Dolemite
From The Grindhouse Cinema Database
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Taglines
- With his All-Girl Army of Kung Fu Killers.
- Bone-crushing, Skull-splitting, Brain-blasting ACTION!
- The hero of the hip-hop generation.
Main Details
- Released in 1975
- Color
- Running Time: 90 Min.
- Production Co: Comedian Intl Enterprise Productions (C.I.E.)
- Distribution Co: Dimension Pictures (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
Cast and Crew
- Directed by D'urville Martin
- Written by Jerry Jones, Rudy Ray Moore
- Starring Rudy Ray Moore, Lady Reed, D'urville Martin
- Produced by Rudy Ray Moore
- Original Music by Arthur Wright
- Cinematography by Nicholas Josef von Sternberg
- Film Editing by Rex Lipton
Film Review
1975 was really the end of what cinephiles know as the "Blaxploitation era". Hollywood had pretty much used up all of the different themes and storylines and it was running out of steam. Comedian Rudy Ray Moore wanted to cash in on the craze so he brought his standup character "Dolemite" to Drive ins and Grindhouses across the USA. Dolemite has to be one of the worst directed films I've seen, but for some reason, that doesnt matter when you watch it. The acting is horrible as well, but theres a certain charm about the film that will pull you in, thats if you like low budget Grindhouse fare from the 1970s.
Dolemite (Rudy Ray Moore) has been hired by the local government to get back on the streets and take care of Willie Green (D'urville Martin), a dope pushing pimp whos been selling drugs and killing innocent kids in the hood. We see in a flashback that Willie Green is the mastermind behind Dolemite's own arrest. Dolemite doesn't go without a fight. He goes buckwild with his "Dolemite Kung Fu" (in which he doesnt even come close to landing a blow to his victims) but to his dismay, he's captured by the corrupt cops working for Willie Green anyway. Although Dolemite is in jail, his head madam known as Queen Bee (Lady Reed), springs him by convincing the prison warden that Dolemite is the only badass that can stand up to Willie Green and his thugs. Dolemite is a pimp himself, but the warden doesnt care, he explains to Dolemite what he wants him to do, and Dolemite accepts the mission. One of the first really funny scenes is when Queen Bee is crying because she's "so happy" Dolemite's getting released. You can almost tell that the makeup department put fake tears on her face.
After an opening with the funky Dolemite theme song and one of the only credits sequences Ive ever seen in a movie that doesn't end with "Directed By" we are ready to roll. Dolemite's Ho's pick him up at the jails gates and they have brought Dolemite a new cartoonish pimping outfit. As Dolemite's putting on his new threads he becomes mad and screams "Bitch, you know I don't wear these fuckin cotton droors!". After dispensing with his old jailhouse clothes, the prison guard replies "We'll keep these for ya Dolemite, you'll be back".
Not a minute goes by before Dolemite is being tailed by some of Willie Green's henchmen. All the while Dolemite is getting kinky in the backseat with his Ho's. They pull over to the side and Dolemite jumps out. The thugs pull up fast, but Dolemite is ready to bust some caps, he bushwhacks them with a machine gun and thats the end of that. Dolemite aint no chump!
Dolemite gets back to the city and hes ready to begin his investigation into what happened to his hood since hes been gone. With the help of Queen Bee, Creeper The Hamburger Pimp and his Kung Fu Ho Army, Dolemite cant be stopped by Willie Green or the racist corrupt cops that try to set him up at every turn.
Look out for some hilarious scenes, including: Dolemite's creative use of the word "MOTHERF*CKER", the boom mic hanging in shots, the All Ho Kung Fu Army battle and Dolemite's great street poetry featuring his classic "The Signifying Monkey".
Rudy Ray Moore is a legendary comic who was influential on comedians like Eddie Murphy and Chris Rock and the entire genre of hip hop music. Dolemite is one his classic gems from the Blaxploitation era.
Reviewed by Popeye Pete - 6/13/07
