wolfhell88

(2013-06-19 05:15:38)

Blaxploitation with Veterans

A blaxploitation-movie with the stars of this genre, Fred Williamson, JimBrown, Richard Roundtree, Ron O'Neal and Pam Grier. One year before"JackieBrown" Pam Grier and Robert Forster starred together in this movie.B-movieveterans like Charles Napier and Wings Hauser complete the cast and thatisa good reason to watch this movie.

ReservoirDog66

(2013-06-18 18:26:56)

Bit overdone, but none the less, classic.

Having grown up in after the Blaxploitation era, in cinema, i never reallygot a chance to see any of the movies starting: Fred Williamson, RichardRoundtree, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, or Ron O'Neal. This being the first filmisaw with all of them in it.Williamson plays John Bookman, a former leader of the Rebels in the 70's,who comes back to Gary, to find his former town, as gang hell. Now, thismight be considered a spoiler, by some.: The fight scenes in the movie, the hand to hand combat, has beenoverdone,with dramatic music and the aging fighting of Williamson, not being on thesame level :Still, the movie has given a dramatic feel, with some of the score to thefilm. Another spoiler, i apologize for this, but the best part of themovie.:: When Bookman and Trevor are in the drive by shooting, to declare war onthe New Rebels, it is a pivotal point in the film, wondering how it willend::The movie is excellent, as it showcases the ideas of the older generationvs. the new generation, how the two are out of touch with oneanother.An interesting fact about this movie, is the fact that criminals were usedas extras/actors in the movie. It was also interesting to see IsabelSanford ( The Jeffersons ), in this movie.In Closing, Original Gangstas is not on the level that Die Hard or UnderSiege would be on, but for a better than average film, be sure to pick upOriginal Gangstas.

gridoon

(2013-06-14 09:27:52)

Gritty urban fairy-tale.

Directed with flair and lots of authentic flavor by Larry Cohen, "OriginalGangstas"/"Hot City" is still little more than a reworkingof "Death Wish 3" with an (almost) all-black cast. It's a strangemovie:first it goes to great lengthsto establish a realistic urban environment, and then undermines it with a cockamamie story that iscompletelyun-realistic. The movie should have chosen one approach or the other. Thestars are as engaging as ever (if a bit long in the tooth), but RichardRoundtree's fans will be disappointed with his very minor part. (**)

(2013-06-13 19:50:56)

Blacksploitation Reunion

Larry Cohen directed several blacksploitation films in the 1970s, including two with football star Fred Williamson (Black Caesar, Hell Up in Harlem). 1996's Original Gangstas is a reunion of sorts for Cohen and Williamson, and they invited several other luminaries to the party: Pam Grier (Coffy), Jim Brown (Slaughter), and Richard Roundtree (Shaft). We also get veteran actors Robert Forster, Charles Napier, Paul Winfield, and more. That all sounds great in principle, at least for a devoted fan of the genre. Unfortunately, reality comes knocking fairly early in the film. Like, right after the opening credits.Original Gangstas predated Jackie Brown by just one year. The two are light-years apart in terms of directing and production value, however, despite Tarantino's film having barely twice as much money to spend (12 million vs 5 million). But as much as I dig the classics--I reviewed a dozen classic blacksploitation flicks recently--some things are best left in the past. The acting here is wooden, and most of the young actors are cookie-cutter caricatures. The violence is harsh and unbelievable. For an edgy but excellent urban coming of age film, see Dead Presidents or even A Bronx Tale.The soundtrack here isn't much better. Did they really film this in Gary, Indiana? Yikes.

