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Cleopatra Jones

Cleopatra Jones (1973)

July. 13,1973
|
5.9
|
PG
| Action Thriller Crime

After federal agent Cleopatra Jones orders the burning of a Turkish poppy field, the notorious drug lord Mommy vows to destroy her.

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SpuffyWeb
1973/07/13

Sadly Over-hyped

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Matrixiole
1973/07/14

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

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Griff Lees
1973/07/15

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

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Mathilde the Guild
1973/07/16

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

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utgard14
1973/07/17

Fun blaxploitation flick about a karate-kicking special agent named Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson) taking on a vicious lesbian drug lord named Mommy (Shelley Winters). Statuesque Tamara Dobson is quite an imposing heroine. Not the strongest actress but she can kick ass and look good doing it. Shelley Winters hams it up with glee as the villain ("I'm tired of being a pussycat!"). She doesn't have a single scene where she dials it down a notch. She's at 20 on a 10 scale the whole time. She's a hoot to watch. Bernie Casey plays Dobson's love interest. Bill McKinney plays a racist cop. Others in the cast include Antonio Fargas, Esther Rolle, Brenda Sykes, and Michael Warren. Less gritty and realistic than most blaxploitation films with more of a focus on comedy and cheesiness. That isn't to say this is something you'd let your kids watch, as evidenced by Shelley Winters screaming profanities and racial slurs within the first ten minutes. But it is an enjoyable time-passer for blaxploitation fans.

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elshikh4
1973/07/18

*The Things That Turned Me on :1 – The music of (J.J.Johnson) as well as the rest of the soundtrack. Actually all my friends just hate that disco music of the 1970s, but I just adore it. The best thing about it is that it has a fine fast rhythm and an orchestral sense in the same time; it's fun, gratifying, and like no other. But the thing that bothers me is that I can't find it unless in movies like that, or at some TV's shows from the 1970s and the start of the 1980s only ! It was real enjoyable part of this era's culture, I miss it powerfully and I don't understand why so many people disdain it just because "it's from the 1970s" !?? 2 – Watching (Shelly Winters) as a lesbian evil drug dealer who talks in filthy language ! Ohh I couldn't believe myself ! First of all it's new character especially when you have on the other hand a woman also as the lead star. Secondly it was like watching (Gary Cooper) as a pimp in some movie ! It's a chance to see Hollywood's icon in something away from all the previous prototypes or the polished clichés that seemed everlasting. It was totally a new image which hit me and succeeded at cleaving me to my chair till the end of the movie.3 – The fact that it's technically dexterous, and how the atmosphere looked so solid. The photography, the direction, the editing and the production were brilliant compared to the same elements at another Blaxploitation movies from the same era. Look at the opening scene or the car chase for instances...That was super. True that the script was nothing but shadows and echoes of another story lines at another flicks and TV's shows but Hey, it's the year 1973, so those folks were quite pioneers particularly when this kind of low budget Action movies ruled afterwards, and made its mark on later ones too.*The Things That Turned Me off !1 – (Tamara Dobson) to begin with. She didn't have that radiate sexual charisma, being close to mannish for most of the time. Moreover how her acting was more terrible than the hairstyle of everybody in the movie!2 – Of course the hairstyle of everybody in the movie !, and (Antonio Fargas) saying "My Hair Is Like A Woman If I Treat It Well It'll Treat Me Well !"..So that's the very much why he got himself killed !3 – (Tamara Dobson)'s alleged beauty !, and the way she impresses every man, boy, Martian in the movie to make them smack their lips and say "what a mama", "look at that" ! OH MY GOD what a bunch of feeble eyes, hypocrites, bad tasting people ! In one word (Pam Grier) was one hot mama who could've been unforgettable (Cleopatra Jones), however (Dobson) could've been fine as (Jones) only !*The Thing That Turned Me on and off !The bizarre outfits of (Cleopatra) ! I think the revolutionary fashion at the time just said a lot about getting revenge on the old modes or the traditional disposition along with the black desire to define a distinct independent character. Here it's some way to assure the dissimilarity of their characters or the uniqueness to be specific. So look at (Cleopatra)'s to know about her and the way they intended to make her look : she's wild as a tiger, as fierce as a fox, yet soft as a deer, and proud as a peacock. That strong animally form wasn't only exquisite as confident sexy figure, but also as a contemporary rebel manifestation of the black community just like those days' Jive talking. So the outfits fitted the dramatic state cleverly and weren't too much to a hilariously comic extent like in (Foxy Brown). I just liked the one at the climax's sequence which (Cleopatra) takes its skirt off to fight freely..WAW that's cool breathing one which I bet a lot of audience loved it back then as quite novel when there was no WWF, or women's wrestling on TV weekly ! However I personally think how it would've been perfect with another woman, despite how (Tamara Dobson) mastered the way character like that moves. Generally every era has for political economical social circumstances a lot of changes and vicissitudes, not to mention how the human taste is that fickle all along to have something fashionable at one time then becomes unfashionable in later time with too many parodies could be more successful than its original ! But nothing can deny that it was (or its parody) in fashion once. So maybe all of my lists' elements here could turn someone on, or maybe all of it may become fashionable again !, or maybe my list of the things that turned me off would turn me on one day.. Hmmm.., or maybe not !

