Shows number 24 and 25 of Roots 66 were a two part edition called "Black Action Films."  We played soundtrack music from black-themed films of the 1970's.  Here are reviews of some of those films and many more.

The Rating System:  ***** Incredible.  The film is almost perfect in every way.  You shouldn't miss it.  **** Good.  The film would have been almost perfect but something just missed it.  ***  Okay:  The film is enjoyable, but probably only worth seeing once.  **  Mediocre:  If you're really curious, see it.  However, just remember, we warned you.  * Awful:  "Why did I waste my time and/or money?"  We suffered to spare you!

The reviewers:  MP = Mark Plaid, CN = Chris Newcastle, AP = Andrea Plaid, SQUEEK=squeek

**** Deathrace 2000

(1975) Color, 78 minutes

producer: Roger Corman director: Paul Bartel, cast: David Carridine (Frankenstein); Simone Griffith; Sylvester Stallone ("Machine Gun" Joe Viterbo); Louisa Moritz; Mary Woronov; Don Steel; Joyce Jameson; Fred Grandy; Martin Kove; T. R. Sloane; John Landis;

This film is set 25 years in the future, all the way to the year 2000! The United States of America has been overrun by a totalitarian government to compensate for the loss of economic and political power. To keep America bloodthirsty and show the rest of the world that America is still tough, the government sponsers a deathrace. The drivers adopt grandiose personas nothing shy of those donned by the professional wrestlers we all know and love. The names alone show that, Matilda the Hun and Calimity Jane for example. They engage in a cross-country race that does not depend so much upon who gets to California first, but who can score the most points when the driver crosses the finish line. A driver scores points by vehicular homicide. The whole point system is explained blow by blow in the film by a stoic Howard Cosell-esque announcer, that delivers the spiel in a deadpan that would make Mark Twain proud. The race is wildly popular, and everyone's favorite driver is Frankenstein (David Carridine). Frankenstein is named so because of his legendary piecemeal body that has been reconstructed time and again after accidents in previous races. Frankenstein's arch-enemy driver is "Machine Gun" Joe Viterbo (Sylvester Stallone) whose jealousy of Frankenstein is his maddening obsession. What makes the 2000 race different from others is the upsurgence of a rebel group, lead by a woman aptly named Thomasina Paine. Paine's would-be revolutionaries are out to sabotage the race not only to reject the wanton violence of the race, but to restore the U.S.A. to its former glory of truth, justice, and democracy. Between the rebels, the conflict between Frankenstein and "Machine Gun" Joe Viterbo, and a few other surprises, the race is coming apart all over.

On the surface Deathrace 2000 is a low budget, sci-fi, action film with hokey special effects and props. However, this is truly a dark comedy. The scathing satire of violence-hungry couch potatoes and the shallow TV journalists willing to sell it to them is more relevent in the actual year 2000 than it was in 1975. The puns abound in the film, especially Frankenstein's "hand grenade." However, the over-the-top humor of the film seems to blend well with the more subtle humor, because the subtle humor in the satire of American materialism, sensationalist journalism, and other social issues is stronger. For what the film lacks in a budget, it certainly makes up in timing. The violence is cut away so quickly that only the idea of what occured is present in the mind rather than a cheap special effect. I'm not ethically against onscreen violence, but with a budget this low, the film makers are better off using clever cutaways, and Deathrace 2000 achieves this. The makers of this film may have had their tongues firmly in their cheeks, but the strength of the film is in the feeling that they were doing the best they could with what they had. When the film makers believe in the film, the viewer will believe in the film. This doesn't mean that a good film depends on good intentions, but it does add to the charm of Deathrace 2000. You need to acquire a taste for a film like Deathrace 2000. If you are used to action and expensive special effects seen in Independence Day and The Phantom Menace and corny over-the-top-all-too-obvious humor like Robin Williams and Jim Carey, then you probably won't like this film, but for the rest of you this is a great party movie. It is fun and is still a riot after repeated viewings. - MP

**** Romeo Must Die

(2000)

director: Andrzej Barkowiak cast: Jet Li (Han); Delroy Lindo (Isaak O'Day); Aaliyah (Trish O'Day); Russel Wong (Kai); DMX, Isaiah Washington (Mac);

This film is centered around two rival gangs seeking control of Oakland's waterfront. Each gang is lead by a businessman. One gang is lead by an Asian family, and the other is lead by an African American family. On the outside is a group of white businessmen trying to buy them out. In the beginning of the film events lead to what looks like the son of the leader of the Asian gang, Po is killed by some people affiliated with the African American gang. This of course leads to great tension which the leader of the African American gang Isaak O'day (Delroy Lindo) tries to alleviate by meeting with the leader of the Asian gang, because he doesn't know who did it and he certainly didn't authorize the murder. Of course the leader of the Asian gang doesn't believe him, and the two leaders of the rival gangs part from their discussion more tense than ever. Han (Jet Li) is Po's brother who was spending time in prison in Hong Kong. Han is an ex-cop wrongly accused of a murder he didn't commit. When he gets word of it, Han escapes prison to get to America to attend his brother's funeral and get to the bottom of Po's murder. When Han makes it to Oakland, he inadvertently meets Trish O'Day who was dodging the bodyguards her father (Isaak O'Day, the leader of the African American gang) placed with her to protect her from the Asian gang. Trish wants nothing to do with her father's "business." However, Han and Trish become romantically interested in each other.

