Popular opinion (and straight from RRM's mouth) says The Human Tornado is Moore's best film. I have to strongly disagree. Don't get me wrong, I love all of Moore's other 70's vehicles (all for different reasons, including the two Dolemite's separately), but this one is king for me.
First of all, there is no other Petey Wheastraw. That alone scores major points with me. This is an entirely unique cheap blaxploitation horror comedy, with nearly all of Moore's Dolemite film trademarks intact (granted, there's less of it, but it's there! A little short on MUTHA EFFAHS, I suppose).
Petey is born an eleven-year old boy (er, along with a watermelon), is beaten by bullies, vows revenge, trains to be a kung-fu master... Grows up and is gunned-down at a funeral, where the devil makes a bargain with him, in exchange for Petey's commitment to marry his insanely ugly daughter. Oh yeah, Satan loans Petey his magical pimp cane in order for him to exact some revenge for himself. Petey starts doing good deeds with it and won't give it back. This gets the devil's goat.
Kung-fu disciple or not, this movie features some of the most hilariously unconvincing fight sequences I've seen in a film. Yes, worse than Dolemite! Still not sure if that was intentional. Satan sends in waves of ultra low budget zombie/devil minions, and it's chaos! So much to like about this. There's one Carrie-esque sequence, where Petey's nemesis', Leroy and Skillet are performing in a nightclub, and Moore is SINISTER! I loved this performance, a side you don't normally see from him. Oh yeah, cut to him saving people's lives, and skipping down the street, twirling the cane!
Want to see the devil jogging down the sidewalk, in a bright red sweatsuit, with a giant s#!t-eating grin on his face? How about a truckload of watermelons blown up by dynamite? Yeah, they're here, too. SPOILER: Nice touch in the end, where Petey's fate is sealed, because his girl just had to go back to their apartment to get her makeup. Hilarious!
This movie came hot on the heels of all of Moore's Dolemite success. Naturally, it didn't fare as well. Full props to both writer/director Cliff Roquemore, and Moore himself for not taking the easy way out, not cashing in, AND taking a chance by doing something different. Another reason I respect this movie so much (...and it gets pretty silly).
Watch the Vinegar Syndrome Making-of extra. Moore was fully conscious of the creativity involved with making a movie for not a lot of money, as well as low budget and guerrilla filmmaking in general.
First of all, there is no other Petey Wheastraw. That alone scores major points with me. This is an entirely unique cheap blaxploitation horror comedy, with nearly all of Moore's Dolemite film trademarks intact (granted, there's less of it, but it's there! A little short on MUTHA EFFAHS, I suppose).
Petey is born an eleven-year old boy (er, along with a watermelon), is beaten by bullies, vows revenge, trains to be a kung-fu master... Grows up and is gunned-down at a funeral, where the devil makes a bargain with him, in exchange for Petey's commitment to marry his insanely ugly daughter. Oh yeah, Satan loans Petey his magical pimp cane in order for him to exact some revenge for himself. Petey starts doing good deeds with it and won't give it back. This gets the devil's goat.
Kung-fu disciple or not, this movie features some of the most hilariously unconvincing fight sequences I've seen in a film. Yes, worse than Dolemite! Still not sure if that was intentional. Satan sends in waves of ultra low budget zombie/devil minions, and it's chaos! So much to like about this. There's one Carrie-esque sequence, where Petey's nemesis', Leroy and Skillet are performing in a nightclub, and Moore is SINISTER! I loved this performance, a side you don't normally see from him. Oh yeah, cut to him saving people's lives, and skipping down the street, twirling the cane!
Want to see the devil jogging down the sidewalk, in a bright red sweatsuit, with a giant s#!t-eating grin on his face? How about a truckload of watermelons blown up by dynamite? Yeah, they're here, too. SPOILER: Nice touch in the end, where Petey's fate is sealed, because his girl just had to go back to their apartment to get her makeup. Hilarious!
This movie came hot on the heels of all of Moore's Dolemite success. Naturally, it didn't fare as well. Full props to both writer/director Cliff Roquemore, and Moore himself for not taking the easy way out, not cashing in, AND taking a chance by doing something different. Another reason I respect this movie so much (...and it gets pretty silly).
Watch the Vinegar Syndrome Making-of extra. Moore was fully conscious of the creativity involved with making a movie for not a lot of money, as well as low budget and guerrilla filmmaking in general.