Willie Dynamite

Willie Dynamite_720p(480P)

source: Willie Dynamite

source: Willie Dynamite

The movie was good but it's not a movie about pimps. The movie is comparable to The Mack. Pimp movies don't have reform built into its plot. A movie can't have a message and be about pimps. It does not go together. A story about a bad guy turned good is a dime a dozen. Pimp movies aren't for that.

Growing up I was a fan of the Blaxploitation films. Unfortunately I was also too young to see these movies in the theater. But the whole concept interested me. Fortunately most of those films were available on VHS when tapes hit. With disc many more have surfaced. Now, thanks to Arrow Video, one that is rarely seen makes its way to blu-ray, WILLIE DYNAMITE. From the opening credits with the theme song sung by Martha Reeves while we watch Willie (Roscoe Orman) driving his pimp mobile to views of the ladies who work for him picking up johns at a convention we can tell where this movie is going. Two years prior SUPERFLY turned a drug dealer into an anti-hero. This movie apparently plans to do the same thing with the story of a pimp. Willie dreams of the big time, of being the number one pimp in New York City. He dresses the part, wearing matching clothes; the first time we see him he's wearing a burgundy suit with white fur stripes, matching cape and hat. He drives a tricked out Rolls Royce, metallic purple with pipes on the side and leopard skin interior. And he makes sure that his girls are doing the job he uses them for or out they go. A gathering of pimps in the city is called by Bell (Roger Robinson). He tells the rest of them that the best way for them to handle the problems each of them face is to join forces and act as one group. Each will have their own turf. They will share corrupt officials that they pay off. And they will divide the money that each of their girls brings in. All agree except for Willie. Eager to make it on his own and surpass everyone else he turns down the offer. But then things begin to go wrong. The police crackdown on Willie and his girls. One of the newest girls, Pashen (Joyce Walker) is still fresh to the game and afraid of prison. She is approached by Cora (Diana Sands), an ex-hooker turned social worker who's trying to get the girls to go straight. But Willie shows up to bail out Pashen and off they go. Now it seems Willie has more than one battlefront to deal with. The other pimps want him to join up with them. Cora wants nothing more than to destroy his business. And the police begin giving him problems as well. They tow his car. They arrest him on suspicion of armed robbery saying he "fit the description". With all that's going down push will come to shove and when it does, will Willie continue down the path he's chosen or will he chose another? The movie itself is ably crafted but nothing stupendous. Its director Gilbert Moses first feature film and his abilities lend themselves better to TV than to features. As a matter of fact all of his credits as a director with the exception of one other film are in television. The person who must have had the most fun in making this movie would have been Bernard Johnson, the costume designer. One has to wonder if the outfits worn by the pimps in the film were what was being worn or what was stereotypical Hollywood versions. In any event they're eye catching to say the least. An interesting tidbit for the less observant. If while watching the film you keep thinking to yourself that Roscoe Orman looks familiar the odds are you watched him as a kid. Beginning after the release of this film in 1974 he landed the role he's probably most famous for and one that he was doing through 2018. That's right, he has been seen as Gordon on SESAME STREET all these years. Talk about a change. Arrow has done a great job of restoring the film from original film elements. The extras are few but good ones and include an audio commentary track by Sergio Mims host and producer of the Bad Mutha' Film Show on WHPK-FM, the theatrical trailer, a reversible sleeve with original artwork by Sean Phillips and for the first pressing only a fully illustrated collector's booklet with new writing by Cullen Gallagher. If you're a fan of Blaxploitation films then pick this one up today.

This film is brought to you by the letter "P". Kids, let's think of some words that start with "P",... In probably the weirdest case of casting I can think of, Roscoe Orman plays the title character--who is a pimp! Years later, Orman would achieve some notoriety playing "Gordon" on SESAME STREET--now THAT'S interesting casting!! Seeing this 70s "super-pimp" all decked out in furs and pimp costume is very, very surreal--especially with the amazingly over-the-top style and language and crazy pimp-mobiles! Now, although Willie is on top of his game, his world begins to crumble when an ex-hooker turned social worker decides that enough is enough. She encourages the prostitutes to dump this jerk and either go into business for themselves or try something legitimate. Willie responds by threatening the lady. She decides to declare war on Willie and things look really, really bad for the pimp-meister. However, when things go worst for Willie, the movie takes a very, very strange twist with the social worker--one that rather blindsided me. While not at all believable, it was certainly an interesting twist. While this is a so-called "blaxploitation" film in many ways (especially due to the lead being a pimp), the film is much different than you'd expect. First, it's story is stronger than the genre--with some complexity. Second, the film isn't all "black and white" with cartoon-like characters and silly stereotypes. The cop who hates Willie the most is a Black cop who's a Muslim. Third, the film lacks the nudity and hard edge you'd normally see. And finally, the story doesn't seem either anti-White or glorify evil by the time it's finished--and as such, is a much more three dimensional film that's worth a look. Needless to say, this film that, at times, glamorizes pimps may seem like the ultimate misogynistic film, but stick with it. Rabid feminists probably should not watch this film or they'll suffer a stroke, but if they'd bear with it, by the end it does have a positive message and is not a "pro-pimp" film like THE MACK!!!

