Straßen zur Hölle

This movie begins with a shootout in Oakland between the police and a group of black men. One of the black men named "Goldie" (Max Julien) is caught and sentenced to 5 years in a penitentiary. When he finally gets released he meets up with a childhood friend name "Lulu" (Carol Speed) who has since become a prostitute and laments to him how difficult her profession is without a pimp. He then makes the decision to accept the challenge and begins to actively recruit attractive women to oversee. One thing leads to another and soon he becomes the top "mack" in all of Oakland. Yet while this obviously translates into increased revenues for him it also attracts other undesirable elements who want a cut as well. So now he has to contend with crooked cops and an organized crime boss in addition to his rivals. Now, rather than reveal any more of the story and risk ruining the movie for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was a fairly good "blaxploitation" film which seemed to get better as the movie progressed. Personally, I didn't think Max Julien fit the role that well because of his quiet demeanor but he still put in a decent performance all the same. Certainly worth a watch for those who enjoy films in this genre.

If you want to get an insider's glimpse into the world of pimpin', look no further than "The Mack." Often compared to the other, better known black movies of the 1970's, which tend to focus more on drugs and street justice, "The Mack" incorporates both of those elements, but with a heavy focus on pimpin'. It gives outsiders a glimpse into the life of a pimp through the eyes of 1973's official Pimp of the Year, Goldie ("The Mack" shows that this dubious title is actually given out in an annual event, one similar to the Oscars). Goldie's strengths are his strong pimp hand, which he uses early and often, and the fact that he always gets his percentage on time (as in "woman better have my percentage"). Although his brother (fyi: one of magnum p.i.'s sidekicks)dedicates his life warning people about pimps and drug pushers, Goldie continues his lavish lifestyle, going so far as to bring his women to the annual Pimp Softball and Barbeque Outing (for a pimp, Goldie sure knows how to swing the lumber). But, with a tragic ending, Goldie must examine his life and is forced to make a huge decision.

If you are looking for great acting, a movie where you can hear what the people are saying (everyone speaks really softly), or good music, look elsewhere. Also, although Richard Pryor gets second billing in this movie, he is seen in the movie less than a pimp in daylight.

On the other hand, I think the strengths of this movie are the costumes and the "pimp insight" one can gain. If you want a crash course on what it takes to be a respected pimp (fine clothes, ability to wear sunglasses during all hours, have an unruly afro, kill people using dynamite, play a lot of craps and three card monty), then look no further than "The Mack". However, if that is not your intended goal, look further, look much much further.

When you see "I'm Gonna Git You Sucker" and others of the like, you won't find it nearly as funny until you see this. From the Player's ball to the outrageous kills to make it to the top, you can't help but laugh.

Even the plot review on the box totally misleads you into thinking this is about a man trying to clean up his neighborhood. It isn't, but you won't care.

For fun, try a drinking game. Drink every time someone says "man". I assure you will be drunk in the first 10 minutes or else you wish you were.

In this, one of the most popular of blaxploitation films, the charismatic Max Julien shines as Goldie, a man fresh from a stretch in prison who quickly rises to the role of top pimp in the city of Oakland. Adding complication to his life are the activities of a pair of crooked racist white detectives (Don Gordon, William Watson) and the requests of top mobster The Fatman (George Murdock) for Goldie to return to the small time. What the film truly benefits from is a sterling group of actors. Julien is engaging as the cool, calm & collected super pimp. The under-rated Gordon scores as a very bad bad guy, Roger E. Mosley is effectively intense as Goldie's activist brother, lovely Carol Speed is endearing as Lulu the prostitute, as is Juanita Moore as Goldie's loving mother, and Dick Anthony Williams has a field day as flamboyant Pretty Tony. Richard Pryor's performance, decidedly more dramatic than comedic, is solid, and he proves to be a good sidekick. The film itself is fairly overlong, but as scripted by Robert J. Poole and directed by Michael Campus, it tells a decent story in an interesting enough way, and it doesn't shy away from brutality. It gives laymen an insider's perspective by consulting with a number of real-life pimps, and shows how their lifestyle affects everything that they do. They even have barbecues, softball games, and an annual Pimp of the Year contest. By the end it's managed to portray Goldie in a complex fashion, showing that he hasn't acted THAT differently from the ruthless Hank (Gordon). Yet, of course, we can't help but side with Goldie during the finale as his nemesis has clearly gone too far. It's here that Goldie has to make an important decision. An indelible influence on pop culture, particularly Quentin Tarantino, "The Mack" immerses us in this appropriately seedy world. It's good fun, with a very hip score by Willie Hutch, and captures its time and place extremely well & remains convincing throughout. It doesn't waste time getting to the action, and features some memorable lines and exchanges. It may not be for everybody - some people may indeed feel that it's glorifying those in the prostitution business too much - but it does a compelling job at portraying a very real and very old profession, and very real part of life. Seven out of 10.

Blaxploitation has never had a good working relationship inside mainstream cinema because it sometimes required the audience to relate with people who were pimps, pushers, hookers, and any other rabble of common street criminals. But people loved movies like "Reservoir Dogs" and "Trainspotting"; yet "Dogs" had murderous jewel thieves in the leads and "Trainspotting" was about heroin addicts in Edinburgh. So then, "The Mack" can't be any different from those two, can it?

I missed Blaxploitation when it arose during the 60s and 70s because I wasn't alive; I was born in 1985. I stumbled across "The Mack" at a local used book store that also sold videos. Sitting on a rack, was "The Mack."

After doing five rough years in prison, Goldie (Max Julien) decides to become a pimp in order to make a living, much to the dismay of his younger brother Olinga (Roger E. Mosley), who has become radicalized within the pro-Black civil rights movement during the time that Goldie has spent behind bars. Goldie then has to contend with a pair of racist, corrupt cops who hound him constantly and rival pimps.

"The Mack" is a movie that has become an enormous influence on modern hip-hop culture and is frequently referenced to in the films of Quentin Tarantino. Max Julien makes for a truly convincing "Mack" and there's even a rather subdued, yet incredibly funny supporting performance from Richard Pryor.

This movie really does capture the essence of a chaotic time period perfectly. Vietnam was going on in 1973 and some people felt that life in America was in shambles, with drugs and crime running rampant in this country. So I guess that's why people praised movies like "Death Wish," "Dirty Harry," "A Clockwork Orange," and basically any Sam Peckinpah movie that came out during the 70s.

Along with maybe "Shaft" and "Foxy Brown," "The Mack" could probably be one of the better known Blaxploitation flicks released during the 70s. I loved this movie from beginning to end. But it's a shame that "The Mack" is not more well-known in the movie-going community.

10/10