Mixed Blood - Die Ratten von Harlem

A film about a Latina henchwomen and her mob of kid gangster as she tries to keep afloat her fledging drug business AS their supplier, the "German" tries to make his changes.

Personally liked it better than most of Morrissey's narrative films, which I found to be too amateurish. This is a bit better presented and feels less pompously done. I also love how it really have that sense of random narrative swings that reminisce his earlier, and more abstract work. No kidding but there is a literal Menudo Fan Merch Gang Violence scene in this film that goes for a minute.

Though I feel that the vast amount of stuff that he tried to pack in this film was not all made well. I do not think it necessarily succeeds in making a narrative of the racial component of the film. I also felt that the first half of the film feels far too unfocused on whatever it was trying to do.

Though the very end really amps the film. It goes haywire (including a failed bullet hit squib with the main actress lol) AND became a Mommie Dearest situation - which was better realized plot point to be honest.

(1985) Mixed Blood ACTION CRIME DRAMA

Co-written and directed by Paul Morrissey that has a low budget, and although interesting, it could've been better. The movie focuses on some of the worst slums called "Alphabet City", a slang name of a neighborhood located within the East Village in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Its name comes from Avenues A, B, C, and D, the only avenues in Manhattan to have single-letter names. And depicting a point in time when crime was frequent since it was common knowledge that some of the NYC police were corrupt. Anyways, out of two rival gang factions competing for illegal drug selling, it sympathizes more on one of them lead by a lady who derived from Rio De Janeiro whose name is Rita La Punta (Marília Pêra) who happen to have a good looking son she calls Thiago(Richard Ulacia). Complications arise as soon as one of two rival gang member, Carol(Linda Kerridge) sought a liking to Thiago, Rita's second hand man, allowing the possibility for The German (Ulrich Berr) to take full control. Besides the budget being low, viewers would also have to endure many second rate acting. It explains itself well but could've been better.

I gave this film 9 out of 10 but on reflection it really should have been 10 as I can't imagine how anything could ever be better. "Mixed Blood" has a magical quality all of its own. The key ingredients are: hilarious dialogue, cool New York City vistas, fine soundtrack and, most notably, mesmerizing performances. This is not some crappy so-bad-it's-good exploitation film - it is the work of an artist with a unique and sophisticated sensibility and a great sense of humour.

i just love this film. its now on DVD w/ great commentary by Paul Morrissey. Gritty, realistic, violent...and hilariously funny! as the film started i wondered why i'd never seen this film on TV and after watching it, i realized that w/ the F-bomb being shouted at about 30 times per minute, the film would have to be cut down to literally nothing for TV viewing. The story centers around Rita La Punta--mother & leader of a gang of underage drug dealers/thugs. She's the Portugese answer to Ma Barker and cares deeply about her little gang of hoodlums. Marilia Pera who plays her gives an over-the-top performance that carries this film and adds to much of the humor ("Dis whooore, Dis Beeetch"). Her VERY HOT son Thiago is a bit slow and not too bright but is the apple of her eye and protects him like a mama bear--tho her and him sleeping very close in the same bed together raises an eyebrow or two on just how close they really are. The actor who plays him--Richard Ulacia--shouts all of his lines in an angry thick accent. His favorite being "I don't like it!!!" Did anyone notice that literally everyone in this film had a foreign accent??? because so many of the performances are so over-the-top, the humor comes on subtle, unintentionally and broad at times. the genius in this film is how Morrissey found humor in such a grim and realistic setting. where can i get the soundtrack? i loved the Latin sounds that permiated this movie. Very entertaining, moves along nicely and you will find yourself chuckling uncontrollably at times.

The most interesting aspect of this movie, by far, is the fact that it was directed by longtime Andy Warhol cohort Paul Morrissey. But unlike his stuff from the 70s, like Flesh for Frankenstein and Trash, Morrissey's Mixed Blood is rather mundane. It's a pedestrian story about rival drug gangs in NYC, one Latino and one Brazilian. There's a fair amount of action and fake blood, and the overall look is one of grime and grit and other traits typical of 1980s New York. And if you look real hard, as I did not, you might spot John Leguizamo in his film debut. He's part of the Latino gang, the Maceteros. But other than that, there's not much to say about this movie. It exists, it's directed by Paul Morrissey, and then it ends. Sure, it feels realistic, but so does a root canal.