IMDb RATING
6.4/10
3.9K
YOUR RATING
Raised in Harlem, Tommy Gibbs becomes a successful mob boss but he clashes with the rival Mafia and his old enemy, dirty cop McKinney.Raised in Harlem, Tommy Gibbs becomes a successful mob boss but he clashes with the rival Mafia and his old enemy, dirty cop McKinney.Raised in Harlem, Tommy Gibbs becomes a successful mob boss but he clashes with the rival Mafia and his old enemy, dirty cop McKinney.
Julius Harris
- Mr. Gibbs
- (as Julius W. Harris)
Allan Bailey
- 'Motor'
- (as Allen W. Bailey)
Francisco De Gracia
- Cab Driver
- (as Francisco DeGracia)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhile filming in Harlem, Larry Cohen was accosted by local gangsters who threatened to disrupt the shoot unless they were paid off. Instead, Cohen offered them small roles in the film. They helped so enthusiastically that they attended the premiere to sign autographs.
- GoofsTommy cuts off the left ear of the man in the barber's chair, but the ear he drops into the plate of spaghetti is a right ear.
- Quotes
Reverend Rufus: Mama! Does Tommy know you're here?
Mama Gibbs: Pray for him, Rufus... you were always a good boy, pray for him.
Reverend Rufus: Okay Mama, we'll pray for him.
- Alternate versionsThe European version included an additional scene before the end credits, where, after Tommy Gibbs is seen wandering in a neighborhood slum, a street gang robs him and fatally beats him up. This sequence was originally cut from U.S. prints, as AIP was already interested in making a sequel. However, in the late 1990s, when MGM bought the Orion Pictures library, the European cut made its way to home video, due to a mix-up on MGM's part. Therefore, all current video releases, to this day, feature this print.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hell Up in Harlem (1973)
Featured review
Larry Cohen does not miss an opportunity
Not one to miss on an opportunity, Larry Cohen's second feature film utilised the explosion of blaxploitation cinema after the successes of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971) and Shaft (1971), and crafted his own "black" action film, modelled on the 1931 film Little Caesar. Fred Williamson plays the titular role, a boy from the streets, witnessing and being victim of brutality from the white community, and particularly a local police officer, McKinney (Art Lund). As an adult, Caesar's goal is to become kingpin of Harlem, and he won't let anything stand in his way.
The narrative is a story told over, which focuses on a person who looses everything in the pursuit of power, including childhood friends, wives, and particularly looses sight of the person that they are. It's always great to watch a Cohen movie from this period. When filming in the streets (in this case New York - of which is his usual setting), his guerilla-style is self evident: clearly in the making of these films, Cohen does not get any kind of permission to film, he simply turns up and does it. In one scene, Williamson has been shot, the camera follows him down the busy street from a roof top, and passers by seem to want to help him. It's these elements of exploitation cinema that I embrace.
Whilst this is certainly not one of Cohen's greatest (check out his horror output for some terrifically socio-political subtexts), the film oozes charm. Not only do we have the easy-cool of Fred Williamson, the film also has the ubiquitous Gloria Hendry , although not in her usual kung-fu-influenced fighting mode. Even though this film is less well known than Shaft or Superfly (1972), who's soundtracks were composed by soul giants Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield respectively, Black Caesar's soundtrack is provided by the godfather of soul himself, James Brown: Break it down! Heeyyyyaa!!
www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com
The narrative is a story told over, which focuses on a person who looses everything in the pursuit of power, including childhood friends, wives, and particularly looses sight of the person that they are. It's always great to watch a Cohen movie from this period. When filming in the streets (in this case New York - of which is his usual setting), his guerilla-style is self evident: clearly in the making of these films, Cohen does not get any kind of permission to film, he simply turns up and does it. In one scene, Williamson has been shot, the camera follows him down the busy street from a roof top, and passers by seem to want to help him. It's these elements of exploitation cinema that I embrace.
Whilst this is certainly not one of Cohen's greatest (check out his horror output for some terrifically socio-political subtexts), the film oozes charm. Not only do we have the easy-cool of Fred Williamson, the film also has the ubiquitous Gloria Hendry , although not in her usual kung-fu-influenced fighting mode. Even though this film is less well known than Shaft or Superfly (1972), who's soundtracks were composed by soul giants Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield respectively, Black Caesar's soundtrack is provided by the godfather of soul himself, James Brown: Break it down! Heeyyyyaa!!
www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com
helpful•40
- tomgillespie2002
- Apr 2, 2012
- How long is Black Caesar?Powered by Alexa
Details
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content