Emma Mae

Interesting film made when its director Jamaa Fanaka, was a film school student at my alma mater, UCLA, just as Blaxploitation was waning and ten years before the advent of more radically political/social cinematic explorations of African American life such as "Do The Right Thing" and "Boyz n The Hood". This film is poised in between the two genres, but leaning more forward than back, in my opinion, particularly in its denouement when the importance of the community, certainly a large part of Lee's movies, if not Singleton's, is stressed over that of the seductive Super Cool individual, a staple of Blaxploitation. While this theme is strongly and forcefully stated, with good pacing and well handled action scenes, the acting, as befits most student and/or low budget indy productions, is undeniably on the stiff side. Less forgivable is the story character lapse in the screenplay, also by Fanaka, involving Jesse, the drug pusher and abusive boyfriend of the title character. When Emma Mae denounces him in the powerful final scene a lot of that power is vitiated due to Jesse's having been seen throughout most of the film by everyone but Emma Mae as more of a stoned out doofus than a false messiah as she states as she's kicking his ass.. Therefore, we're treated to the always salutary Woman Whups Abusive Man's Butt but falling well short of Community Over Individual which, as I understand it, is what Fanaka was after. So, let's give it a B minus and look forward to watching this good director's most well known work, "Penitentiary".

It was a 3 movie but I give it a 10 for being made!! But I still enjoyed it and would buy it. In fact I would love the soundtrack, any one know who sang the songs about cornbread and milk and walking with Bettie Lou....the opening and ending song.....and the one they slow dancing to I'm in love with you, don't you know it. I lived in a small town and back in the day boys did think country girls were easy to get and try to exploit. The storyline was good, could have used some work, but it was funded by the National Endowment for Arts so I respect it and see it as that an art piece. Loved it!!! Please send information on sound track to caribqueen58@live.com thanks.

Not the best cast and acting by any stretch and no familiar faces but I have to say it was intriguing enough to watch thru to the end. A really really nice soundtrack! Wish I could find that to buy!

I've had this film for years but it's titled Black Sister's Revenge (unfortunately). The actors, the attire, lingo, subtle mannerisms and even the plot are good. Lots of interesting scenes that are a throwback to simpler times. I wish there was a sequel- so many questions. Give it a try it's a nice change from what's out there now.

A low budget film, somewhat less exploitive than most of the blaxploitation films of its time, "Emma Mae" tells the story of a young woman from a small town in the south who comes to live with her relatives in the city after being orphaned, who falls in love with a young hood who gets her to commit crimes for him. The film does have some nice touches. It manages to catch the feel of the inner city of the 1970's far better than some of the slicker productions of its era. But the script lets the rest of the movie down (it's just too hard to believe that these people can commit these crimes so easily, and without much fear of getting. I really wish I could have liked it better.