On D List of Movie Reviews
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Dolemite (1975)
Rate:
6
Viewed:
5/25
5/25:
Shaft, Super Fly, and
Dolemite...that's anybody's education of Blaxploitation pictures to start off with.
This one is the most ridiculous of them all, but it's unintentionally funny which is often referenced in
black films, especially with Eddie Murphy, and elsewhere. Also, it may be the ultimate parody of the 70's without
meaning to. Nonsensical plot, terrible acting, weak kung-fu action, over-the-top lines, and outrageous pimp
clothes rule the day. Among the highlights are:
"You no-business bond, insecure, junkyard motherfucker!"
"Bitch, you bring me these goddamn cotton draws. You know I don't wear no fuckin' cotton draws."
"Shit, I'm so bad, I kick my own ass twice a day."
"Give that to Willie Green. And tell him I want him out of here in 24 hours. And 23 of 'em are already gone.
You understand?"
"You rat-soup-eatin' honky motherfucker!"
"Ghosts, if you ever see a ghost, cut the motherfucker."
"And I'm gonna let 'em know that Dolemite is back on the scene. I'm gonna let 'em know that Dolemite is my name,
and fuckin' up motherfuckers is my game."
Remember Platoon when Charlie Sheen yelled at a one-legged
villager to dance and shot around his foot in the dirt? I'm pretty sure that came from Dolemite. It won't
be surprising if Samuel L. Jackson watched this film a lot to learn the art and science of saying "motherfucker"
that he's so famous for.
Regardless, the first half goes well with a lot of absurd moments, causing me to laugh out of pity. By the time
the club scene is shown with Dolemite doing stand-up comedy, that's when the film started to lose momentum.
The rest of the way is nothing like how it was before, giving me the feeling that everybody stopped caring
anymore and wanted it over with ASAP. You may be shocked to notice Nicholas Josef von Sternberg as
the cinematographer in the opening credits, and yep...that's his son.
All in all, Dolemite is so bad that you'll laugh.