(2013-05-29 05:21:25)

A Good Idea but a Weak Storyline

I really wanted this movie to be great. I really felt that it had the potential. And you know, it started out pretty good. But the longer the movie goes the weaker it got. It was almost like they started with half a script and when theu got to the end of that they just winged the rest.The premise of the film is that a gang called the rebels had pretty much taken over the streets of this urban Indiania neighborhood. They are extremely bad and horrifically violent and refuse to let anyone get in their way. One citizen see's one of the gang kill a high school basketball star and calls the cops. The gang retailiates by trashing his store, beating him up, shooting him, and leaving him for dead. Enter John Bookman.Bookman (Fred Williamson) is the son of the shop owner, an ex-NFL football star, and, it turns out, the original leader of the rebels some 30 years ago. He returns home to find a war zone. After failing to start a dialog with the gang with the help of the local preacher (Paul Winfield) he turns to his old comrads-in-arms to try and take back the streets. Joined by his best friend from the gang days (Jim Brown), who has his own demons to over come (the son he never knew had just been killed by the gang) they begin to orchestrate a neighborhood revolt. Joining them is Brown's old girlfriend and the mother of his son (Pam Grier), and a couple of ex-gang members (Richard Roundtree, Ron O'Neal). Here is where the problems begin for this movie. After this great set-up it starts to deteriorate into just pure violence. A previous reviewer says this movie has a "deep message." What's the message, that you have to become as vicious and brutal as the gang you're trying to stop? We see people being executed with a bullet to the brain, burned, having their necks snapped, knifed, beaten with baseball bats, and just gunned down in a all-out hail of gunfire. As the heroes continue their onslaught we see that in the end, they really are no less violent and brutal as the gang. In the final scenes we find Williamson & Brown in a fight with the two current gang leaders while a rival gang looks on. Once they dispose of the hoodlums finally the police, missing completely during the firefight, show up. What started out good ended silly. What a shame.I would recommend this only to those who are either into Blaxploitation movies or if you have about 100 minutes to kill. Not bad but just could have been SO much better

Wayne Malin

(2013-05-28 07:06:01)

GREAT cast---so-so movie

John Bookman (Fred Williamson) returns to his home town which is nowover run by gangs. His father is attacked and John wants to clean upthe city. He enlists two old friends to help--Laurie (Pam Grier) andJake (Jim Brown). But the gang leader is a borderline psycho and won'tlet go of the city. Bookman realizes they're going to have to fight towin.This was just made to get some of the best stars from the 1970sblaxploitation films together to kick a** like they did back then!Aside from Williamson, Grier and Brown we also get Ron O'Neal andRichard Roundtree popping up in small roles. And it's always good tosee Paul Winfield, Isabel Sanford and Robert Forster (before his bigcomeback in 1997's "Jackie Brown"--with Grier). The basic plot is OKbut there are some serious mistakes made. As the movie goes on the plotgets increasingly stupid (Williamson's "plan" to pit the gangs againsteach other causes killings and huge property destruction) and there areplenty of loopholes. There's some great action sequences but (even forthis type of movie) it's far too violent. Seeing old people andchildren attacked or killed is just going too far. Still it's great tosee these actors in action again. Grier easily gives the bestperformance--but I was surprised at how really good Williamson andBrown were. This gets a 7 just for the cast. Worth catching...justdon't think about it too much.

(2013-05-23 22:10:20)

THEY'RE BACK AND BETTER THAN EVER!

What a collection of stars you'll never see again! Superfly, Foxy Brown, Black Caesar, football star Jim Brown and Shaft. It's the Superfriends of Blaxploitation films! Yes, it's violent and the plot is basic. Don't expect to be intellectully stimulated, however this film will entertain you. The action is great and so are the one liners! This is a must see for any fan of the genre. Don't know what to rent tonight? Rent ORIGINAL GANGSTAS!

lastliberal

(2013-05-23 16:50:13)

Blaxploitation stars kick ass

It's like old home wee when stars like Jim Brown (Slaughter, BlackGunn), Fred Williamson (Starsky & Hutch), Pam Grier, Ron O'Neal(Superfly), Richard Roundtree (Shaft), and Paul Winfield (Sounder) gettogether to teach some young punks a lesson. Heavys of the 70'sblaxploitation genre are called home to get some revenge and clean upthe town. Lots of talking and shooting and good old fashionedfisticuffs.Pam Grier (Coffy, Foxy Brown) is back in the form we like. She was oneof the first female action stars in Hollywood. Looking forward to aretrospective this weekend when they replay two of her best.

