Review of Black Mama White Mama

Introduction

I`ve mentioned this before, but I`ll say it again. Between 1970 and 1976, Pam Grier made about 15 films, most of which were in this "blaxpoitation" genre. It`s probably what she`s still best known for, and also what inspired Quentin Tarantino to cast her in Jackie Brown, probably her best film since 1976. It`s also probably the only film that she`s known for by many of today`s audiences.

In 1972`s Black Mama White Mama, Pam is imprisoned and desperate to get out. It looks like she`ll have to team up with a fellow prisoner to try and make their escape, in a kind of Odd Couple style. If they were to escape they`d be on the run together. And if you think that sounds a bit like The Defiant Ones, you`d be right. Just don`t let that knowledge get your hopes up.

Video

A 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer, which hovers around average and below average. The variations in the colours were probably the most distracting thing, and there`s quite a lot of print damage at times, with lots of dust and dirt visible. Add to that some very dodgy fake blood and you have a film that just screams 1970s at the top of its voice. There were one or two odd looking jump cuts too - I don`t think these were censorship though, just the style of editing.

The visual style is rather more reminiscent of another genre of film popular in the 1970s. If I leave that to your imagination, then I`m sure it won`t take long to work out which genre. Let`s just say that moustaches often featured in that genre.

Audio

A DD2.0 stereo soundtrack, which is the original mono replayed over both channels. It`s a bit of a mixed bag this one - sometimes it`s clear and audible, and at other times the vocals sound rather muddy. Maybe that`s a blessing in disguise given the quality of some of the dialogue (even the stuff that was obviously dubbed on after filming). And there are some very weedy sounding gunshots, although not quite as naff as those that I heard recently when watching Flaming Brothers. You can still hear the stereotyped 1970s soundtrack clearly though.

There are also dubbed French and German soundtracks.

Features

Just a trailer. Just as well really.

Conclusion

Oh dear what a bad film. Some incredibly hammy acting, naff dialogue and very unconvincing scenes. Did this really come from Jonathan Demme, the award winning director of Silence of the Lambs? Yes, I`m afraid it did. You would think that a film that`s got lesbian prison officers, electric shock torture, shoot outs, a scene where a villain decides which enemy to shoot based on the size of their manhood, blood everywhere and a shower scene would be entertaining. But this one isn`t.

The story is a complete mess, it jumps around all over the place. One minute we have prisoners receiving punishments that the European Court of Human Rights would take a very dim view of, the next minute the film has turned into Nuns on the Run. And then we disappear off into another arc of the story which completely moves away from the 2 leads. And the ending. Don`t get me started on that.

Not very much to recommend this DVD for I`m afraid. Picture is not quite up to average, the sound isn`t too great, and the film itself is just rather poor. One for die hard Grier fans, or fans of really bad 1970s films only.