Welcome Home Brother Charles

I am an old broad who saw this originally when it was released at the drive in. When I found out what "weapon" he used to kill his victims, I laughed so hard I could barely drive home. When I tried to tell my mom and older sister what the movie was about the next day, it took damn near half an hour because I was laughing so hard! I was literally bent in half. I keep thinking about the "strange markings" on each of the victim's necks. This movie is "blaxplotation" at it's worst. But you have to see it! If you want a good laugh at a bad movie, this is it. It's one of those "guilty pleasure" movies. It is like watching a train wreck, you just cannot turn away. You must see it!

Welcome Home Brother Charles (1975)

* 1/2 (out of 4)

Small time pusher Charles Murray (Marlo Monte) gets arrested, beaten and thrown into prison by a group of racist cops and judges but when he's released he's a changed man to say the least. Soon he decides to take revenge on those who cheated him and he's weapon just happens to be his penis, which has grown to such a length it can strangle a person to death. OK, that there is what this film is known for today but even though the entire sequence is jaw-dropping, there's still no question that the rest of the film is rather slow, confusing and boring. WELCOME HOME BROTHER CHARLES is always going to be known for that infamous death sequence and I guess you have to recommend this movie to fans of bad or weird cinema because this one scene is just so silly that you can't help but wonder what they were trying to say with it. I mean, seriously, this is such a bizarre scene that I'm sure many will be hitting the rewind button to watch it again because they won't believe their eyes. However, it's too bad the rest of the film doesn't have quite as much, ahem, imagination. For the most part the story really doesn't make too much sense but I guess everyone was just following the Blaxploitation 101 handbook. The blacks are all just trying to make a living while every white person is either evil, racist or a combination. The one difference here is that Charles also has the ability to have white women become his sex slave but how these scenes are presented today you can't help but think of rape. The performances aren't what you'd call "good" but I did enjoy Monte in his role as he at least kept you slightly into the film. The soundtrack, cinematography and the overall look of the picture is quite weak and there's no question that a stronger story was needed.

Somewhat watchable blaxploitation film, though it's pretty bad (and I don't mean BAAD).

The movie starts with a shot against a black background of an African-like carving of a man with a disproportionately large penis. It's not seen again in the movie.

A drug dealer gets caught by the police and the arresting officer cuts his manhood with a blade. He spends three years in prison, depicted by a black and white photo montage, and short black and white clips.

After he's released, nothing of his old life remains. He moves in with a sympathetic hooker who'd witnessed his arrest. He vows revenge on the people who put him in prison.

Towards the end, he delivers on that vow. When the wives of his intended victims see his manhood now, they're automatically his to use for sex and to brainwash. He can also cause it to lengthen to several yards long, and use it to strangle men who've done him wrong. It's weird the way the movie springs this on us, without giving us any indication that he knew he had that power.

What is the weirdest blaxploitation film? Could it be The Thing with Two Heads, with its story about an old racist who has his head transplanted onto a black man from death row? Or could it be Dolemite with its kung-fu pimp, karate kicking prostitutes, sweary nightclub routines and ever-present boom-mic action? Or perhaps its Darktown Strutters with its female motorcycle gang, comedy relief racist cops, colour-co-ordinated KKK biker gang, pig men in capes and minstrel musical section? Well, maybe it is one of those but then again, there's always Welcome Home Brother Charles!

This film's hero is a drug dealer who returns from doing time in prison after almost being castrated by a racist cop. Naturally he wants payback against his enemies. So, what does he do? Why, he hypnotises women with one look at his dick and then strangles their husbands with his two metre long knob! Its never even really explained WHY he has a python like John Thomas with a life of its own. It was to do with being in prison or something. Anyway, needless to say, this is a thoroughly strange exercise in biscuit-taking cinema and, therefore, comes highly recommended.

DVD release of the Original Blaxploitation Film, which I saw in the theater the day of its releas, is badly edited and cut. There are bleeps. Worse, several of the murders are excised. Xenon Productions can do better. In its original release as Welcome Home, Brother Charles this film was surely the most tasteless film ever made in the history of film-making-----the acme of the Black Phallic Worship begun by Kyle Onstott in his book, Mandingo and culminating in Scott Poulson-Bryant's recently released study, "Hung!" Since the Edits, the film renamed Soul Vengeance has been reduced to being only ONE of the most Tastelessfilms ever produced. Mr Fanaka ought to be ashamed of himself and demand that the original film be re-issued--UNCUT and UNDILUTED. Yours in Blaxploitation films, Ebony Ivory.