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When the owner of a successful nightclub refuses to sell out to the local crime-boss, he is beaten to death by the mobster’s goons.
The crime-boss soon has reason to regret his chosen style of business negotiation, however, when it turns out that the nightclub owner’s girlfriend has friends, not in high, but in low places. Very low places.
Subterranean places…
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Liz Kingsley is the insane genius behind And You Call Yourself a Scientist!
#1 by The Rev. on May 24, 2014 - 3:19 am
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For some reason I’d been thinking you’d go with Blackenstein for this Roundtable. I somehow didn’t even think of this one. I’m actually glad; I wouldn’t wish Blackenstein on anyone, and certainly not you.
I almost wish I hadn’t dropped by here on a whim at this moment; it’s 2:15 in the morning and I was gearing up to go to bed. Now I have to go read this.
#2 by lyzard on May 24, 2014 - 3:22 am
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Thanks, but really, it’ll keep. 🙂
#3 by The Rev. on May 24, 2014 - 3:57 am
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Silly Lyz, you thought I had a choice?
#4 by The Rev. on May 24, 2014 - 3:55 am
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We had a good time with this a few years ago at T-Fest. After the viewing, several people considered adopting voodoo as their official religion on the chance that Baron Samedi is anything like Don Pedro Colley’s portrayal of him. He pretty much carries the movie off with him every time he appears, doesn’t he? Hell, I even laughed at his “zombie” joke at the bar, and that’s the kind of thing I’d usually groan at. I wasn’t big on Marki Bey’s acting, but the transformation from Sugar, Quiet Photographer to Sugar, Nemesis’ Avatar was great. Richard Quarry did his usual fine job, although Betty Anne Rees annoyed the crap out of me. My biggest shock was seeing Mac from “Night Court” in that outrageous suit.
We must’ve watched the VHS of it (probably Dr. Freex’s) because the zombies were wonderfully creepy and I loved them. I haven’t caught it when it’s been on TCM over the past couple of years; and since I’m sure they’re using the DVD release I might be glad I haven’t, because that one screenshot of the smiling zombies really does make them look fakey, and that sucks because they were so great.
I’m also really glad you chose that particular quote to lead off the review. Easily my favorite line, and one I wish I had more opportunity to use in real life.
All right, off to bed. I’m actually glad this wasn’t one of your longer reviews (which I can’t believe I’m saying). I’m even more glad that this movie wasn’t part of a series you were reviewing, which would’ve compelled me to reread the past entries before moving on and therefore being up until dawn.
#5 by sandra on May 24, 2014 - 12:09 pm
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I spent some time trying to figure out why Diana’s hair morphs from her own natural mahogany-brown locks to the killer afro and back. I considered that her own hair means she’s The Photographer and the afro that she’s The Voodoo Queen, but didn’t find that theory to hold up. It just seems that she wears the wig or doesn’t wear the wig at random.
#6 by El Santo on May 26, 2014 - 12:16 pm
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When we saw Sugar Hill at the April Ghouls Monster-Rama last year, Osco Sean dubbed it the Afro of Vengeance, but you’re right– the pattern of afro vs. non-afro really isn’t consistent.
#7 by lyzard on May 26, 2014 - 6:54 pm
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I think the question is, is that Marki Bey’s hair or a wig?
I can easily imagine them shooting all the flat-hair-Sugar scenes first, then the Death-Afro-Sugar scenes. It’s not inconsistent as such, but there is one scene done “wrong”, which is the first time that Valentine calls on Sugar after the murders start. Perhaps it was a re-write shot after the event, to show Valentine’s suspicions of Sugar developing earlier – or just some padding.
#8 by Supersonic Man on May 25, 2014 - 12:55 am
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This is the only blaxpo I’ve ever seen in a theater. The spoons over the eyes weren’t too impressive on a big screen.
The random switching from straightened hair to fro, with no diegetic explanation, did kind of make one scratch one’s head.
#9 by lyzard on May 25, 2014 - 1:37 am
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I am touched by your devotion, Rev!
