MasterChugs Theater: ‘Cleopatra Jones’

Posted on July 25, 2008
Filed Under MasterChugs Theater | |

We close out both July and our look at blaxploitation with one more epic film in the genre. Starring the late Tamara Dobson in the lead role, Cleopatra Jones was the first film to mark the beginning of a sub-genre of blaxploitation films that focused on strong female leads who took an active role in shootouts and fights. That’s right, blaxploitation wasn’t just all about those super cool men. No, there were plenty of hot ladies that control of the screen. Once again, though, we ask the question-is it any good? Hit the jump to find out. Watch out though, cuz “Cleopatra’s coming at ya!”

We open in the deserts of Turkey. A helicopter arrives, and out steps a spectacular black woman, accompanied by smooth but funky music and wearing a cloak trimmed with animal tails. Two guesses as to who she is. She’s met by various French and English military officials and sundry sheiks. Their objective proves to be a nearby poppy field. Looking on in disgust, Cleopatra orders it burned. As she stands dramatically silhouetted against the sky, jet fighters napalm the field.

Cut to our introduction of ‘Mommy,’ played at full screaming throttle by Shelley Winters while wearing an Annie-style red wig. She’s none too pleased with Cleo’s interference, and lets her subordinates know it. Since Cleo’s causing so much trouble in Turkey, Mommy plans to lure her back to her hometown of Los Angeles, where Mommy also resides. She will do this by screwing with Our Heroine’s old homies at the local neighborhood center. At her call, pretty much the entire Los Angeles police force rolls out to wreck the place and hassle the inhabitants. From there it’s pretty much business as usual, as we tread water waiting for the inevitable showdown between Cleo and Mommy.

Standing 6′2″, Tamara Dobson, the high-kicking heroine that portrays the title character, strikes an imposing figure in this over-the-top thriller written by Max Julien and Sheldon Keller. All the right ingredients are here: a car chase, drug pushers, racist cops, hand to hand combat, nightclub scenes and, of course, the hip dialog (”See you around, super honky!”), and if it’s not deep, it is at least a fun way to kill ninety minutes. The characters are larger than life throughout. Cleopatra drives a flash car and may be answerable to the authorities, but she never forgets the streets she came from. She also has an extravagant taste in clothes, which, unfortunately in these P.C. days, extends to a penchant for a lot of fur. Overacting baddie Winters is a top-of-her-voice, red-wigged lesbian, who does that typical villain thing of killing off one of her own untrustworthy henchmen. Then there’s Doodlebug (Antonio Fargas) a vain drug pusher who has a white chauffeur and a need to set himself up in business away from Mommy’s influence.

The idea of a super agent soul sista who could stand up for the neighborhood, while doing it with the passport and weapons of James Bond, was ingenious and makes for good entertainment. Directed by Jack Starrett, who made Slaughter with Jim Brown before this and Ride With The Devil immediately after, and written by Max Julien and Sheldon Keller, Cleopatra Jones is colorful, sometimes fun and sometimes stupid.

The whole affair is PG and forgoes the gratuitous sex, violence and mayhem stereotypically found in the blaxploitation genre, which this film sets itself a part from. It’s a companion to Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman series more than anything else. More than that, though, is the cinematic importance of the movie. Without Cleopatra Jones, we would have no Foxy Brown, no Coffy and no Get Christie Love! The correlation can even be made that we might not even have Jackie Brown. Being a large fan of both Quentin Tarantino and Pam Grier, that’s really a future that I don’t ever want to encounter.

One thing I like about blaxploitation in general is that it has a sense of humor about itself, so as a white guy I don’t feel too bad or condescending laughing at it. And this movie in particular has all the requisite crazy hairstyles, horrid yet oh so cool fashion and amateur kung-fu, but also all those funny little character moments I mentioned earlier, which inspires more affection for it than a more straightforward movie would engender. Blaxploitation should be honored and revered for its amazing effect on film and cinema history. We would truly be less of a society without it having ever existed. Make sure to check out Cleopatra Jones and other blaxploitation films to show your affection.

Written by Chris "Chugs" Taylor