Black Shampoo (1976)

[lester1/2jr]

NO this isn't some kind of info-mercial for a new organic beauty product, it's an infamously, unintentionally hilarious  blaxploitation movie. sort of "Pootie Tang" meets Ed Wood.


The acting, particularly in the begining, is so bad it's actually confusing.  the emphasis is put on the wrong words and it's hard to figure out what they're saying.  They should have over dubbed it!  Despite some rather tawdry scenerios (the one by the poolside was slightly perverted) the first part of the film is a real roller coaster ride of just plain silliness.  It's a porno movie without hard core porn. Actually, that is an insult to porn actors. 

        the second half is also great and actually involves things like a plot, but it's almost an anticlimax after the dizzying first half.  The whole thing is great though.  The commentary track was one of the worst I've heard.  There will be an amazing scene with hot girls and the director will say nothing, then the next shot opens up "we shot this...in burbank" in dull monotone.  alot of the B movie guys need to lighten up. 

[DodgingGrunge]

I was instructed to write a paper on the roles my parents played in my beliefs, personality, etc., for a high school English class.  As I was, for all intents and purposes, a latchkey kid, I turned in a paper about life imitating art... particularly my life imitating blaxploitation.  While it was mostly about the values imparted on me by my true parents, Pam Grier and Fred Williamson, I called it Black Shampoo.

Needless to say, I received a 0% on the assignment. 

[lester1/2jr]

it was worth it to be able to use that title 

[Torgo]

I saw this flick about 3 years ago on DVD.  It was the one with the commentary track as well.

I thought that the 1st half in which we get to see the inner workings of our male lead's hair salon were hilarious.

The 2nd half however got increasingly dull. The final one-on-one fight was laughable it was shot & edited so poorly.

[lester1/2jr]

1.  running over the old guy


2.  when he throws the chainsaw

3.  the pool cue (? !)  through the belly

It wasn't as strong as the first part but it wasn't that bad

[Torgo]

The fight that ends with the pool cue through the belly is the one that I was referring to as being edited too confusing.

[DodgingGrunge]

It has probably been a decade or longer since I last Black Shampoo.  Time has since erased any memory of its editing or the flow of its narrative.  But I certainly enjoyed it, and I remember the pool cue fight scene fondly.  Regardless, it is definitely better than William Girdler's contributions to the genre. 

it was worth it to be able to use that title 

Of course!  Besides, had I actually written about my parents the assignment would have been woefully incomplete.

[lester1/2jr]

dodging-  I loved  "Abby" and "the manitou" 

[DodgingGrunge]

And I love Grizzly!  But more importantly, what does that say about us?!?  Hahaha.

[LilCerberus]

"I never shampoo my wig! I only use REAL POO!" - The Muppets