Dolemite Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Dolemite Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 6, 2016

After finding success with a nightclub act devoted to the rhyming style of the character Dolemite, comedian Rudy Ray Moore collected his earnings and decided to try his luck with a feature, self-financing an action extravaganza that combines the actor’s love for sex, martial arts, and performance. By any standards, 1975’s “Dolemite” is a poorly constructed film, frequently exposing technical mishaps, thespian limitations, and editorial indifference, walking and talking like a particularly inept home movie. And yet, the power of Moore is a special thing, securing his strange sense of humor through sheer force, finding a way to overcome the effort’s mistakes and deliver a rousing, exceedingly bizarre take on urban authority. Armed with dead-eyed bravado, non sequiturs, and sheer volume, Moore is the reason to remain invested in “Dolemite,” which provides the blaxploitation tradition with a much-needed shot of endearing ridiculousness, finding Moore committing to every moment of this outrageous picture.

Jailed for crimes involving the sale of stolen furs and narcotics, Dolemite (Rudy Ray Moore) is pulled out of his cell, offered a chance to return to the streets on a special mission, tasked with tracking the activities of criminal Willie Green (D’Urville Martin, who also directs), who’s taken over the incarcerated gangster’s domain. Accepting the job, Dolemite returns to loyal partner Queen Bee (Lady Reed) and his collection of karate-trained prostitutes, reestablishing his brand name as Willie, racist cop Mitchell (John Kerry), and Mayor Daley (Monte Pike) conspire to kill the legend. Out for vengeance, Dolemite uses his wits and blunt force to defeat his enemies, while also making time to perform at his popular nightclub, The Total Experience.

It’s important to note that “Dolemite” doesn’t provide the clearest of narratives, only vaguely paying attention to the Willie Green plot. He’s a villain, one of many, but the production is more interested in the details of Dolemite’s investigation and self-defense skills, taking out a host of aggressors who want the royal pimp out of the way. Dramatic itches aren’t going to be scratched here, and the production’s professionalism is stunningly minimal at times, watching the director barely pay attention to basic needs like framing, sound recording, flubbed lines, and continuity, teasing the idea that a snuff movie could break out at any moment.

“Dolemite” is clumsy, but never punishingly so, eventually finding a way to turns goofs into charming blunders, developing instant cult appeal. Thankfully, the picture moves along relatively quickly, keeping to steady diet of shouted confrontations and physical interactions that celebrate Moore’s oddball wordplay (often referring to enemies as “rat-soup-eatin’” creeps, and I have no idea what that means) and presence in the frame, always clad in pimp-tasic garb and standing in attack position. The fun of “Dolemite” emerges from the character’s heated encounters, watching him use slow-motion martial arts to smack down goons and cops, and the occasional burst of gunplay is included to keep matters violent. It’s hardly bruising stuntwork, but it’s enjoyable and sincere, observing Moore give everything he’s got to the role, even when he can’t quite sell all the flexibility required.

“Dolemite” takes place in a post-Watergate world, and one filled with opportunists and thieves. It’s a cynical movie when it isn’t being absurd, maintaining interest in tainted leadership and corrupted morality, representing the era accurately before it’s pulled back into cartoon mode. However, the extremity of a few ideas presented here aren’t seen to fruition, including the karate-trained stable of prostitutes, who are never unleashed in a manner that matches the imagination. It’s Dolemite’s show, and he’s in charge of the action, leaving female hostility more of an idea than a true addition to the production.

Throttling the picture are performance sequences from Moore, who stops the film in full to entertain others with Dolemite’s rhymes and showmanship. At first, the audience is a group of fans stopping the pimp on the street, begging for a taste of street poetry. Later, “Dolemite” travels to The Total Experience to take in Moore’s show in full, watching dancers, singers, and the comedian wow audiences with talent and costuming before it the moment is ruined by violent interests. In trying to give audiences what they want, Moore basically walks away from storytelling for extended periods of time, disrupting any momentum the movie is able to build. It’s interesting to see Moore in his element, celebrating his fame, but “Dolemite” is better when focused exclusively on troublemaking.

Dolemite Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation delivers a fresh take on "Dolemite," offering fans a 2K scan from 35mm negative, keeping it miles away from the beater prints and iffy home video releases the feature has endured. Granted, Vinegar Syndrome isn't working with gold here, but they manage to fine new life in "Dolemite," presenting a tasteful refreshing of color that makes era-specific hues powerful, especially reds and deep blues. L.A. greenery remains supportive as well, and skintones are spot-on. Detail reaches as far as focal issues allow, but textures are terrific, offering sharpness on faces and clear distances. Delineation isn't problematic. Source encounters some vertical scratches and bumpy reel changes, but it's in decent shape.

Dolemite Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix also deals with limited professional reach when it comes to sonic immersion, but the basics register pleasingly, with soundtrack cuts and scoring efforts retaining more instrumentation than expected, adding some heaviness and snap to the mood. Dialogue exchanges are satisfactory, finding intelligibility against all odds, and surges in threat only hit crispy highs periodically. Atmospherics are preserved.

Dolemite Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The "Boom Mic" Version delivers "Dolemite" with a full frame presentation, exposing not only equipment, but also crew activity.

• Commentary features Rudy Ray Moore biographer, Mark Jason Murray.

• "I, Dolemite" (24:01, HD) traces the history of the titular character, focusing on Moore's biographical details, highlighting his years as a DJ and his rise as a successful recording artist. Interviews Murray and Moore himself (who appears in archive footage) help to provide direction and context, while the most fascinating segment of the featurette is devoted to the troubled "Dolemite" shoot and its shocking success during its initial theatrical run.

• "Lady Reed: Uncut" (23:14, SD) is an extended and undated chat with the "Dolemite" co-star and longtime Moore partner.

• "Locations: Then & Now" (1:47, HD) is a fun but brief look at how Los Angeles has changed over the last 40 years.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:55, HD) is included.

Dolemite Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Dolemite" offers plenty of violence (I could've done without a penis amputation moment) and detestable characters, with the white man positioned as true evil, keeping with blaxploitation villainy, encouraging audience participation. There's even a "Shaft"-style theme song to kick off the proceedings. As this type of entertainment goes, "Dolemite" offers everything a viewer could want while celebrating Moore's askew take on line-readings and virility (sex scenes are almost virginal in their tentativeness, despite proclamations of assured ecstasy). It looks like it was shot over a long weekend with a two-person crew, but "Dolemite" miraculously manages to overcome such creative challenges and emerge as blast of silliness, securing Moore's position as one of the subgenre's most beguiling and high-waist-pants-wearing titans.