AFROS, MACKS, N’ ZODIACS (1995) *** ½

Dolemite himself, Rudy Ray Moore hosts this highly entertaining Something Weird trailer compilation (while surrounded by a bevy of hot bikini babes sporting big Afros) of Blaxploitation movies from the ‘70s.  Even though I’ve seen many of these trailers before, there are undoubtedly some classics here.  Without a doubt, my favorite has to be the all-rhyming ad for Dr. Black Mr. Hyde.  (“A demon he could not control has taken over his very soul!”)  

There’s also plenty of trailers that represent the renowned stars of the genre like Pam Grier, in trailers for movies like Foxy Brown (“She’s here to do a job on the Mob!”), Sheba, Baby, and Black Mama, White Mama and Fred Williamson (Black Caesar, Hell Up in Harlem, and That Man Bolt).  Naturally, there’s a smattering of classic genre offerings like Blacula and Super Fly, but we also get a few trailers for concert movies like Wattstax and Soul to Soul, which adds some variety that’s not usually found in these things.  Other highlights include the trailer for Ebony, Ivory and Jade (“Angels of vengeance on a massacre marathon!”) and even a few previews for films I’ve never seen before like Super Dude and Cool Breeze. 

Of course, there are plenty of trailers for Moore movies like Monkey Hustle, Dolemite, The Human Tornado, and Disco Godfather.  The presence of Moore (totally in character as Dolemite) makes it a must-see for his fans, or of Blaxploitation movies in general.  He’ll occasionally cut in on the action to tell a dirty joke or two (his “Mississippi” routine is great) before switching back to the main program.  It’s enough to make you wish more trailer compilations had hosts.  It all ends with a music video for Blowfly featuring cameos by such Blaxploitation stars as Isaac Hayes, Antonio Fargas, and Jim Kelly, who has a comedic fight/dance-off with Dolemite that’s worth the price of admission.  

The complete trailer list is as follows:  Blacula, Monkey Hustle, The Mack, Dr. Black Mr. Hyde, Dolemite, Cleopatra Jones, Foxy Brown, Ebony Ivory and Jade, Black Belt Jones, Shaft, Super Dude, Cotton Comes to Harlem, Trouble Man, Super Fly, Let’s Do It Again, Which Way Is Up?, Black Caeser, Hell Up in Harlem, Cool Breeze, The Human Tornado, Disco Godfather, Sheba Baby, Black Mama White Mama, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, Scream Blacula Scream, Soul to Soul, That Man Bolt, The Soul of N****r Charlie, Across 110th Street, The Big Bird Cage, Book of Numbers, Trick Baby, and Truck Turner.