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Original Gangstas |  | Director: Larry Cohen
Actors: Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Paul Winfield, Isabel Sanford
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Category: DVD
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $11.00
as of 11/28/2009 07:56 CST details
You Save: $3.98 (27%)
New (5) Used (10) from $4.90
Seller: vidwatcher
Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 53895
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
DVD Layers: 1
DVD Sides: 2
Picture Format: Array
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 99 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.3 x 5 x 0.6
MPN: D907995D
ISBN: 0792843371
UPC: 002761679952
EAN: 9780792843375
ASIN: B000035P7J
Theatrical Release Date: May 10, 1996
Release Date: January 18, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The biggest baddest soul cinema superstars return to the streets to regain their turf from modern-day gangs in this thriller. Special features: theatrical trailer and behind-the-scenes booklet. Studio: Tcfhe/mgm Release Date: 12/04/2001 Starring: Fred Williamson Pam Grier Run time: 108 minutes Rating: R Director: Larry Cohen
Amazon.com
Larry Cohen scratched out some of the most memorably offbeat exploitation films of the 1970s, including two of the most energetic blaxploitation action classics: Black Caesar and its sequel, Hell Up in Harlem, which made a star of Fred Williamson. In 1996 they reunited for this tribute to the good old days and producer-star Williamson brought along a few of his fellow 1970s blaxplo icons: Jim Brown (Slaughter), Pam Grier (Foxy Brown), Richard Roundtree (Shaft), and Ron O'Neal (Superfly). They play old friends and former members of a neighborhood gang in economically depressed Gary, Indiana, who reunite when a new generation of gangbangers using their old street name, the Rebels, turns the city into a war zone. It's great fun to see the old faces back on the screen--Williamson is still buff and tough, and Brown and Grier have become more charismatic with age--but they're let down by a slack script and lazy direction despite an almost nonstop barrage of gunfights and back-alley brawls. Even with revved-up 1990s firepower, the film never really captures the explosive energy of the films that made their reputations. You're better off seeing the originals. Paul Winfield and Isabel Sanford also star, and Cohen casts cult faves Charles Napier, Wings Hauser, and Robert Forster in supporting roles. --Sean Axmaker
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
 familiarity breeds a hit.... October 16, 2009
a_poet_grows_in_brooklyn (Brooklyn, New York)
all of the stars in this movie you'll recognize from other 70's blaxploitation flicks; fred williamson, jim kelly, richard roundtree, ron o'neal....as well as blacks from television; isabel sanford, paul winfield, etc...basically the og's get back together to take back their town from the young gangstas....the movie has the feel of a 70's blaxploitation film , even though it was made in the mid-90's...it was good to see pam grier, 70's pin up goddess and black actress come back...she's now curvier and 60, but she's still cool...she's just gotten old, like the rest of us....
This was one helluva reunion! July 11, 2007
Eric Robinson (DETROIT, MI)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
You couldn't ask for too much more of a black all star cast than this. You've got Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, Ron O'neal and Richard Roundtree battling modern day gangs. They're kicking butt and taking names later. Paul Winfield and Isabel Sanford did pretty good as well in one of their last performances in movies. May their souls rest in peace. This is a good one to have in your collection.
A Good Idea but a Weak Storyline March 31, 2007
Archie Mercer (Yorba Linda, CA)
I really wanted this movie to be great. I really felt that it had the potential. And you know, it started out pretty good. But the longer the movie goes the weaker it got. It was almost like they started with half a script and when theu got to the end of that they just winged the rest.
The premise of the film is that a gang called the rebels had pretty much taken over the streets of this urban Indiania neighborhood. They are extremely bad and horrifically violent and refuse to let anyone get in their way. One citizen see's one of the gang kill a high school basketball star and calls the cops. The gang retailiates by trashing his store, beating him up, shooting him, and leaving him for dead. Enter John Bookman.
Bookman (Fred Williamson) is the son of the shop owner, an ex-NFL football star, and, it turns out, the original leader of the rebels some 30 years ago. He returns home to find a war zone. After failing to start a dialog with the gang with the help of the local preacher (Paul Winfield) he turns to his old comrads-in-arms to try and take back the streets.
Joined by his best friend from the gang days (Jim Brown), who has his own demons to over come (the son he never knew had just been killed by the gang) they begin to orchestrate a neighborhood revolt. Joining them is Brown's old girlfriend and the mother of his son (Pam Grier), and a couple of ex-gang members (Richard Roundtree, Ron O'Neal).
Here is where the problems begin for this movie. After this great set-up it starts to deteriorate into just pure violence. A previous reviewer says this movie has a "deep message." What's the message, that you have to become as vicious and brutal as the gang you're trying to stop? We see people being executed with a bullet to the brain, burned, having their necks snapped, knifed, beaten with baseball bats, and just gunned down in a all-out hail of gunfire. As the heroes continue their onslaught we see that in the end, they really are no less violent and brutal as the gang. In the final scenes we find Williamson & Brown in a fight with the two current gang leaders while a rival gang looks on. Once they dispose of the hoodlums finally the police, missing completely during the firefight, show up. What started out good ended silly. What a shame.
I would recommend this only to those who are either into Blaxploitation movies or if you have about 100 minutes to kill. Not bad but just could have been SO much better
 Origanal Gangstas February 2, 2006
Rhonda Mason -. Morrison (usa)
This movie took me back to my younger days. It was packed with action, with a deep message. I really injoyed the movie and I watch it all the time.
mark twain sam australia WA Perth January 13, 2006
markrob0 (australia wa perth)
I personally think that this is one of or if not the best film that Fred Williamson has done. I liked the fight scenes that were very well put together and each fight scene had a bit of realism to it.
Williamson is John Bookman, a former hood who made it to the big time with his smooth football skills. But when the gang that he had created/founded back in his hometown starts shooting at members of his family - including his father - he returns to his old turf, meets with his old partners in crime and walks into an all-out street war to clean up his neighborhood to its rightful state of justice! Now it is old school versus new school in this action packed kick-ass flick.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 20
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