(2013-05-20 07:30:58)

A violent reunion from back in the day

The reason to watch this movie is the reunion for those of us who remember the protagonists from the era of blaxploitation films in which we were introduced to them/ Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, reconvene to take back their home town of Gary, Indiana from several well organized and terribly violent street gangs.Also appearing in almost cameo roles are Ron O'Neal ("Superfly") and Richard Roundtree (the original John Shaft). Seeing them all together is a treat, but left me wondering why this quintet did not get more screen time all together. It is particularly pleasing to see Brown and Grier, who, as one of the expert reviewers noted, have aged very very well. However, the re-ignition of their former relationship is tepid and seemingly forced. By contrast, it has nowhere near the intensity seen when barely restrained Brown confronts a gang leader about the murder of his son. I agree that the simplistic plot and the consistent (and predictable) violence keep this from being one of the great films of our time. Those who remember the first time seeing these individuals in character now some thirty years ago will enjoy seeing them all together again, and that makes this disc worthwhile.

Michael_Elliott

(2013-05-19 23:20:12)

Great Fun

Original Gangstas (1996) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Blaxploitation in the 90's has a street gang killing off people so theold guys (Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Ron O'Neal, RichardRoundtree) come to take the streets back. This all-star extravaganzaremains a lot of fun like those films of the 1970's but this one herealso has a message and asks a lot of serious questions. Whereas those70's flicks simply blamed white folks, this one here goes a lot deeperin its message and even throws blame towards those earlier films. A lotof interesting ideas are brought up here, although we still get somemindless, if fun, action. Larry Cohen wrote a brilliant script and theperformers all do a fine job. Robert Forster also stars.

(2013-05-18 06:08:15)

good idea but bad come out

Fred Williamson(Black Ceasar, From Dusk Till Dawn) is John Bookman and he returns home after his father is shot up by a gang called the rebels, a gang he formed back in his day, led by Spyro and Damien..two ruthless thugs who changed the gang from what it used to be, the rebels think they own the streets. well Bookman and co. join forces to try to stop them. an allstar cast including Jim Brown(Mars Attacks,Salughter) Ron O'Neal(Superfly), Pam Grier(Ghost Of Mars, Foxy Brown, Jackie Brown), Paul Winfield(Mars Attacks, The Terminator), Richard Roundtree(Antitrust, Shaft, Corky Romando) and many more. takes its toll on the 70's black films but is too much uninspired with wooden performances and a lack of, anything...was expecting much more

Theo Robertson

(2013-05-17 15:23:09)

Like The Seventies Didn't Happen

On the surface Original GANGSTAS insinuates it's going to be a tough ,gritty vigilante thriller set in the ghetto with a bunch of law abidingcitizens taking on some nasty gang bangers . At it's most vague andbasic this is exactly what it is . But remember one thing - the castlist . Who's appearing . We've got Richard Roundtree , Jim Brown , RonO' Neal , Pam Grier and Fred Williamson basically every mainstay fromthe blaxploitation movies from the 1970s . And this is how the movieplays out . In effect you're watching a sequel to all these funkymovies from the 1970s , produced for white people for black people .Even the title of the movie has undertones of a follow up to these 70smovies The problem is that by the 1990s had come along Tarantino was the pinup boy of American cinema . We were now in the era of post modernism -some might claim post , post modernism - and watching OG you're struckby the lack of self referential concepts behind the proceedings . Italso goes against the grain of other movies such as MENACE 2 SOCIETY inthat there's a lack of anti-gangsta subtext and any social commentaryis loosely touched upon and shallow . In effect it's straight forwardvigilante wish fulfillment while being enjoyable to a degree certainlybelongs in another era

(2013-05-12 11:43:59)

Good Film

it's Great Seeing Some OF My Favorite's From The 70's Together Again in this film.Pam SUper Fine' Grier,Fred The Hammer'Williamson,Ron Cool'O'Neal,Jim Strong Brother'Brown,Richard Shaft'Roundtree,Isabel Sanford from THE Jeffersons.A Great Solid Cast Taking Back The Neighborhood From Drugs&Danger.Very Uplifting.

