Customer Reviews

American Pimp

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

If this film can be summed up into one word, it's "Edutainment". Believe it or not, this film is not only immensely entertaining, but it is educational as well. All our lives we've seen images of pimps in TV shows and movies, dressed up in their purple snakeskin outfits and acting like clowns - but "American Pimp" illustrates what real-life pimps are really like.

Ok, so some of the pimps ARE a bunch of guys dressed up in purple outfits acting like clowns, but this documentary shows the side of "pimpin'" that you've never seen. You'll learn about "the game" and how pimps get "knocked" for not keeping tight reins on their "hoes." You'll also see how their girls work day and night making hundreds, even thousands of dollars, and then handing it all over to their pimps without even getting the slightest share in profits.

Why do the girls do this? Why to pimps do what they do? WHAT exactly are pimps? Well watch "American Pimp" and you'll be educated and entertained like never before on the age-old profession of "pimpin".

This documentary ranks up there with "When They Were Kings!" It's a MUST HAVE for any DVD collection!

Earlier this year,I happened to catch a HBO documentary on the lives of prostitutes in the Bronx area of Hunts' Point and was blown away.It was a rare showcase of the pysche of a hooker.
Most of the time,those type of documentaries are filmed from the point of view of the pimp not the prostitutes.
Hence,this documentary from one of my favorite directors,Allen
& Albert Hughes entitled "American Pimp".

"American Pimp" is both fasanating and disturbing.Showcasing years worth of famous pimps.From the well-known Bishop Don Magic Juan(glamourized by rappers such as Ice-T,Snoop Dogg,
Jay-Z,and Ludacris) and Too $hort to lesser knowns such as Charm and Rosebudd.
I found Bishop Don Magic Juan the most intresting pimp because
he seemed proud of his success.He even compares his wealth(courtsey of pimping) as "The American Dream".Which is a VERY intresting view.I also found it intresting when his mother and sister were featured and they were proud of his success as well.

Juan-like the other pimps featured-has a strange mix of charm,wit,self-assureness of dubious effects.You know that these men aren't to be exactly idolized yet they're charming and somewhat likeable.
Also noteworthy was the montage of the mainstream media's images of pimps.A lot of which borders on the offensive.
Blaxplotation films such as "Willie Dynamite","Superfly",and
"The Mack" glorified pimping.And rap artists have always adopted pimp tatics in their music and/or image to be cool.
Again,this is eyebrow raising stuff.

The Hughes Brothers pulled off this documentary well,I must say.
They didn't rely on tired sterotypes or cartoonish protrayals.
Altough I would've liked to have seen more commentary from the female/prostitute's prespective,"American Pimp" is a very intresting documentary that can't be missed.

Excellent depiction of the life of pimping from the Hughes Brothers, who are immensely talented filmmakers and earn their documentary stripes with this work. The life is a little glorified in this movie more than it should be, but I think the Hughes Brothers do a wonderful job of trying to show all of the aspects and dimensions of pimp life across the nation, not just one city. The pimps, and whatever you might think about them, have charisma, and although you might not care about them, they are very interesting to watch, which is all you can ask of a movie with this kind of subject. Wonderful effort and it is too bad that it wasn't widely distributed.

I loved Pimps up Ho's Down. American Pimp is in direct competition with the Brent Owens' HBO directed documentary. American Pimp has the edge for two reasons. The Hughes brothers examined the gamut of pimpology from it's inception, explaining the nature of the game and it's complex nuances. Also, there is a wide range of pimps described in this movie. We are introduced to "Fillmore Slim" a seventy-plus mack, who's had more than 9,000 hookers during his career as a pimp. Slim, described affectionatly by Hollywood ex-pimp, Rosebud as having his turn-out at age fifteen, giving Slim more than 60 years invested in the game. Superstar pimp, "Bishop Magic Don Juan" re-explains the pimp ho game he so eloquently described in "Pimps UP". We are even shown a legitmate pimp, who runs the bunny farm/ranch out in the Nevada desert. The legitmate pimp does not knock the street pimps, he gives them credit for keeping the game strong.To the Hughes Bros. credit, they show the underside of pimping when a New Orleans pimp is arrested for various crimes. The pimp doesn't cower against the system, he simply holds his head high and saves the regrets. Danny Boy, explains the origin of "macking" and how the modern era of pimping evolved. He explains how during the reconstruction era, "post civil-war" the pimps were undiscovered until they began to compile large sums of money, due to the "pimping". Rosebud, explains how Hollywood distorts the image of the pimp, creating a clownish, cowardly figure. Kenny Red puts the game down in D.C. Charm, explains how the track works in Honolulu...These are real dudes, doing some real stuff!!Sex sells and it's a billion dollar bizness....I don't admire pimps, but I think they lead an intruiging life style filled with amusing stories......Curious to know if the Hughes Bros. will stick to documentaries? Or continue to make full length feature films.... Great Job? Only drawback on the DVD is the terrible interview given, where they react extremely immature....

