For this week's B-Movie Boys, I wanted to take an exploitation turn and pick up a Blaxploitation flick that showed us some booty. The 1975 film Dolemite is one of the cult classics of the Blaxploitation genre, a genre that focused on Black action heroes in low-budget movies. This genre gave us Shaft, Blacula, and Coffy among so many others. One of the most famous and most fun is Dolemite starring Rudy Ray Moore as the butt-kicking babe who also shows his own butt. Let's get into it! 
Rudy Ray Moore was born in Arkansas, but he branched out of his hometown in the late 50s and 60s to become a working comedian which is actually where he developed the persona of Dolemite as a character he sometimes did in his sets. While he did had some success, he was frustrated that his career wasn't taking off quite the way he wanted it to. He eventually found his comedic voice during the 60s and 70s he made a career acting and releasing a series of sexually charged records. He made 32 records with titles such as "Let's Come Together, "Eat Out More Often", and "This Pussy Belongs to Me". That kind of dynamic sexual confidence - and humor - lead to him eventually becoming Dolemite. Dolemite, and a lot of blaxploitation action heroes, had to have a healthy and over-the-top amount of sexual prowess. Rudy knew how to do that with his eyes clothes and his pants off.
Dolemite tells the story of a pimp released from jail who decides to get revenge on the crooked cops and local criminals who lead to his unfair incarceration. D'Urville Martin directed this flick that Rudy Ray Moore helped develop. Dolemite calls upon his Karate Experts, call girls, and friends to help him take down the people he is seeking revenge on. He stops for lovemaking scenes, of course. Rudy Ray Moore having sex in satin red sheets in a room with mirrored walls is as blaxploitation as it gets. Trivia time: this movie has to be cut to get an R rating which means the original was likely way dirtier!
The movie is definitely cheaply made with boom mics visible in some shots. The crew has gone on to say that they had a blast working on the movie, often struggling to obscure their laughter while on set. Even with those mistakes, this movie is a classic. The reception of Dolemite was really good with the New York Times even calling it the "Citizen Kane" of Blaxploitation flicks. This movie has been a clear influence on Quentin Tarantino, Black Dynamite (which you need to see if you are a fan of this genre), and Eddie Murphy. Eddie Murphy paid Rudy and Dolemite homage in the Netflix original film Dolemite is My Name.
Watch Rudy Ray Moore work his magic, proving that a cheaply made flick can still be dynamite!