Although this film has some pretty bland dialogue, the plot is very thick. There is definitely something going on in this film that is more than just a sequence of loosely related kung fu scenes. The plot unravels like a mystery with so many surprises it is difficult not to reveal them in this review, and it is actually quite unpredictable. Fortunately, the obvious film cliches we see over and again are not here, which apparently is difficult for an action film. There is also great characterization. Isaak O'Day turns out to be the strongest character. Albeit that Isaak is a businessman that steps outside of the law, he does it in self defense mostly. His intentions are consistently good throughout the film and you can feel his struggle between business and family. In spite of the fact that his daughter Trish has legitimate reasons to keep her father further than arm's length, he is still a sympathetic character. Isaak is more of a Machiavelli, maybe a Machiavelli with heart, than Mac claimed to be at one point in the film. I wonder if that irony is intentional in the film given the literary references in it. This is the first Jet Li film I have seen and he puts on quite a performance. He didn't disappoint me with his lightning fast and breathtaking martial arts. The scene where he utilizes Trish O'Day as a weapon to keep himself from having to hit a woman is priceless. The scene where he uses zip ties to overcome his rivals shouldn't be taken lightly either. Li's performance in this film reminds me of a happy medium between the powerful, sincere hero that Bruce Lee portrayed and the wacky humor of Jackie Chan. Not to say that Lee couldn't be humorous or Chan can't be sincere, it's just that Li is somewhere in the middle. He is not the greatest actor, but the perseverence of his character in Romeo Must Die is a reflection of the determined spirit of Li as an actor. He has a charm that makes up his few acting shortcomings. The film is well-paced, the action scenes are dynamite and the non-action sequences are tight enough for the film to remain consistent. The Hong Kong action style is doubtlessly present in the film. If you don't know what the Hong Kong action style is I suggest you check out any Hong Kong action film you can find, starting with Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and John Woo.

What I also like about this film is the same thing that other critics have been complaining about. There are many reviews in the press and on the net that claim the romance between Trish and Han is "too cool" and "not passionate enough." These critics are nerdy-ass teenagers, why does every damn on-screen romance have to be soft-core porn for Americans. I'm not saying that I'm against sex in films, but I don't miss it when it is not there. There are not too many films out there where two people absolutely had to have sex on screen to move the plot along. I find it refreshing that we didn't have to sit through all of the adolescent cliches that Hollywood seems to think what love is. The critics bitch about too many cliches and when a film refrains from cliches they get upset when they don't get a boner. These critics must not be very familiar with the Hong Kong style. In most Hong Kong films sex is portrayed somewhat melodramatically. The scene in the beginning of this film where two women were rubbing their naked breasts against eachother in full view of a club full of people represents evil sex. The innocent romance between Han and Trish symbolizes good sex, and good people have sex in private, thank you very much. Another thing that I found refreshing was that we didn't need any white characters running around telling the non-white people what to do. White people are in the film, but they are way in the background. It is so difficult for a film to get any big screen space in America that doesn't need the "white filter." This avoids that in any way, shape, or form. Thanks to the producers of Romeo Must Die for providing an action film that has the guts not to resort to the same corny cliches. I know there's not enough intellegent people around to buy the tickets to make more corn free movies, but it's good to find a grain of sugar in a puddle of puke every once in a while. - MP

**** Ghost Dog: The Way of The Samurai

(2000)

producer, director, writer: Jim Jarmusch cast: Forrest Whitaker (Ghost Dog); Henry Silva (Ray Vargo); John Tormey (Louie); Isaach Barkele (Raymond);

