Review #621: 'Black Mama, White Mama' (1973)

Going by the title alone, you would be forgiven if you mistook this passable exploitation flick as an entry into the blaxploitation genre. But Black Mama, White Mama combines two sub-genres from the grindhouse circuit - Women in Prison (WiP) and the Filipino action flick. No stranger to the ripe-for-exploiting and dirt-cheap Filipino wilderness, director Eddie Romero employs genre legend Pam Grier (although in 1973 she was only on the cusp of her 70's fame) as the titular black mama, Lee, and pretty, willowy blonde Margaret Markov (who would star with Grier the following year in The Arena) as the white mama, Karen.

The two have just landed in a women's prison in the Philippines. Lee has been locked up for working as a harem girl, and finds herself in debt to gangster Vic Cheng (Vic Diaz). Karen is a revolutionary, working for Che Guevara-lookalike Ernesto (Zaldy Zshornack), helping to overthrow the corrupt Filippino government. After some early problems with a sadistic lesbian warden and being locked naked (obviously) in a hot box, Lee and Karen manage to escape after their transportation is attacked by Karen's revolutionary friends. But army reinforcements headed by the desperate Captain Cruz (Eddie Garcia) intervene and Lee and Karen find themselves on foot shackled at the wrist. Cruz is forced to turn to notorious cowboy criminal Ruben (Sid Haig) for assistance in locating the convicts, but Cheng's men are never far behind.

If it sounds like there's a lot of going on here, that's because there kinda is. About half-way through, the film shifts focus to these three quarrelling groups and away from the sexy action of Grier and Markov. So it becomes a hail of paint-red blood and crappy explosions, rather than the mildly entertaining lesbian and shower scenes of the opening portion, and it's only when Sid Haig shows up that the film is given any character to get on board with (even though he's a bastard). Grier is always good value however, and although she was never the greatest actress - despite her impressive turn in Jackie Brown (1997) - she has a real charisma that led to her become the queen of blaxploitation with films such as Coffy (later the same year) and Foxy Brown (1974). Pretty dull stuff overall, but exploitation fans should certainly give it a go, if not for the opening 20 minutes alone. 

Directed by: Eddie Romero

Starring: Pam Grier, Margaret Markov, Sid Haig, Lynn Borden

Country: USA/Philippines

Rating: **

Tom Gillespie

Review #407: 'The Twilight People' (1973)

Successful adventurer Matt Farrell (John Ashley) is kidnapped whilst on a dive by sadistic hunter Steinman (Jan Merlin), who takes him to a mysterious island dominated by the insane Dr. Gordon (Charles Macaulay). Gordon has been doing experiments on the native locals and cross-bred them with certain animals in an attempt to create a great army, and sees Farrell as a suitable addition to his grisly bunch. After escaping with Gordon's daughter Neva (Pat Woodell) and all the human-animal hybrids, Steinman pursues them in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse.

As far as re-makes/re-imaginings of the hugely influential Island of Lost Souls (1932) go, The Twilight People certainly isn't the worst. Choked with massive budget limitations that naturally leads to terrible acting and worse make-up, this Grindhouse effort certainly has it's charms. It is, of course, fucking awful, but there is a bit of spirit amongst the cast, and plenty of laugh-at-the-shit-make-up moments. The creatures, which include an Antelope Man, an Ape Man, a Wolf Woman, and most hilariously, a Bat Man, are so ridiculous looking that I could scarcely believe that the actors behind them managed to keep a straight face throughout the film. It does, however, have Pam Grier as the Panther Woman (made famous by Kathleen Burke from the 1932 original), and seeing her rip her way through a number of Gordon's henchman is certainly worth your time.

But the on-the-run second half of the film repeatedly stalls and ultimately bores, as the film seems to be wind down the proceedings in order to sustain an acceptable running time. It is also quite tame as far as low-budget monster movies go, but I have to admit that it added to it's almost innocent charm. The ending, which doesn't really wrap anything up, ends abruptly when I was expecting and almost hoping for five minutes more. To summarise then, certainly worth a watch if you like your movies trashy, cheap, and easy to watch, but a meandering and ridiculous film overall. Though I would recommend a watch simply for the Bat Man, paper wings and all.


Directed by: Eddie Romero
Starring: John Ashley, Pat Woodell, Jan Merlin, Charles Macaulay
Country: Philippines/USA

Rating: **

Tom Gillespie

Review #119: 'Raw Force' (1982)

This late-comer into the multitude of American/Fillipino range of exploitation actioners falls into a category of the horror/kung-fu/adventure sub-genres prevalent at the time. It tells the story of a group of passengers on a ship heading to Warriors Island. A place where ancient, disgraced Asian martial artists have gone to meet their makers. An island where the ornamental stone, Jade is mined and sold onto Western interests. The majority of the film consists of various boat-party scenes, where 'weird' people inhabit, and the breast quoter is met easily, with the plenitude of naked, gyrating females paraded in front of camera for no apparent reason. These are intercut with random 'man-fights'; also filling a quoter for 'kung-fu' action. Two of the pre-requisites for exploitationers world-wide.

One of the boat parties is interrupted by a band of all-killing village people-a-likes; pirate and guerrilla in their approach. They invade the ship and kill anyone that gets in their way. This happens why? Well, we will never know. Eventually the ship catches fire, and the survivors set off in a dingy. They do reach their ultimate destination of Warrior Island, but want to leave immediately. Did they want to go there in the first place? And if so, what for? They certainly have no interest whilst they are there!

Well, once they have been given the option for escape from the island, they are given the chance, with a proposition of battle. The dead warriors are risen from eternal sleep. These beautifully blue-faced zombie Ninja/Samurai Warrior/Shaolin Monk forgotten combatants are set on the marooned gang. Not 100% sure what this film is trying to be. It is at once an Indiana jones-like adventure picture; a zombie infested nightmare; a kung-fu actioner. Well, it fails in being either an adventure, or a martial arts 'effort'. It even fails to create any scares in the horror department; the only frightening element being the ending threat title of: 'To be continued'. It does however, contain some brief moments of verbal joy. There are moments of dialogue that simply gives giggly pleasure. Momentary, forgettable, but a little bit of frivolous nonsense.


Directed by: Edward D. Murphy
Starring: Cameron Mitchell, Geoffrey Binney, Hope Holiday
Country: USA/Philippines

Rating: **

Marc Ivamy