Disco Godfather

Rudy Ray Moore is at his most amusing in this late-in-the-game Blaxploitation entry, playing Tucker Williams, the bombastic owner of a disco nightclub. When Tuckers' nephew Bucky (Julius J. Carry III, "The Last Dragon") flips out after taking angel dust, Tucker vows to do his part in eliminating this nasty drug from the streets of the 'hood. His nemesis will be the flamboyant Stinger Ray (Hawthorne James, "Speed"), a legitimate businessman who also dabbles in crime, and who wants to create a new basketball league that will hire castoffs from the NBA.

"Disco Godfather" is not particularly slick or distinguished, but it still does its job, entertaining solidly for 98 straight minutes. It alternates between taking itself seriously as a message movie, and pulling out all the stops in various music / dance sequences. The soundtrack is great funky stuff all the way, serving as perfect accompaniment for these wacky goings-on. In addition to various martial arts action scenes, the film gives us assorted doses of surrealism in the attempt to approximate the hallucinations that the drug users experience. It's weird, wild, consistently amusing nonsense.

RRM is fun, and is particularly hilarious when the script calls for him to emote. He's enthusiastically supported by old cohorts like Lady Reed (as Mrs. Edwards) and Jerry Jones (as Dr. Fred Mathis). James is a hoot as the villain, while Carry has an appealing presence as the kid who could potentially be throwing his basketball career down the drain. A young Keith David ("The Thing" '82, "They Live") makes his uncredited film debut in a bit role as a club patron.

Fun stuff overall.

Seven out of 10.

A retired cop becomes a DJ/celebrity at the Blueberry Hill disco -- he is the Disco Godfather! All is well until his nephew flips out on a strange new drug that is sweeping the streets, called "angel dust" or PCP.

What the heck is this? A disco movie? A drug movie? A police movie? I have no idea, and it seems that nobody else does either. And yet, it works... goodness gracious, it works. This is one crazy film and anyone who is into b-movies or cult films is sure to enjoy it.

I do not know much about PCP, but the effects it has on the people in this movie definitely make me want to stay away. These same effects might cause other people to seek the drug out. More than 30 different analogues of PCP were reported as being used on the street during the 1970s and 1980s, though, so who knows what you might be getting.

Rudy Ray Moore's performance in the Disco Godfather is a thing of beauty. Classic lines include "Why, Why 143?", "You call him in Florida little lady, I got a friend out there.......alone", "Call the ambulance and when they get here, tell the driver what he has hayad". All great, and the continued run ins with telephone man are classics as well. Nothing can keep the laughs from coming when he attempts to knock the phone man out with the wrench, and then exclaims "Damn!". Great movie, a little slow at times(the drug political speech) but definitely good enough to put your weight on it put your weight on it put your weight on it!

The really amazing thing about this movie is that almost everybody in it ended up having a career. In real films and television shows that you've actually heard of. Seriously, follow the links. I guess that you have to start somewhere. The good news is that there are lots of hot, hairy-chested, black guys in skin tight, low cut outfits. The bad news is that Rudy Ray Moore isn't one of them. He's a bit of a middle-aged blob, and he probably should have kept his man-boobs covered instead of jiggling them in my face. There, I said it. The other amazing thing is that, when the credits roll, there about three actors and about 300 dancers - disco dancers, disco skaters, featured disco dancers, featured disco skaters. Really. Which probably explains why the reporters at the press conference looked suspiciously like the featured disco dancers. Anyway, I think the moral of the story is that you're supposed to smoke angel dust before you watch the movie.

Disco Godfather is the best film ever (next to Death Drug and Slithis, of course. It is the story of Tucker Williams (the immortal Rudy Ray Moore), an ex-cop, who now runs the Blueberry Hill Disco joint. He is the one, and only "Disco Godfather"!! His entrance in the film is classic.

Tucker's nephew "Bucky", a talented basketball player, hooks up with the wrong crowd. One night at the disco, Bucky smokes too much angel dust, and gets really "whacked out." The Disco Godfather vows to "Really take it to the suckas that's producin' this sheeyit!" This movie has the anti PCP legacy that Death Drug tried so hard to mimic. Disco Godfather also shows Rudy Ray at his best. Listen as he says "put your weight on it" and "You stupid sonofa beeyitch!!" about 181 million times. He also gives the best delivery of the word "Damn" I have ever witnessed. Another great element of Disco Godfather is the PCP expert. This "doctor" looks like a jazz keyboardist, and he runs his own little PCP ward at the hospital. His dialouge is so choice, if you can make it out. If you can sit through this one, you will not be disappointed! Long live Dolomite!