Ghost Dog lives his life by the code of the samurai. A samurai must above all show loyalty to his master. So when your master is in the mafia, then you must be a hitman. Ghost Dog came under the service of his master when his life was saved by Louie the mafia hitman. Although Ghost Dog is an enigma to Louie (his name is only the beginning of the mystery that is Ghost Dog), Ghost Dog is a flawless assassin for Louie. So Louie puts up with his employee's mysterious ways. Ghost Dog fancies himself a contemporary samurai. He is immersed in Hagakure: Book of The Samurai. Dispersed throughout the film are passages from Hagakure. The passages are usually read before a scene that will relate to it. They are read as a voiceover by Forest Whitaker, and the words as they are in the book are ghosted over the screen. Ghost Dog is a loner who lives in some kind of a shack on top of a building with a pigeon coop. He uses the pigeons to deliver messages to and from Louie. With this kind of contact Louie rarely sees Ghost Dog. He also pays Ghost Dog only once a year which is part of the conditions that Ghost Dog has set. These conditions also include being paid on the first day of autumn. Although he is mostly a loner, Ghost Dog is a known loner in his neighborhood. However, he does have one friend, Raymond (Isaach de Bankole). Raymond is an ice cream truck driver who speaks mostly French, but he can't speak a word of English. Ghost Dog can't understand a word Raymond says. Ghost Dog also makes friends with a little girl named Pearline (Camille Winbush). They meet in the park where Ghost Dog frequents. They develop a friendship through their common interest in books. In the beginning of the film, Ghost Dog sets out on a job. He tracks down his mark and whacks him in his own house. The hit would have gone down flawlessly, but there was a witness present. However, as Ghost Dog explains it later there were no instructions to kill a woman. Ghost Dog's mark was a man named Handsome Frank. Handsome Frank happened to be an important person to Ray Vargo (Henry Silva). Vargo finds out about the hit, because the witness turns out to be his daughter. Vargo also happens to be Louie's boss. So now to even the score Vargo puts a hit out on Ghost Dog, because somebody has got to pay and Vargo does not want to off Louie, if he doesn't have to. If Ghost Dog doesn't get whacked then Vargo will have Louie take his place. Louie's dielemma is that he must have his best man killed to save his own neck, and Ghost Dog's dilemma is being caught between survival and loyalty to his boss, which he takes very seriously as a samurai. As it turns out Ghost Dog will remain loyal to his boss, but only his boss as the story unfolds.

Ghost Dog: The Way of The Samurai retains a consistently calm and cool demeanor. There is even a sense of calm and cool in the action sequences. It creates an atmosphere that reflects Ghost Dog's calm and cool demeanor. This film is decidedly centered around its title character. The only time the viewer is allowed into Ghost Dog's mind is when the passages from the Hagakure are being read. In some ways, the passages can be a bit too revealing in the sense that they almost tell the viewer what Ghost Dog is about to do. It violates the "show don't tell" aspect of contemporary storytelling. In some ways, it has a didactic feel to it that just doesn't work for storytelling any more. Nevertheless that is about the only negative thing I can say about the film. It doesn't make it a bad film, but it is distracting. Ultimately, I highly recomend this film. It is always refreshing to be able to go to a cinema in the U.S. and see a cerebral, overweight, non-white, action hero that is not some kind of buffoon. I think Forest Whitaker pulls off the cool and calculating action hero that Schwarzenegger, Stallone, and every other white action hero always wanted to be. Not only does Ghost Dog have brains, but he has heart. His heart is not emasculating and it's steady throughout the film. There isn't a scene in the end where Ghost Dog reveals that he has a heart after all. He just does. It shows in the wonderful friendship he has with Raymond. The relationship between them is very clever. There is such a strong bond between them that transcends language. The way he treats Pearline is also heartening, in that he never talks down to her despite the fact that she is very young. He knows an intellegent and good person when sees one, despite the difference in age or a language barrier. The scene where Raymnond shows Ghost Dog the man building a boat on the roof of an apartment building defines the friendships Ghost Dog has. It may not make absolute sense, but they didn't have to perfectly understand it to think it was right on. Which I think is an example of how folks could be if they tried. We could all get along better if some of us weren't so damn afraid of what we don't fully understand. Trying to understand is fine, but sometimes you just gotta chill out and be cool with it. What's more that I like about this film is that it has a hip hop sensibility that is not just another Boyz in tha Hood type film. It explores an area that hip hop could be. Will that N.W.A. gangsta bullshit ever go away? It was fascinating for a while, but after so long it's taxing. Maybe this film will lead to more films like it. Ghost Dog: The Way of The Samurai is cool and not afraid to be intellegent, so see it while you can, because we just don't get too much of it from Hollywood.

