Dolemite

This review is for the Blu-Ray version of 'Dolemite' released by Vinegar Syndrome in April, 2016.I'm giving this 5 stars based on the quality of the release and not the quality of the movie production. The extra's are numerous and excellent. I enjoyed the "Locations: Then & Now" featurette. I also liked the "I, Dolemite documentary." There are quite a few other extra's including a commentary track by Rudy Ray Moore's biographer.I thought the picture was excellent even though the print itself wasn't exceptional. I'm going to guess that since this was shot on a microscopic budget that what you see is the way it was filmed. The flaws have probably always been there. Of course it's nothing like the restoration's of Hollywood classics but it is very good for "what it is."I picked this up after watching a few other 'blaxploitation' movies. I remember seeing advertisements for these types of movies in the newspapers in New York back when I was a youngster. I always wondered what these movies were like. When I was a kid I imagined these movies to be very violent. Well, they are violent but they are also very funny and the violence never really looks real so you can't take it too seriously.I watched the 'Shaft' movies along with a few others, each of which are standard DVD quality. I decided to give this one a shot because it looked like it might be interesting.The movie itself was pretty entertaining. Never taking itself too seriously and often silly. Rudy Ray Moore performs a few skits from his real life stage show. The plot centers around a night club owner, performer and pimp (Dolemite) who is being released from prison to help bring down a drug dealer. That very same drug dealer had Dolemite set up by rival, Willie Green, with help from corrupt cops. Dolemite has been wrongly imprisoned for possession of drugs. Willie Green has taken over Dolemite's nightclub and territory. Fortunately for Dolemite he has has a loyal harem (for lack of a better word) who helps him in his quest to bring down Willie Green and get back his turf.I will be picking up the next movie in Rudy Ray Moore's career, The Human Tornado soon.Highly recommended for fans of blaxploitation movies and anybody who is a beginner like myself to this genre of movies.

Oh Dolemite, Queen Bee, Hamburger Pimp and Mean Willie Green....I'm so happy! Knowing of this movie for like 20 years but neglecting to see it I should kick my OWN @ss twice a day. I knew it was "bad", I didn't realize that it was so GOOD! Having seen my beloved John Waters ultra-classic "Pink Flamingo's" I felt RIGHT at home with Dolemite the minute I pressed play on my dvd player. The similarity of both films is obvious: the DIY ethic of filming in your own house, improvising parts, using friends and achieving "high" art on Schlitz budget and both somehow capturing a moment in time better than many skilled and well financed directors: Black LA in the mid '70's with Dolemite and the Manson Family ethic with Flamingo's. I mean seriously, Hamburger Pimp could EASILY have been in a number of John Waters movies and Cotton could have been a Dolemite "dancer". A "Dolemite vs. Babs Johnson" sequel? Sniff.. we can only imagine!But anyway, back to the movie: the lack of editing, acting and filming experience is what REALLY elevates Dolemite. Poor Queen Bee looks like a 50 year old drag queen (I was shocked at how much better she looks in the FAR more professional "Human Tornado") and everyone looks sweaty, shiny and fat. Apparently no one knew of film make up techniques at the time! The choppy editing, sloppy karate moves and exTREMEly awkward sex scenes only make the movie more memorable - too memorable, when it looks like Dolemite is mounting you during one of the sex scenes (referred to as the "Dolemite Cam"!) I had to sleep with my light on for a week! Worth it, as I watched it like 3 times over the weekend strangely compelled to ask questions like "why is the creeper wearing an inside-out dolemite t-shirt and where can I get one?" or "how did Dolemite manage to park that '71 caddy in that tight spot behind Hamburger Pimps house?" or the classic "why is he wearing a white jumpsuit in the dressing room BEFORE the show only to change into a white tux FOR the show?". My only complaint, of course, is that there's an unedited version out there (explaining SOME of the horrific editing in the making-love-to-the-b!tches scenes) and I won't rest until I get myself a copy...and let no rat-soup eating, insecure born mutha get in my way!

OK, the film has a few problems, such as a Warden even being able to just up and decide to release a prisoner, even to identify and weed out the bad guys.It also has a few "slice of life" sequences which, frankly, did nothing for me. Of course, this is about what things were like in the 70s, which is a long time ago.One thing I have not seen mentioned: there are aspects of how the crooked cops behave that are very reminiscent of the crooked cops in the much later film /Payback/. Of course, that was done 24 years later, so any relation could be indirect (that is, through other films), or both could be part of an existing tradition.If you find it interesting, then watch it. You might find that you like it. A lot.

Great film to watch for a 70's classic movie loverOver film lovers will like the story and over all story

outta sight

Only recently have i discovered a purchased this little gem from the 70's If you like Superfly or blacktation films you will love this. Rudy Ray Moore is so funny and the film is packed with great one liners and plenty of quotes. Deffo worth the £$

WOW! What a movie! Its the best of the worst. The songs are horrible and I don't know what's up with the "poetry". Its just so very, very bad that its good to laugh at.The "karate" is laughable, the fight scenes are just stupid and you even get to see the boom mike at least twice. The whole film is truly pathetic.One thing I'd like to know: Why did we have to see the short fat bald man naked? I could have seriously gone my whole life without seeing that lumpy naked butt...I could have also gone without seeing the "hero's" man boobs.The only thing that qualifies this as a movie is that is was filmed. There is nothing I'd call acting though it was entertainment. If you love bad movies (like me) then pick it up. If not...just let it go...

Das Paket ist schneller angekommen als es eigentlich sollte! 😃 Ich bin sehr zufrieden weil alles so ist wie es sein sollte! 😁✌️Übrigens: Der Film ist Super! Man kann sich nicht beschweren! 😁👍