This documentary is just that. A documentary, and it is very enlightening movie. I recommend that you watch the interview of the Hughes brothers before and after viewing the film. And like they say, you really have to watch the film twice to fully appreciate the messages, and allow a lot of the statements to really sink in. Remove all preconceptions about what you think this film is before you press the play button.

Buy it, rent it, see it, borrow it real fast! Words cannot describe this film. They just don't make em like this in this day & age! This is and outstanding film! These boys really now how to put a film together.

This was quite interesting. I saw some of this on HBO and didn't know the name of it at the time. I am a fan of the Hughes brothers so I had faith that this was going to be good. I was pretty naive to "pimpology" so this DVD was a good start. The brothers went all across the USA and had pimps from everywhere explain the game. It was entertaining as well as thought provoking. I was just unaware of the whole language and underground life. Watch this one.

The Hughes Brothers ("Menace II Society") borrow a page from the Maysles Brothers ("Gimme Shelter") for this frank look at the life of the American pimp. There's no narrator telling us what to think about these guys--for better or for worse, they speak for themselves. Most are more articulate and intelligent than you might expect, but a few say some pretty disturbing things, like the gentleman who insists that if he didn't beat his women, they wouldn't think he cared (Terrence Howard's D-Jay says something similar in "Hustle & Flow"). Of course, not one of these men actually uses the word "women". They're all [...] and worse, with the exception of the "legitimate" pimp (the only Caucasian man in the film) who runs the Moonlight Bunnyranch and refers to his employees as "girls." Of the two women interviewed, one uses the word "ho" just as often as any of the pimps, so it seems it's just accepted terminology if you're part of "The Game."

In any case, this is an entertaining documentary with a bumpin' soundtrack and some well chosen film clips from a variety of blaxploitation classics ("The Mack," et al). Because the Hughes never say what they think about these guys, it's hard to know where they stand. I can only imagine they find them as intriguing yet repellent as I do (and a lot more glamorous than I ever could). I've gained no new respect for pimps having seen this film, but I did come away with a better understanding as to why some men choose this line of work and what their lives are like. Suffice to say that by the end of "American Pimp," almost every one of these cats has hustled himself right on out of the Game. As Big Daddy Kane once said, "Pimpin' ain't easy."

I love this movie. I really do believe it accurately depicts the mind set of Pimps. The majority of these pimps are slick talking, outrageously dressed men who use vunerable women to enrich themselves. Many reviews find this movie repulsive and say that it glorifies the pimp. But if you really listen to what these Pimps are saying such as the Ho's get zero percent of the money they earn, some are retarded or emotionally unstable, and that the Pimps have absolutely no regard for these women, while they convince the women that they love them.
A must see for those that are interested in the dark side of human sexuality.

I could barely sit though this film. Unfortunately, our society still glorifies male outlaws, which is what Pimps are. They may dress stylishly and drive expensive cars, but Pimps are still criminal dirt-bags.

Virtually all of these Pimps in the film, are black. As a black female, I'm especially offended that black males, who have been oppressed in our society, turn around and exploit desperate women. These black pimps in the documentary, are no better than the white males that they rail against because of racism. Yes, racism still exists, and it has been very damaging to blacks, and other minorities. But racism shouldn't be an excuse, for these black Pimps to abuse, and live off of prostitutes. Pimps are a disgrace to the black community, and are horrible role models for black kids.

Many women in society, especially women-of-color, become prostitutes as a way to support a drug-habit, escape poverty, or because they're fleeing terrible home lives. For a Pimp to take advantage of women in these situations, is utterly abominable. These Pimps have no scruples whatsoever, and don't deserve to be glorified in the media. This film has no redeeming qualities, and I don't recommend it.