Customer Reviews

Black Sisters Revenge

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love the plot keywords listed for the film Black Sister's Revenge (1976) aka Emma Mae on The Internet Movie Database...Hit In Crotch, Racial Slur, Independent Film, Blaxploitation...not much, but you had me at `Hit In Crotch'. Written, produced, and directed by Jamaa Fanaka (Penitentiary, Penitentiary II, Street Wars), the film features a cast of relative unknown performers, many in their only screen role, including Jerri Hayes, Eddie Allen, Charles D. Brooks III (Soul Vengeance), Malik Carter (Black Belt Jones), and Ernest Williams II, whom some may remember in the pivotal role as `Customer', from the television role "That's My Mama", specifically the episode titled "The Gun"...give me a break, as I had not a lot to work with here...

Jerri Hayes play Emma Mae, a young woman from rural Mississippi (or `Sippi' as was referred to in the film) who has come to L.A. (Compton to be exact) live with her aunt and her family after the passing of Emma Mae's mother. As Emma Mae gets off the bus, her cousins look at her like she's some sort of alien, as the chick is pure corn pone, if you know what I mean. Anyway, her cousins reluctantly let Emma Mae tag along as they go to the local college student union, and the joint is jumping. Her cousins try to set her up, but there are no takers. Emma Mae does eventually catch the eye of a local hoodlum and pill pusher named Jesse (Williams II) after she beats the tar out of his weasely friend named Zeke (Brooks III), earning the respect of her peers (seems Zeke was more vocal than the others in terms of her funky appearance, to which Emma Mae laid a few smacks upside his head). Emma Mae ends up falling hard for Jesse who eventually has an altercation with The Fuzz, goes into hiding (call me mint jelly baby, cause I'm on the lam), eventually gets popped and thrown into the can, the joint, the slammer, the hoosegow, the pen, the tank, the cooler, the jug, the cooler, the brig...what I'm trying to say is he was committed to a house of correction. Anyway, being smitten with the lug, Emma Mae gets the locals together to raise money to hire a lawyer to defend Jesse and Zeke, as they work out a deal to open a carwash on an unused property. Things are going well, so well, in fact that The Man takes notice and shuts them down (some BS zoning laws), to which Emma Mae and a couple of others resort to robbing a bank...they get away, use the money to get Jesse and Zeke out on bail, but then Jesse ends up two-timing Emma Mae (turns out he was only using her the whole time), to which she retaliates by putting her foot square into Jesse's behind, among other places...

I learned a lot of things from this movie, the first being you don't want to disrespect a country girl with nappy hair, because if you do, she'll have no problem in dishing out a country beating (particularly in working over your jewels, if you're a male). I also learned some new terms, like fender benders...this is used to describe pills that, if you take, and then drive a car, they'll make you crash into things causing you to bend your fender. Also, an `ugmug' is an unattractive person (I think the word is actually a combination of two words, ugly and mug). And if you really want to disrespect someone, you can call him or her `armadillo ugly'...another thing, I didn't realize wearing overalls without a shirt was such a predominant fad in the mid 70s...interesting look. All right, as far as the film goes, it was interesting, but one should keep in mind the cast is made up of inexperienced performers, so a lot of the acting really isn't all that good, but the effort, for the most part, was there, and that counts for something with me. The story moves along pretty well, but it does get bogged down occasionally as a character experiences a verbose, moment of drama meant, I think, to appeal to the audience the trials and tribulations of the disenfranchised African American community. Emma Mae has a few of these scenes, along with another character named Big Daddy, played by Carter. Big Daddy was kind of a weird guy in that he wore traditional African attire, a sheik headdress, full gray bread, mumbles to himself, and had a militant attitude. There's one scene where he speaks about a number of things including the evils of whitey, the ironic plight of brothers killing each other over turf which they don't even own, and the need for African Americans to get up off their collective behinds and take what they can from The Man. Some of the sequences didn't seem to be related to the story, but were fun to watch, nonetheless, one in particular being when Jesse and Zeke were eating crab and hitching a ride, finally getting picked up by some acquaintances. That crab looked nasty, and they were eating parts of it I don't think you're supposed to eat. All in all this was an odd, low budget, independent drama with blaxploitation underpinnings, displaying some pretty shabby acting through and through, but it does feature some effort (in my opinion), along with a bit of heart (or soul, if you prefer), and possibly worth checking out if only to watch the last five minutes when the character of Emma Mae performs her rendition of The Nutcracker Suite...

The fullscreen picture (1.33:1) on this Xenon Pictures DVD does show signs of age, but overall, looks relatively decent and certainly watchable. The audio comes through relatively well, but I'm not really sure what format it's presented in...there are chapter stops, and a number of previews for other DVD releases including Bad Attitude (1993), Black Godfather (1974), Dolemite (1975), Penitentiary (1979), Soul Survivor (1995), and Sweetback (1971).

