Dolemite (1975)

What do you think would happen had schlok director, Edward D. Wood, Jr. made a blaxploitation film? Well, now I can safely tell you that if he did, he would've certainly made Dolemite? Probably one the most ridiculous, and cheap one of these 1970s blaxploitation movies ever made was this gem by the late, great Rudy Ray Moore.

Rudy Ray Moore plays Dolemite. Dolemite is one bad mother, and he will tell you himself. He's a pimp who at the beginning of the film, is being released after years in jail. See, Dolemite had been framed for drug running by no-good pimp, drug runner, and gangster Willie Green (D'Urville Martin). After being released from jail, Dolemite, along with the madame of his whorehouse, Queen Bee (Lady Reed), he goes out on a personal vengeance against Willie Green. Dolemite is not alone, and he's got an army of kung-fu prostitutes on his side. And of course, like any good blaxploitation movie, our main character has to fight drug runners and racist white cops. Also, he gets a LOT of tail.

Sure this film is infamously known as a trashy blaxploitation yarn, but it isn't that bad. It was kind of fun in a way. If you REALLY want a REALLY bad blaxploitation film, try looking up Blackenstein. I will admit, Dolemite was a cheesy low-budget. I swear to God, half the movie must have been filmed in a parking lot with equipment that was bought in a skeevy pawn shop. You could tell that D'Urville Martin (who is the director, in addition to playing Willie Green) didn't exactly put a whole lot of effort into the film composition. But still, that's what made Dolemite such a fun movie. I love Ed Wood, despite the fact that he never made a good film, but on that basis, I approve of Dolemite.

The fact that the plot of this movie was so ridiculous was what did it for. I love 70s movies, man. In what other decade can you find a pimp protagonist, and an army of kung-fu girls. The sheer trashiness of Dolemite was just too appealing for me. Rudy Ray Moore was too funny for words. Only someone like Moore could come up with lines such as "when I see a ghost, I cut the mother---." He was one grimy looking pimp in this movie, yet he got more women that you could even imagine. The cheap effects, scenery, and character development was pretty bad, but enjoyable at the same time. The character of Dolemite just spelled "bad azz mo fo" for you.

I really am disappointed with how short this review is, but in reality, I couldn't find the right amount of words to describe Dolemite. See it with a group of friends and beers, and you'll understand.