Willie Dynamite is most certainly one of the most flamboyant pimps to ever grace the screen and his "stable" of beautiful women are frequently scantily clad, but don't let the smooth taste fool you, Willie Dynamite is not your average pimp film. "Willie Dynamite" was at times thought-provoking, frequently intense and entertaining throughout. Watching Willie Dynamite fall from pimp grace makes for some interesting drama. Roscoe Orman is great as the fallen pimp and Diana Sands is brilliant as always but there is much to be said about the performance of the young Joyce Walker, Willie's newest and most inexperienced 'treat'. This film's motto seems to be 'even an old dog can learn new tricks' as each of the main characters undergo some form of transformation before the credits start rolling. 8/10 stars

SPOILER ALERT! A not too bad blaxploitation film with a "happy ending." A reformed prostitute (Diana Sands) attempts to bring a fairly inept pimp down while the cops are on him like glue. Roscoe Orman plays the title role, a pimp who's seen better days, and he's woefully upstaged by his ridiculous outfits. It's all fast paced, sometimes stupid, even a bit campy but also fairly entertaining. Sands brings a lot of class to the film and Thalmus Rasulala is in it too. The faux-funk music is by JJ Johnson, who also contributed to CLEOPATRA JONES & THE FUZZ BROTHERS. Produced, inexplicably, by Zanuck/Brown (a year before they hit pay dirt with JAWS).

It is impossible to deny that this film has some hilarious parts. You can't help enjoying the absolutely ridiculous outfits and mannerisms of the pimps. Everything from Willie's beyond gaudy car to even the characters' names (i.e. the white pimp named Milky Way) is pretty entertaining. But it does have some serious (well okay, maybe not serious) implications as well. It is basically set up like most classic tragedies; a man in a position of great power falls due to a tragic flaw. Willie is likable enough not to deserve our hatred, but ruthless enough that we accept that he deserved his fate. Okay, so it's a bad idea to overthink this movie, but it is important to at least recognize that format. Furthermore, its social implications are pretty relevant. It portrayed Black and White characters in both positive and negative stereotypes, as well as providing more well rounded characters to serve as positive rolemodels. It started out glorifying the pimp lifestyle and slowly de-glamorized it as a life of dishonesty, drug addiction, violence, and eventual ruin. It may have really given young kids growing up in ghettoes in that era as made something to think about by slowly exposing the harsh realities of a life outside the law. Especially since it also presented positive Black role models who came from similar situations, like Cora, a prostitute-turned-social worker on a quest to help rescue other young girls from a life on the streets.

This Blaxploitation classic merits a viewing on at least two bases: one, you've got none other than Gordon of 'Sesame Street', a.k.a. actor Roscoe Orman, playing a pimp, and two, you have to love these COSTUMES! "Willie Dynamite" (Orman) is a capitalism-oriented flesh peddler with a wardrobe to die for. But he'll have a few thorns in his side: a pair of detectives (George Murdock, Albert Hall) out to righteously bust him, a mysterious enemy determined to screw him over, and a crusading social worker named Cora (Diana Sands), who acts as a patron saint to hookers. Directed with style by Gilbert Moses, "Willie Dynamite" is generally engaging entertainment. Some viewers may be pleased to note that, although the rating is R, there's no excessive violence, and very little in the way of bare female skin. That doesn't mean, however, that it's not worth other peoples' time. It spins a decent yarn (screenplay by Ron Cutler, based on a story by Cutler and Joe Keyes Jr.) that unfolds at a respectable pace, gives us some agreeable action set pieces, and makes fine use of locations. There's a wonderful score provided by J.J. Johnson, and a rousing title theme song that gets you in the proper mood immediately. Orman is great fun playing a charismatic antihero. The scenario lets you wait until the end to let you know whether or not Willie D. can be redeemed, leading to some poignant moments. Sands, sadly dying of cancer during this time, gives the best performance in the movie. Thalmus Rasulala is saddled with little to do as her attorney boyfriend. Similarly, there are other familiar faces here that are rather wasted. Judith Brown, Juanita Brown, Marcia McBroom, and Mary Charlotte Wilcox as some of Willie D.'s hookers mostly just take up space. The pretty Joyce Walker gets the lions' share of attention as novice ho Pashen. Roger Robinson, as an antagonistic pimp named Bell, is most amusing, but there may be viewers who will take offense to his stereotypical portrayal of a gay character. "Willie Dynamite" is lively, funny, and sometimes touching. Blaxploitation completists will want to check it out, for sure. Seven out of 10.