It’s flawed, of course, but a fun little film. It’s a tribute to it that I remembered so much of it so clearly, after only seeing it once years ago – Baron Samedi, and a lot of the plot (the pigs!), and that damned theme song. It is kind of interesting that it was pretty much the first and only thing I thought of for this Roundtable, though my alternative would probably have been Blacula rather than Blackenstein. The zombies were scarier in my old TV print, though.
I’ve seen it argued that the hair represents either when Sugar is living by White Man’s Law and Black Man’s Law, or when she stops repressing her true nature. I find both of those readings a bit morally dubious, but I imagine it was supposed to be a signifier along those lines.
To be fair, I’m sure Betty Anne Rees was supposed to annoy the crap out of us…which raises the interesting point of whether we condemn people more harshly for serious crimes, or for being REALLY ANNOYING.
#10 by The Rev. on May 25, 2014 - 1:43 pm
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I thought you reviewed the two Blacula films way back in the day? That’s why I didn’t think of them. Not that you couldn’t update/reformat/add screenshots/etc.
That was kind of what I figured re: Good Sugar/Bad Sugar, even though the hair is kind of nonsensical.
I’m surprised I don’t remember the song at all, since it’s so terrible.
I seem to recall thinking her annoying me was due to what I felt was poor acting, but maybe she was just good at being annoying. I’d have to watch it again.
And you’re quite welcome, but it’s not hard to be devoted to such a talented writer. Not to say we don’t have them in abundance here, of course, but I think it’s painfully obvious at this point that you’re one of my favorites.
#11 by lyzard on May 26, 2014 - 6:58 pm
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Aww, thank you! 🙂
No, I haven’t gotten to the Blacula-s – YET.
As far as annoying goes, I think it’s a little from Column A, a little from Column B. I wouldn’t say that Betty Anne Rees was any worse than the rest of the supporting cast.
And lucky you, because I CAN’T GET THAT DAMN SONG OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!
#12 by Jen S 1.0 on May 28, 2014 - 2:48 pm
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Amazing review, as usual! Baron Semedi sure makes the afterlife…appealing.
The Blacula movies are very good, and William Marshall is amazing. His dignity and rage really carry the films. Plus, in Scream Blacula Scream, the filmmakers show, unlike pretty much any other vampire film I can think of, that being killed by a vampire is painful and violating, not sexy. It’s a really thought provoking scene and says a lot about what black cinema was doing.
#13 by The Rev. on June 2, 2014 - 8:01 pm
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You’re quite welcome, my dear. Looking forward to your eventual take on the Blacula films.
If it makes you feel better, since I brought up “Star Trekkin'” in the most recent 1000 Misspent thread, it’s been in my head for hours. Perversely, it made me think of my previous musical nemesis, the Jilla-Jalla-Jellyfish…and I then started singing that in my head, trying to force it out. Worse, IT DIDN’T WORK AND IT WON’T LEEEEEEEEEEAVE
(For the story of how I was freed from the Jilla-Jalla-Jellyfish, read my T-Fest 2012 write-up at Jabootu! Only a little over a year late! *end shameless plug*)
#14 by RogerBW on May 25, 2014 - 4:26 pm
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The zombie eyes look pretty good to me in the low-res screencaps. Maybe I should stop there.
In B-movies? Annoying means you DIE. Or should (see: Odious Comic Relief).
#15 by The Rev. on May 26, 2014 - 4:19 pm
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If you can find the VHS, go with that. That’s what I saw it on and the zombies were quite effective in all ways. They’d still be effective on DVD with their grinning and such, except visually, as you can see in that one “grinning zombie” screenshot Lyz put up.
#16 by JessicaR on June 1, 2014 - 4:45 am
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This was my favorite of April Ghoul’s ’13 line up. I can not put into words how much I love that she gets away with it all the end. I remember leaning forward in excitement in my chair, “Wait, we’re right were this should be ending, where’s the 70s bummer ending? Wait, she won? She won! Get it! Get it!”
#17 by lyzard on June 2, 2014 - 6:51 pm
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I know! It’s an interesting exercise in how movies shape our expectations – and how few of them ever challenge those expectations. 🙂
#18 by jose on June 2, 2014 - 10:03 pm
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Beautiful review, as always (thank you for that!). It was one of my favorite movies long time ago, I need to re-watch it soon. And Baron Samedi was great!