*** Shaft's Big Score

producers: Roger Lewis, Ernest Tidyman associate producer: David Golden director: Gordon Parks Sr. based on characters created by Ernest Tidyman screenplay: Ernest Tidyman art director Emanuel Gerard set director: Robert Drumheller costumes: Joe Aulisi makeup: Martin Bell music/songs Gordon Parks, Sr. orchestrators: Dick Hazard, Tom McIntosh, Jimmy Jones, Dale Oehler assistant director: William C. Gerrity stunts: Alex Stevens, Marvin Walters special effects: Tony Parmelee sound: Lee Bost, Hal Watkins camera: Urs Furrer editor: Harry Howard cast: Richard Roundtree (John Shaft); Moses Gunn (Bumpy Jonas); Drew Bundini Brown (Willy) Joseph Mascola (Gus Mascola); Kathy Imrie (Rita); Wally Taylor (Kelly); Julius W. Harris (Captain Bollin); Rosalind Miles (Arna Ashby); Joe Santos (Pascal); Angelo Nazzo (Al); Don Blakely (Johnson); Melvin Green, Jr. (Junior Gillis); Thomas Anderson (Preacher); Evelyn Davis (Old Lady); Richard Pittman (Kelly's Hood); Robert Kya-Hill (Cal Ashby) Thomas Brann (Mascola's Hood); Bob Jefferson (Harrison); Dan P. Hannafin (Cooper); Jimmy Hayeson (Caretaker); Henry Ferrentino (Detective Salmi); Frank Scioscia (Rip) Kitty Jones (Caberet Dancer); Gregory Reese (Foglio); Marilyn Hamlin (Mascola's Girl); John Foster (Jerry); Joyce Walker (Cigarette Girl); Gordon Parks, Sr. (Croupier)

***** A Clockwork Orange

(Warner Brothers, 1971)

executive producers: Max L. Raab and Si Litvinoff producer, direcor, and screenwriter: Stanley Kubrick cast: Malcom McDowell (not the one from Planet of the Apes) (Alex); Patrick Magee; Michael Bates; Adrienne Corri; Aubrey Morris; James Marcus; David Prowse; Miriam Karlin;

The box for A Clockwork Orange describes it as "Being the adventures of a young man whose principal intrests are rape, ultra-violence and Beethoven." I just call it the greatest story ever told. A Clockwork Orange is a dark tale of violent street life, where the night is ruled by gangs of droogs. We follow our anti-hero Alex as his life of moloko plus (milk laced with drugs) induced ultra-violence gets out of control, and leads him into the clutches of the prison system. Rather than rot in prison Alex opts to undergo a new "treatment" intended to make him safe to re-enter society. After enduring films showing hellish scenes of violence and brainwashing induced by some sort of drugs. Does the treatment work? Yes, but maybe too well. When our "rehabilitated" Alex gets back on the streets he finds himself alone except for his victims. What's next for our poor little droogie? Watch and see who has the last laugh. Besides really cool scenes of ultra-violence, A Clockwork Orange is a story of the systems control of its citizens. How much safety is too much? When this film orignally debuted it earned an "X" rating in England. Rather than make cuts demanded by British censors, Kubrick pulled his masterpiece out of the theaters. For the first time, opening this spring, the complete unedited film has been shown in theaters in England. If there is any question about my love for this film you need look no further than my right arm (that's where my Clockwork Orange tattoos are) for proof. - CN

***** The Harder They Come

(Island Visual Arts, 1973 - Jamaica) color, 98 minutes

producer, director: Perry Henzell screenwriters: Perry Henzell and Trevor D. Rhone art director: Sally Henzell sound: Bob Povey, Franklin St. Juste, and Winston Rodney editors John Victor Smith, Richard White, Reicland Anderson, and Winston Rodney production manager: Yvonne Jones assistant directors: Robert Russel and Tony Strawcast: Jimmy Cliff (Ivan); Ras Daniel Hartman; Carl Bradshaw; Janet Bartley; Winston Stone; Bobby Charlton

The Harder They Come is the story of hundreds of Jamaicans who have the dreamed of escaping poverty through music. In this case a country boy named Ivan, who comes to the Trenchtown slums of West Kingston in search of better life. What he finds there is a world of crippling poverty, crime, drugs, religion, but above all music. Robbed after arriving in Kingston, and turned away from his mother's shanty, Ivan is forced to take refuge with an Evangelical preacher. Problem is, Ivan's love for reggae and women don't sit well with preacher man. When Ivan is picked to drop off the master tapes for the church festival he spies his big chance. Ivan convinces a producer to let him record a song. His fortunes seem to be on the rise as Ivan's record takes off, only for fate to intervine and throw Ivan another curve. Ivan gets caught up in the backstabbing and treacherous world of the Kingston music scene. Run-ins with radio stations, in the pocket of unscrupulous record producers, force Ivan in to a life of crime in order to feed his family. He once again makes a wrong turn when he vies for control of the ganja (marijuana) trade. Things don't always look bright for our man Ivan, but through it all he has his music. In this film the soundtrack is really the co-star. Classic songs from The Maytals, Desmond Dekker, and JImmy Cliff to name a few fill out this gritty look at life in West Kinston. - CN