights are all done with professional skill but it's too bad that Bernie Casey wasn't given more to do because he's wasted in this picture. Shelley Winters is way over the top as a lesbian drug dealer in an embarrassing performance that adds nothing to the film or her reputation as a capable Hollywood actress who won an Oscar in a supporting role in "A Patch of Blue" [1965]. Joe Simon's punchy vocals accompany the action on a soundtrack that seems to mirror Isaac Hayes' "Theme from Shaft".

For Blaxploitation fans only
If you liked the trashy Blaxploitation films of the 70s, you'll love this. If you're like me and hate this junk-filled genre, it ain't for you.

Bad acting (especially Shelly Winters and the ubiquitous Antonio Fargas), overdone story (main character getting revenge for framing by the (of course) racist crooked cops), ad nauseum. Good for laughs, but not much else.

However, there are some redeeming features that raise this from one starts to two for me. Bernie Casey comes off as a very sincere and redeeming character who tries to rid th eneighborhood of drug abuse. Cleo Jones herself shows that women can be smart as well as sexy (though she's not quite as charasmatic as Pam Grier's characters and Pam's a better actress). But in either case, this is one of those films best watched with a bunch of your friends over and a cooler filled with beers nearby.

Campy '70s Fun!
I have always really liked this movie since it came out in 1973. I have watched it countless times through the years on TV, but haven't seen it for a while on TV so I picked it up on DVD. Although the DVD doesn't offer a lot of features, the picture quality is good and it's presented in it's original cinemascope format. This was one of the higher budget "blaxploitation" flicks from the '70s. Seeing it as a kid I thought it was the coolest movie. Now that I am a lot older, it's still cool, but in a campy/fun way. The plot consists of a government agent named Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson)who is hired to rid the US of drugs. She goes after one of the "Queenpins" of the drug trade called Mommy, played by Shelley Winters. The one thing I never forgot about this movie was Cleopatra's kickin' Corvette complete with a cassette deck, which was really high-end at the time! (Most cars had 8-track players) Along with this was her funky fashions! If you like the '70s action genre, this is a great addition to your library. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

AVOID AT ALL COSTS
THIS IS TOTAL, AND UTTER TRASH! I MEAN A PERSON CAN ONLY HAVE SOO MUCH RETRO-70s CULTURE AND CHEESY ACTION SEQUENCES BEFORE HE OR SHE LOSES IT. OK...LET'S MAKE IT EASY. TAKE SHAFT, REMOVE EVERYTHING COOL, AND NOW ADD THE PLOT STRUCTURE OF A CONAN MOVIE AND A BAD 70s PORN, YOU HAVE THE GUY FROM HARLEM. IT'S SAD, WHEN THE HIGHEST BUDGET AMOUNT FOR THE FILM WAS ON THE FRO-SHEEN. SAD SAD SAD MOVIE. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Episode 1: A House Divided and Sullivan Ballou's letter
This first episode in Ken Burns' celebrated Civil War documentary is unforgettable for the concluding section on "Honorable Manhood" which in