Black Caesar (1973)
1 rating since posting on Sunday, July 16, 2006
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"Black Caesar" (1973) is perhaps the finest example of what the 1970s "black exploitation" era could have been. Unlike today's "hood movies," which celebrate human sin, crime, nihilism, and apocalyptic doomsday scenarios, the Black Cinema of the 1970s was largely about empowerment. Black Caesar is such a good movie because it illustrated how a rising mass of people could follow in the same shady footsteps as previous immigrant groups -- almost. During the days when Irish and Italian immigrants were arriving in large numbers in america (and eventually suceeding), the public at large was largely unaware of the underground crime, business and other organizational networks that were forming which allowed these groups to be successful. By the time the Civil Rights Era unshackled the masses of African-Americans, the proliferation of television had expanded the public's awareness (and distaste) of the Mafia and other organizations. It is not surprising, therefore, that attempts to form similar organizations among African-americans were warped in other directions --> crime syndicates without community/business development in the 1980s. In the 1970s, however, most of the crime-perpetrators were giving a portion of their money back to the community even as they continued to be a "bad influence" in other ways. The cast of "Black Caesar" includes perennial "blaxploitation" actors and actresses like Gloria Hendry, D'urville Martin, and of course, the star, Fred Williamson. Williamson was one of the few actors of the time period that continued to make movies - largely mainstream action movies - in the 1980s and beyond. The only thing that ruins this movie for me is the sequel - "Hell Up in Harlem." At the end of "Black Caesar," Tommy (played by Williamson) dies. The ending is very fitting, and "Black Caesar" should have remained a stand-alone film. In the sequel, "Hell Up in Harlem," they change the story to: oh, he wasn't really dead, only seriously wounded - and now he's back. The ridiculously overdone killing scene in the middle of the movie ired critics - the movie has been labelled the "Black version" of "The Godfather." But there were many memorable lines and powerful scenes. My favorite: "I'm gonna keep you around as, what do they call those things? Token White, eh?" (trust me - it's better in the film than on print). Then, of course, there was the scene at the end where Williamson kills his childhood nemesis, the corrupt and racist police officer, in a dramatic and moving fashion. Once you see this one, any other "Blaxploitation" film will seem a distant second. - Unsubscribed , posted 07/16/06 |
Black Caesar (1973) was recommended for:
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