93 years ago, on this date in 1917, Rudy Ray Moore was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas. From humble beginnings, Moore would grow up to become a comedian who inspires a cult-like following to this day. Imagine Redd Foxx with even bluer material but less personal animus against the world and you might have some idea of the type of material that made Rudy Ray Moore famous.
Moore was not just a comedian. He was also a self-proclaimed film star. Dolemite, which he produced and starred in, remains his best-known movie. Dolemite is a blaxploitation film but it’s a blaxploitation film unlike any other. Moore plays Dolemite, a pimp who has been released from prison after serving 20 years. Dolemite seeks revenge on the man who set him up, Willie Green (played by the film’s director, D’Urville Martin.) Along the way, he proves himself to be the greatest kung fu-fighting pimp around.
Or, at least, that’s the idea. As a movie, Dolemite is often considered to be an example of outsider art. It’s a movie unlike any other and it is almost impossible to describe what it’s like to watch it for the first time. In honor of Rudy Ray Moore’s birthday, here is one of the classic fight scenes from Dolemite:
To me, this first offering actually feels more like a parody trailer (like Machete or Hobo With A Shotgun) than an actual trailer. But no, Sweet Jesus Preacherman appears to be an actual film.
This was directed by James Glickenhaus, who directed The Exterminator. According to the commentary track on one of the 42nd Street Forever DVDs, Glickenhaus felt that The Soldier would help him break into mainstream films and, though I’m not a huge fan of action movies, the trailer does look fairly exciting. Plus, if you watch the whole without blinking, you might catch a split-second appearance from Klaus Kinski. Supposedly, Kinski was offered a role in both this film and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Kinski chose to appear in The Soldier.
Speaking of Klaus Kinski, he’s also featured in our next trailer, The Great Silence. Directed by Sergio Corbucci, The Great Silence has been acclaimed as one of the greatest spaghetti westerns of all time. This film’s title refers to the fact that the nominal hero (played by Jean-Louis Trintignant) is a mute. The trailer also features Ennio Morricone’s excellent score.
There were actually two versions of this film — an explicit one and a slightly less explicit one. I’m guessing this trailer was used to advertise the slightly less explicit version.
In this film, William Shatner, Eddie Albert, Tom Skerritt, and Ida Lupino battle Satanists (and Ernest Borgnine) in New Mexico. Though he’s not mentioned in the trailer, John Travolta made his film debut here. He plays a member of Borgnine’s cult. This trailer — with its promise of the greatest ending of all time — is a drive-in classic.
Let’s end how we began, with a blaxploitation trailer. I do have to say that, as a character, Dolemite looks a bit more interesting that Sweet Jesus Preacherman. Plus, the Dolemite trailer rhymes.
Remember that Monday is Memorial Day so, if nothing else, take a few minutes to remember the men and women who have fought to allow us to live in a country where we can watch movies like Dolemite, Flesh Gordon, and Sweet Jesus Preacherman.
Through the Shattered Lens 