Dolemite poster & wallpaper

Rudy Ray Moore, D'Urville Martin, Jerry Jones

Dolemite has to deal with Willie Green, Mitchell and White, Mayor Daly, and assorted production equipment used to film the movie; all in an attempt to regain control of his nightclub. He is joined wit...( read more  read more... )h his kung-fu fighting whores, Queen Bee, and the Reverend in this heroic struggle.

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67% liked it

4,991 ratings

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40% liked it

5 critics

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Directed by: D'Urville Martin

Release Date: January 1, 1975

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DVD Release Date: April 27, 1999

Stats: 296 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (296)

  • stopitgoaway
    October 16, 2009
    stopitgoaway
    Thanks to the persistence of Queen Bee, Dolemite is proved innocent of a crime he was framed for (possession of stolen furs and a cool half mil of drugs). Back on the streets he finds that his "normal" activities have been overtaken by a much more deadly and aggressive crime wave...( read more), with drugs, guns and murder on the streets where pimping and simple old fashioned hustling should be. The ringmaster is Willie Green and his political backers. Dolemite is targeted as soon as he walks free and, with his staple of martial-arts-trainer hunnies, attempts to push back against the crooked cops, the violent criminals and, generally, the man.

    I have not ever seen any of the Dolemite films beyond the same experience the majority of other white people have had ? as part of ODB's video, so I decided to watch this film recently as part of dipping into many genres to make my viewing habits more interesting than whatever rubbish is spat out as that weekend's "big" movie (although I still do that too). Anyway, Dolemite delivers what I expected it to deliver but tha is not particularly a good thing. In terms of the genre it seems to have seized on the elements of blaxploitation that are superficial and appeal to the audience rather than what makes for a "good" film. As a result the plot is rather a slapdash affair with anything that really moves things beyond setting up a basic scene.

    These basic scenes are mostly quite fun in a very dated way. They are scenes of out of shape men with beautiful and slim black and white women, scenes of unconvincing martial arts "action" and others of Dolemite talking tough to anyone around him. None of it is any "good" but in the context of the genre it does enough to provide what the majority of viewers will have come in the door expecting to see. In this regard it is trashy stuff but still nothing that makes me understand why this film is so famous even within the genre. Sure, it is solid and trashy like many others but it certainly doesn't compare to the stronger films (ie that are actually stronger as films, not just blaxploitation films) in the genre.

    The cast match the "genre basics" feel. Moore looks half-awake at times, only really coming strong to bark some swear words at white men (albeit a crowd pleaser). He is an OK lead but didn't have the charisma to make me really get into his funky character. Martin is nicely slimy as Green. The lead women is solid in Reed's Queen Bee but it will be the many attractive women that stick in the mind ? if only any of them had been allowed to act a bit or be used better in the plot then maybe they would have helped the film somewhat. The soundtrack is pretty good (although not brilliant) while the direction is kindly described as "serviceable", with nothing special and far too many "goofs" (like the many booms in shot for example).

    Dolemite is a solid genre film but nothing special outside of home turf. It is reasonably funky with lots of pimps, attractive women, sex and "action" ? all of which is basic but again nothing special. Not sure what about this film made it stick in the mind for so long as, although it is quite good as a genre film, there are much better films to be had in the blaxploitation field.
  • Sleaze
    February 21, 2006
    Sleaze
    One of the finest bad cinematic experiences you'll ever have.
  • dhetteix
    January 2, 2008
    dhetteix
    All in all, a pretty bad Blaxploitation film that really is just a vehicle for Rudy Ray Moore, who delivers the standard poor-quality Blaxploitation jive with an unrivaled edginess.

    There ARE some redeeming movies in the Blaxploitation genre, but this not one of them, despite be...( read more)ing amazingly popular. Drugs, Sex and Martial Arts as themes usually warrant some entertainment value, even if done poorly... but somehow, Dolomite fails to reach even that standard. When Dolomite fails, it doesn't do so in an entertaining B-Movie way, it just ends up being boring.

    That said, Rudy Ray Moore's jive IS the best sounding of the era, if not necessarily the best written. In that regard, Dolomite is amazingly watchable, but the second Moore leaves the screen, which is often, you suddenly realize easy it is to fall asleep until you hear the sound of his voice again. Be sure you have friends to heckle the film between Moore's scenes, or you'll be out cold.
  • psyclock7
    November 16, 2009
    psyclock7
    This was serious sploitation but kinda' funny and retarded at the same time..."
  • BeAngieBe
    May 17, 2009
    BeAngieBe
    Funny! this man can cus...
  • HarleenQuinzel
    March 31, 2009
    HarleenQuinzel
    I don't know how to make this any more appealing than the plot does for itself. Dolemite and his kung-fu whores take down the badman and save the day? All right. Sold.
  • anumba1thaduke
    March 26, 2009
    anumba1thaduke
    One of the greatest movies ever made!
  • xxxcli213xxx
    December 10, 2008
    xxxcli213xxx
    no thanks not my kinda thing
  • heavyd2000
    November 24, 2008
    heavyd2000
    Verry intertaining, verry bad.
  • engrymfilm
    October 22, 2008
    engrymfilm
    So...when's Criterion puttin' this one out?

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  • I was wrongfully accused of possession of dope and stolen furs and sent to prison. My arch enemy is Willie Green. My partner is Queen Bee. Who am I?  Answer »
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