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Poseidon-3
1973/07/19

Though this entry into the "tough black chick" subgenre of 70's Blaxploitation doesn't feature the undisputed queen Pam Grier, it's sure to live on, thanks to the bizarre presence of two-time Oscar winner Winters as the colorful antagonist. Dobson, a true Amazon if there ever was one, plays a larger than life Federal agent who does everything in her power to rid the streets of illegal drugs and stop the trafficking at its source. She is shown at the start of the film ordering a massive poppy field to be burned. This ticks off drug queen Winters who proceeds to declare war on Dobson. Meanwhile, a shelter for reforming druggies, run by Dobson's beau Casey, is targeted by some over-eager members of the police force, chiefly nasty, racist McKinney. Also stirred into the mix is streetwise pusher Fargas, who reports to Winters, but would like his own territory. The various factions take each other on, frequently betraying one another until Dobson has to face down Winters in a campy finale. Dobson, a towering presence draped in designer clothes and furs who drives a mean corvette, is not a particularly strong actress, but she makes an unforgettable visual impression. Unusual for this type of film, she works hand in hand with the law, though she isn't afraid to branch out on her own when she wants to. Casey adds a nice dose of reality and concern into his role. He's basically got the "girlfriend" role, but he and Dobson make a nice couple. Winters is way, way out there, abandoning all subtlety. Sporting a series of garish wigs, most of them vibrant red, she wails and rails at everyone around her when she isn't fondling her female assistants. It's a shrill, outrageous performance, but she's never boring. Fargas is engagingly flamboyant. He would later play a lighter variation on this type of role (and others he specialized in during this time) on "Starsky & Hutch." Sykes appears as his main squeeze. She sings (badly) and makes almost no impression at all until the end when she registers fear and despair fairly well. Frazer is authentic as a police captain. He would essay similar roles on "Kojak" and "As the World Turns." McKinney, legendary as the depraved hillbilly rapist in "Deliverance", gives another effectively nasty performance here. Reportedly, he was quite a caring and considerate man in real life! Other familiar faces include Warren as a motocross racer, Rolle as a soul food restaurant owner and Popwell (notable for his roles in the "Dirty Harry" films) as one of Rolle's adventuresome sons. This film remains one of the less graphically violent and sexually exploitive of the genre and, on that point, may disappoint some viewers. Still, it's got decent music, acceptable production values, interesting locales and costumes and some snappy dialogue. This was likely one of the films that inspired the short-lived TV series "Get Christie Love" (a show that was partly derailed when its star Teresa Graves got religion and refused to do most of what her character was intended to do as a focal point of the series!)

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dgordon-1
1973/07/20

"Cleopatra Jones" was one of the first "blaxploitation" movies that I ever saw back in the '70s. Tamara Dobson plays Cleopatra Jones, a government agent that must crack a drug ring run by Mommy, Shelley Winters. This movie has a nice pace, and looks like it had a fairly big budget for this genre. Tamara plays the role flawlessly and with style. Some of those fashions! I am surprised she could do some kung-fu fighting with those killer platform shoes on. The other thing that stands out in my mind about this movie is Cleo's sexy corvette, complete with a cassette deck! This was state of the art back in '73 for most cars came with the standard AM radio, or if you wanted to, you could upgrade to 8-track! Shelley Winters is funny and over-the-top with her role as Mommy, the Queen of drug trade. Her performance just adds to the campy appeal of this movie. The supporting cast do well too, and round out this made-for-drive-in classic! The DVD is very basic with no extras, however, it is presented in it's original "cinemascope" aspect ratio. The print looks good, and clear. I am glad that this movie is available on DVD, for it's an enjoyable taste of the '70s!

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