Coonskin (1975)

Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

After watching Bakshi's personal drama/comedy Heavy Traffic, I was pleasantly surprised at how one could blend animation and real life together (both figuratively and literally) to make a gritty and vulgar, yet still poignant film. The next film on my list was Coonskin, and after watching the trailer, I admit I was nervous. I was worried this would be an over indulgent, surreal mess like Cool World was. Fortunately, I was wrong. Coonskin is framed by a live action story of two men planning to escape from prison. As they wait for their pickup, the older of the two begins to tell another, animated story about a trio of black men (so to speak). Brother Rabbit(Philip Michael Thomas), the slick, cunning, intelligent leader, Brother Bear (Barry White), the strong, loyal muscle, and Preacher Fox, the wild and upbeat father figure. The three head to Harlem after their house is sold to an uppity businessman, where they plan to make it big. They take down a corrupt, big name revolutionary on their first night and instantly make a name for themselves. The only thing keeping them from rising to the top is the Godfather and his associates.What makes this movie better than Heavy Traffic is that it actually has a ground in plot, unlike the former, which more pretended like it had a plot. Coonskin is easier to follow and has some more likable and fun characters, Heavy Traffic's are sleazier and outlined with tragedy. The villains are well done too, The Godfather especially. He's hideous, looking like a bloated sack of flesh, and his voice drips with slime. His cohorts include his five sons (four of which are incestuous homosexuals,) a headless black man, and a small child dressed as a clown who swings from wires wherever he goes. With a creative cast like that, the movie becomes a unique experience, and you really develop feelings for the protagonists and the antagonists. You've also got some clever symbolism, like a voluptuous white woman decorated with stars and stripes and named Miss America, who beats up and tricks helpless black men who try to befriend or stand up to her. If you can handle the nudity and violence, which is certainly shocking, this is a must-see for people who love animation, blaxploitation, satires, or those just in the mood for something a little different.

by Dane Youssef "Coonskin" is film, by the one and only Ralph Bakshi, is reportedly a satirical indictment of blaxploitation films and negative black stereotypes, as well as a look at life black in modern America (modern for the day, I mean--1975). Paramount dropped it like a hot potato that just burst into flame.But this is a Bakshi film, controversial, thrilling, and a must-see almost by definition alone. Not just another random "shock-jock" of a movie which tries to shock for the sake of shock. It's by Ralph Bakshi. Anyone who knows the name knows that if HE made a movie, he has something big to say...Although it's roots are based in cheap blaxploitation, "Coonskin" isn't just another campy knock-off of mainstream white film or any kind of throwaway flick. "Coonskin" wants to be more. It aims it's sights higher and fries some much bigger fish.The movie doesn't just poke fun at the genre. Nor does it just indict black people, but actually seems to show love, beauty and heart in the strangest places."Coonskin" tells a story out of some convicts awaiting a jail-break. The fact that it's even possible to break out of a prison in the "Coonskin" world alone makes it old-fashioned.One of the inmates tells a story about a trio of black brothers in Harlem named Brother Bear, Brother Rabbit, Preacher Fox who want respect and a piece of the action and are willing to get it by any means necessary. The Itallian mob is running all the real action.Big name black musicians star: Barry White and Scatman Crothers, as well as Charles Gordone, the first black playwright to take home the Pulitzer. Something big is happening here obviously.The movie plays out like a descent into this world, this side of the racial divide. From an angry, hip, deep, soulful black man with a hate in his heart and a gun in his hand.Bakshi's films never know the meaning of the word "sublety." This one looks like it's never even heard of the word. But maybe a subject like this needs extremism. Real sledgehammer satire. Some subjects can't be tackled gently.Bakshi is god-dammed merciless. Here, no member or minority of the Harlem scene appears unscathed.The characters here are "animated" to "real" all depending on what the mood and situation are. The animated characters and the human ones all share the same reality and are meant to be taken just as literally.Bakshi never just shows ugly caricatures just for shock value. He always has something to say. Nor is black-face is gratuitously. Here, unlike in Spike Lee's "Bamboozled," he seems to be using it to try and really say something.Like 99.9% of all of Bakshi's films, this one incorporates animation and live-action. Usually at the same time. Bakshki isn't just being gimmicky here. All of this technique is all intertwined, meshing together while saying something.Somehow, this one feels inevitably dated. Many of these types of films (Bakshi's included) are very topical, very spur of the moment. They reflect the certain trend for the day, but looking back of them years later, there's just an unmistakable feeling of nostalgia (as well as timeless truth).Even though the music, clothes, slang and the city clearly looks like photos that belong in a time capsule, the attitude, the spirit and the heart remain the same no matter what f--king ear it is. Anyone who's really seen the movies, the state of things and has been in company of the people know what I'm talking about.Even some of the of the black characters are a bunny (junglebunny), a big ol' bear and a fox. One of the most sour and unsavory racist characters is a dirty Harlem cop who's hot on the trail of these "dirty n-----s" after the death of a cop. But for him, it's not just business. Nor is it for the rest of the brothers who wear the shield. It's just pure sadistic racist pleasure of hurting blacks.The sequence involving the Godfather and his lady is one of the most moving pieces in the whole film, of which there are many. It plays out like an opera or a ballet.The promo line: WARNING: "This film offends everybody!" This is not just hype. Proceed with extreme caution.You have been warned...--Happy Viewing, Dane Youssef

This is much better fare than Ralph Bakshi normally cranks out,probably because most of his other "political cartoon" films arepretty static and boring. This one acts almost as a self-parody ofBakshi's style of storytelling. All his pitch-black humor is present,along with the outrageous character sterotypes that come with it.But this time, it's put together in a way that does NOT wander intoan aimless mess and actually has something worthwhile to say.And it has "furries" sprinkled liberally throughout it to keep interestup (a rabbit, a bear, a fox, a mouse, a lion, an anteater, a monkey,a duck, etc.). The slapstick routines add a nice touch too, and itmanages to be funny. This is one of those rare occasions Bakshigot his head out of his butt, stopped whining and complainingabout how no one notices him, and made an actual CARTOON,dammit. Great viewing for people who are actually mature-mindedand not just over 17 with the brains of 10-year-olds. Keep a sharpeye out for references to "Song Of The South"!Definitely worth putting on DVD!

One of the most interesting movies to be classified as "blaxploitation," Bakshi's "Coonskin" is a rich text full of wonderful insight. He wrote it in collaboration with Scat Man Crothers and Barry White, who appear in the film as well. The racist imagery can often be disturbing, but the message of the movie was so powerful that the NAACP gave it an endorsement (but only grudgingly).I highly recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in an examination of the pervading atmosphere of racism that Bakshi attempts to deconstruct. Wonderful stuff.