willie dynamite

Those who write off the Blaxsploitation genre as merely a glorification of the uglier urban elements of black culture are only half-right. Films like Willie Dynamite (1974) certainly had a love-hate relationship with their lead characters, glamorizing the pimped-out lifestyle - complete with a purple Lincoln town car, mink coats and a stable of beautiful "bitches." But the film pulls the rug out from under the audience and Willie by staging a cinematic intervention that calls for a surprising cultural shift.

Attacking the streets with capitalistic fervor, Willie goes against the pimp council (yeah, apparently they have one of those) and instructs his ladies to work wherever and whenever they'd like. But a do-gooder social worker, Cora, who once worked the streets herself, wreaks havoc with his business, turning his women against him and tipping off the cops to badger him with minor offenses. The cumulative effect gets Willie off balance, eventually questioning the badass reputation he worked so hard to achieve.

Arguably, the biggest selling point for watching Willie Dynamite today is the chance to see actor Roscoe Orman, who two years later became Gordon on Sesame Street, parade around in ridiculously elaborate costumes and smack any woman that cracks wise. And the first half of director Gilbert Moses' film delivers the goods in a most cartoonish fashion. But the creative 180 to come is instigated by sensitive performances from supporting actors like Diana Sands (in her final role) and Albert Hall (best known as Chief from Apocalypse Now) as black characters who see Willie as more than a common criminal, but as a danger to black society as a whole.

The sneaky agenda at work behind all the flashy chase scenes and pimp posturing is more than a little surprising. And the script definitely feels like a push-pull affair, a bit unsure which path to take. As escapist Blaxploitation entertainment, Willie Dynamite is second-rate. But as a social barometer for black culture on the verge of self-destruction, it's at least got something interesting under the hood.

Arrow Video's new Blu-ray, transferred from the original film elements, is one fly motherf***er. The details and color and honest-to-god amazing, far superior to the old DVD. Extras include an audio commentary by Sergio Mims, trailer and illustrated collector's booklet with new writing on the film.