O Cafetão

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

The Mack (1973)

*** (out of 4)

Goldie (Max Julien) gets released from prison after a five year stretch and heads back to the streets where he plans to become the greatest Mack (pimp) out there. His brother is against the idea and wishes he'd do something better for his people but Goldie becomes a pimp and soon has issues with two racist white cops.

The blaxploitation genre was just kicking off when THE MACK was released and it eventually found some new fame when it was used in TRUE ROMANCE. Watching the film today you can't help but rather respect it because it's not really exploitation. Instead of exploitation it really plays out more like an actual drama that tackles various issues that were in the black community. There's no question having a pimp playing your hero is why so many had issues with the genre but THE MACK is a pretty good film.

What I enjoyed the most is the fact that it didn't exploit the situation and instead the movie plays out like a very well-written drama. The Goldie character goes through a lot of changes throughout the film and I thought the character development was rather good. I also thought the supporting players like the pimps, the cops and the brother were also very good. There were a lot of ups and downs for the character but I thought it all played out very well and in a serious way.

Julien obviously steals the film playing the pimp. I thought he gave a very strong performance and one that kept you entertained throughout the somewhat long running time. Richard Pryor was also fun in his supporting role where he once again proved what a good dramatic actor he could be. Both Don Gordon and William Watson are a lot of fun as the racist cops.

THE MACK has some flaws including it running on a bit too long but I think most people will be surprised at how serious the subject matter is handled.

All the quotes that youve heard in rap music regarding the pimping lifestyle is from this film. From Too $hort, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Nas, Raekwon, theyve all used snipets of this film.

This is defintely a great movie if you are a fan of the 70s films. Willie Hutch delivers a slammin score and the acting is phenomonal! Richard Pryor does his usual "free-style adlib" acting, while Max Julien plays the lead role. I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.

The Mack is not simply a 'blaxploitation' movie. You can take it seriously as a drama and it works very well. It depicts a time and place honestly, even as it is still making drama out of this world of pimps and hookers and cops and violence and money. It's crude, but it has a kind of inherent integrity that's hard to explain.

Max Julien may break out into a grin or smile once too much, but he can, and does, carry this movie really well. He makes this entire thing become alive in a way that he is likable and charismatic, and yet carries a level of authority. You don't doubt for a second that he can become this Mega-Pimp.

The scummy police men are played so slimy they transcend typical trash and become epically trash-tastic (the worst white cops maybe in any 70's movie?), and Richard Pryor as the not-really-comic sidekick helps a good deal too.

Great music, real dramatic conflict, and DAMN do some people get f****d up here! Most weird but enjoyable scene for me (and maybe the closest it gets to being so OUT-there exploitation-y) is when Goldie is giving his "orientation" bit to the hookers in the planetarium. I want to watch that on a loop.

Robert J. Poole deserves credit for writing clever and gritty lines. This movie was urban before people even referred to movies as urban. Pretty Tony: "You know the name of the game , your bitch chose me." Loved that exchange!!!!! The Mack showed that urban movies way back then had a broader appeal than thought by Hollywood. The whole subculture of pimping has been covered in books and movie. The Mack was far a head of it's time and place. I never understood why people would get offended over The Mack. Writer Robert J. Poole did not invent pimping. It's been there, Prostitution is the oldest profession. The Mack has intelligent writing.