- Mandingo (film)
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This article is about the film. For the novel, see Mandingo (novel). For the pornographic actor, see Mandingo (person).
Mandingo
Theatrical release posterDirected by Richard Fleischer Produced by Dino De Laurentiis Screenplay by Norman Wexler Based on Mandingo by
Kyle OnstottStarring James Mason
Susan George
Perry King
Lillian Hayman
Richard Ward
Brenda Sykes
Ken NortonMusic by Maurice Jarre Cinematography Richard H. Kline Distributed by Paramount Pictures Release date(s) 1975 Country United States Language English Mandingo is a 1975 film, based on the novel Mandingo by Kyle Onstott and upon the play based thereon by Jack Kirkland.[1] The film was directed by Richard Fleischer and featured James Mason, Susan George, Perry King, Lillian Hayman, boxer-turned-actor Ken Norton, and bodybuilder and pro wrestler-turned-actor Earl Maynard.
Contents
Synopsis
On Falconhurst, a run-down plantation owned by the widowed Warren Maxwell (James Mason) and his son Hammond (Perry King), a 'Mandingo' slave Ganymede, or Mede (Ken Norton), is trained to fight other slaves. Hammond neglects his wife Blanche (Susan George), whom he rejects on their wedding night after discovering she was not a virgin. Hammond instead ravishes his slave Ellen (Brenda Sykes), while Blanche seduces Mede. These various, conflicting affairs all eventually come together causing the film to end tragically.
Reception
Upon its release in 1975, critical response was mixed although box office was strong.[2] Roger Ebert despised the film and gave it a "zero star" rating.[3] Richard Schickel of TIME found the film boring and cliche-ridden.[4]The movie critic Robin Wood was enthusiatic about the film, calling it “the greatest film about race ever made in Hollywood”.[5] Quentin Tarantino has cited Mandingo as one of only two instances "in the last twenty years [that] a major studio made a full-on, gigantic, big-budget exploitation movie", comparing it to Showgirls.[6]
In Leonard Maltin's annual publication "TV Movies," the film is ranked as a "BOMB" and dismissed with the word "Stinko!"
DVD release
Paramount Pictures licensed the film to Legend Films for its first official DVD release. The DVD was released on June 3, 2008, in 1.77:1 anamorphic widescreen version without any extras.[citation needed]
Some prominent critics hailed the release of the DVD, including the New York Times columnist Dave Kehr.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Mandingo movie poster, trailer, and opening credits.
- ^ "Mandingo Movie Reviews, Pictures". Rotten Tomatoes. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mandingo/. Retrieved 2010-11-17.
- ^ "Mandingo :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews". Rogerebert.suntimes.com. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19750725/REVIEWS/808289998/1023. Retrieved 2010-11-17.
- ^ Schickel, Richard."Cinema: Cold, Cold Ground", TIME, May 12, 1975.
- ^ Wood, Robin (1998). Sexual Politics and Narrative Film: Hollywood and Beyond. Columbia University Press. p. 256. ISBN 0231076053.
- ^ Udovitch, Mim (1998). "Mim Udovitch/1996". In Peary, Gerald. Quentin Tarantino: Interviews. Univ. Press of Mississippi. pp. 172–173. ISBN 1578060516.
External links
- Mandingo at the Internet Movie Database
- Trailer at Trailers From Hell
Films directed by Richard Fleischer 1940s Child of Divorce (1946) · Banjo (1947) · Bodyguard (1948) · The Clay Pigeon (1949) · Follow Me Quietly (1949) · Make Mine Laughs (1949) · Trapped (1949)1950s Armored Car Robbery (1950) · The Narrow Margin (1952) · The Happy Time (1952) · Arena (1953) · 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) · Violent Saturday (1955) · The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955) · Bandido (1956) · Between Heaven and Hell (1956) · The Vikings (1958) · Compulsion (1959) · These Thousand Hills (1959)1960s Crack in the Mirror (1960) · The Big Gamble (1961) · Barabbas (1961) · Fantastic Voyage (1966) · Doctor Dolittle (1967) · The Boston Strangler (1968) · Che! (1969)1970s Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970) · 10 Rillington Place (1971) · The Last Run (1971) · See No Evil (1971) · The New Centurions (1972) · Soylent Green (1973) · The Don Is Dead (1973) · The Spikes Gang (1974) · Mr. Majestyk (1974) · Mandingo (1975) · The Incredible Sarah (1976) · Crossed Swords (1977) · Ashanti (1979)1980s The Jazz Singer (1980) · Tough Enough (1983) · Amityville 3-D (1983) · Conan the Destroyer (1984) · Red Sonja (1985) · Million Dollar Mystery (1987)Categories:- 1975 films
- American films
- English-language films
- Blaxploitation films
- Boxing films
- 1970s drama films
- Films based on novels
- Films set in the 1840s
- Interracial romance films
- Films shot in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Films directed by Richard Fleischer
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