(1972)
Dir - Joy N. Houck Jr.
Overall: MEH
Regional filmmaker Joy N. Houck Jr.'s Night of the Strangler, (Dirty Dan, Dirty Dan's Women, Vengeance is Mine, Is the Father Black Enough?), is an interesting if undeniably flawed entry in the blaxploitation genre. Its main slasher-tinged title out of several is also misleading as even though a number of murders take place, none of them are by strangulation. Classifying this as a horror film even by thriller proxy is also a stretch as it is instead explicitly a racially-driven murder mystery. Mickey Dolenz of all people is one of two brothers in a dysfunctional relationship, as they both come to blows over each other's love interests, as well as their sister's insistence on marrying a black man who she is recently expecting a baby with. As the more odious sibling, James Ralston has a comically vile reaction to this news, which kicks off a plot where almost everyone gets picked off in what is revealed to be a convoluted vengeance scheme. The performances, cinematography, and sound design are embarrassingly amateurish, so even though the movie's sensitive themes are front, center, and present a bleak outlook, the film is undermined by its abysmal production aspects.
(1974)
Dir - Paul Maslansky
Overall: GOOD
The only directorial effort from producer Paul Maslansky, Sugar Hill is one of the more unintentionally silly blaxploitation horror films on the short list of them. An American International Production cashing in on the success of their Blacula films, (and also featuring Count Yorga himself Robert Quarry as a vile and racist southern mob boss), it has all of the cheap laughable charm inherent with such movies including crude production values, asinine dialog, and ham-fisted acting. Don Pedro Colley turns in a particularly cartoon-character performance as Baron Samedi; a wide-gazed, cackling Haitian voodoo spirit that is ridiculous and amusing in equal measures. In the title lead, Marki Bey is no Pam Greer, but she has a sexy and schlocky charm that works well enough with the proceedings. The racoon-eyed zombie makeup is a highlight and is especially creepy during a massage parlor scene, as well as in the end when they descend upon a white woman who is left helpless in a car. Story-wise, it is a bare-bones revenge scenario, but Maslansky keeps things moving and there are plenty of notable ghastly moments, hilarious lines, and "Supernatural Voodoo Woman" by The Originals slaps hard.
(1977)
Dir - Cliff Roquemore
Overall: GOOD
Rudy Moore's fourth staring vehicle Petey Wheatstraw, (Petey Wheatstraw, the Devil's Son-in-Law), is arguably his most nonsensical blaxploitation goof fest, reuniting him with director Cliff Roquemoere who was behind the lens on the Dolemite sequel The Human Tornado. Many of the same hallmarks are present, including cheap production values, juvenile gags that are half intentionally funny and half unintentionally funny, reinforced stereotypes, horrendously unconvincing fight choreography, and of course Moore's full-volume, raunchy rhyming capabilities. Throwing in some horror elements is the one distinguishable factor as Moore's title character squares off against the Devil himself when he backs out of a deal to marry his physically-impaired daughter after being granted supernatural revenge powers. The plot is of course ridiculous, which is established right from the opening scene where Petey is birthed as a full-grown child in a diaper who immediately attacks the befuddled doctor that yanked him out of his mother's over-sized womb, (a womb which also produces a watermelon first because this was a simpler time). Some tonal shifts and awkward set pieces only add to the cacophony of nonsense, but all parties involved seem to be having a delightful time, which is infections for any audience member that is down for a head-scratching and off-color chuckle.
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