(2013-05-12 08:12:28)

mark twain sam australia WA Perth

I personally think that this is one of or if not the best film that Fred Williamson has done. I liked the fight scenes that were very well put together and each fight scene had a bit of realism to it.Williamson is John Bookman, a former hood who made it to the big time with his smooth football skills. But when the gang that he had created/founded back in his hometown starts shooting at members of his family - including his father - he returns to his old turf, meets with his old partners in crime and walks into an all-out street war to clean up his neighborhood to its rightful state of justice! Now it is old school versus new school in this action packed kick-ass flick.

(2013-04-28 07:18:27)

Origanal Gangstas

This movie took me back to my younger days. It was packed with action, with a deep message. I really injoyed the movie and I watch it all the time.

(2013-04-27 11:06:31)

THE RETURN OF THE ORIGINAL HEROES!!!!

THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR ANY PERSON WHO ENJOYS BLAXPLOITAION FILMS. THIS IS JUST A FILM ON HOW FRED WILLIAMSON, JUMBROWN, PAM GRIER, AND OTHER CLASSIC HEROES TEAMED UP TO SAVE SOME PEOPLE FROM SOME BAD THUGS. THEY TAKE CARE OF THEM IN THE SAME THAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD. I LOVE THIS MOVIE IT IS GREAT IT IS PACKED WITH ACTION. AND PAM AND FRED SHOWS THAT THEY NEVER LOST THEIR TOUCH. THIS IS AN ENJOYABLE FILM AND I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO LIKES BLAXPLOITATION FILMS.

manuel-pestalozzi

(2013-04-26 15:39:04)

A sense of place - recommended for town planners and architects

This movie is correctly graded as a B picture. And yet it is more: anhonesthommage to a real, existing town in the throes of death. Before I pickedupOriginal Gangstas as a cheap video cassette, I did not know that the townofGary existed. I didn't even know a town like Gary could exist (this provesonce more: maybe we Europeans are kind of naive in the ways we evaluatetheUS's wealth and power and its effects.). Now I know better.There is a certain similarity between this film and Jules Dassin'slegendarydocumentary/crime movie The Naked City of 1948. Both use a style thatwantsto "tell a city". With the title credits the town is introduced to theviewers, with aereal footage, ordinary street scenes and a voice-over thattells something about the history of the town and a few selected buildings(the bakery, the cinema etc.). It is really educational. Very goodlocationshooting gives a vivid impression of the specific urban wasteland. Garybecomes a real place. I also had the impression that the mood of thepeoplewho are forced or willing to live in present day Gary is accuratelyrecorded: A mixture of anger, shame and - above all - fear. People aredesperate, they don't see a future and the affiliation of youngsters to agang appears for many to be the only way to survive.In the story the main character played by Fred Williamson (also theproducerand a Gary native who certainly put some very personal feelings into thismovie) descends on the town as an aging "knight in shining armour". Heassembles his old, middle aged buddies (plus Pam Grier!) and stages a waragainst the gangs. I did not care much for the story and its action sceneswith unvariably high death tolls, but I must admit that this movierealistically highlights in a specific place a specific problem that isdisquieting and difficult to solve.

(2013-04-26 03:16:47)

Pretty Good in Spots

it's a Wonderful Cast.but the film doesn't really go anywhere new or different.still it's Wonderful Seeing So Many Great's From The 70's Trying To Get The Neighborhood in Order.THis is a Dream Cast.

(2013-04-25 18:54:48)

I remember those times

I was born in Gary Indiana where this story is supposed to take place. I used to buy donuts from the bakery and go to the theater that is mentioned in this movie. I was even born at the hospital were Fred Williamson's character goes to see his father. Fortunately for me I joined the service just as the city was starting to decay. I enjoyed watching some of my favorite black action stars walking the same streets as I did when I was kid. For nostalgia's sake it is a good film.

Brother

(2013-04-25 05:41:19)

Black is back

This was an old seventies throw back movie with predictable themes and action. But man it was good to see all of the old black action actors on the same screen. Jim Brown, Superfly, Fred Williamson, Pam Grier and those corny scripts. Cmon man, what's up sucker! and so on. Gotta love the brotherhood fraterniy of black stars. Peace.