Cookieman108

By the way, someone was asking about the music played during the final credits...the song, titled Theme from Emma Mae (Long to be Back Home), was arranged by HB Barnum (who also did the scoring for the film), and performed by Keisa Brown, and released as a 45 back in 1976 on the Los Angeles label Marsel Records.

I thought this was going to be another over the top blaxpoitation film, but I was wrong. There was a good moral story behind Black Sister's Revenge and I'm not going to spoil it. The picture quality is fine for a movie like this, plus the cost is low. I've watched it about 15 times, so I can honestly say that I don't regret the purchase. If you're looking to add to your blaxploitation collection, this is a worthy purchase.

Here in Austin, TX, we've the Alamo Draft House, a local Cinema that not only shows big name flicks but also shows underrated and lesser-known shows, as well. Every Wednesday is "Weird Wednesday," in which they show a campy, B-grade film, usually from the seventies, at midnight. "Black Sister's REvenge" was by far the best Wierd Wednesday flick we've ever seen-- the only to get a standing ovation! That fight sene at the end is CLASSIC. This movie is absolutley hysterical.

The 2 Ton Elephant: Years of Jamaa Fanaka

I attended UCLA from 1966 - 1971, majoring in History and then Sociology before settling into my niche in the Theater Arts / Motion Picture Division / Specialty Screenwriting for my undergraduate degree.

I was persuaded by Professor Elyseo J. Taylor to become a research assistant in the Fall of 1969 to help facilitate the entry into the Motion Picture division for the entry of 20 minority students, Black / Asian / Native American / Hispanic.

This initial journey resulted in outstanding first films by the participants in the program.

Years later, I was introduced to Mr. Jamaa Fanaka by Charles Burnett. Burnett told me that Jamaa would be "BIG" in Hollywood. I said, "Oh?"

I worked on "Welcome Home Brother Charles," briefly and I was requested by Jamaa to be the Film Editor for "Emma Mae," retitled "Black Sister's Revenge." I was the token Afro-American in the Metro Goldwyn Mayer post production department at the time. I accepted his offer with a great deal of pleasure since I had been the Editor on an A.F.I. film, "Blood's Way," directed by Stan Taylor in 1972. This small picture was "in consideration for an Academy Award as a short film.

Seeing only one director's creative opus during the Los Angeles Rebellion Preservation Retrospective, was a deliberately conscious decision on my part. I decided to focus exclusively on the work of Jamaa Fanaka. I saw no other director's films during the last 10 weeks.

The films that I saw: "A Day in the Life of Willie Faust, or Death on the Installment Plan," "Welcome Home Brother Charles," "Penitentiary," and the film selected for the closing of the Los Angeles Rebellion Preservation Program, "EMMA MAE," aka "Black Sister's Revenge."

Since I had worked extensively on this picture from the beginning, I had a great deal of interest in how the picture stood up in the test of time since it had been 35 years since the picture was made at MGM.

It is a brilliant film, filled with a narrative that flows like a river, and also revealing sub-plots along the way.

The opening of the picture was new to me since it had been re-edited in my absence; however, the opening scene when Emma Mae arrives in town from the country was exactly as I remembered it. There is a certain electric energy and anticipation that Jamaa elicits in each of his films. It seems that this is real life, a life that is filled with enthusiasm, humor, pathos, pain, and an overriding philosophy in each of his films. Emma Mae is a special film. On a small scale, it would stand out in any year as a film to watch. It is and always will be a MUST SEE film. The young people are exuberant and full of life. The older people give balance, structure, and a certain steadying influence within the film. All of this is attributable to the outstanding story telling ability of Jamaa Fanaka.

I would place Fanaka at the highest echelons of contemporary film directors. Indeed, George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola do not have anything on Jamaa Fanaka when it comes to fully realizing a story, selecting adorable, watchable, interesting characters that make the entire viewing process as an audience well worth the money that is spent.

Fanaka gets so much mileage in his tank that one wonders whether the other filmmakers are even in the same arena. He is the 2 ton gorilla in his element, relishing and emphasizing cinematic moments that others would give their eye teeth to have. He is a brilliant filmmaker, an outstanding director with many stories to tell, a director who knows how to hold the audience in the palm of his hands, a director who knows, intuitively, when to lighten up and when to go for the jugular in a very real sense.

I cannot tell you adequately how enjoyable it was to see Emma Mae after an absence of 35 years. It is a film that I would love to see play in any of the theaters immediately. It is such a high caliber of work that no other filmmaker remotely approaches his command of the medium, and I doubt that they ever will.

On December 16, 2011 I had the pleasure of renewing friendship with Ms. Jerri Hayes, who played the title role of Emma Mae in 1976. I had not seen her for 35 years. She looked great, mature, highly intelligent, and eager to make films once again with Jamaa Fanaka or a creative director who might want to use her amazingly gifted presence as an actress. At the latest screening, surrendipitously, she sat next to me at the Billy Wilder Theater and we exchanged phone numbers and contact information.

I resumed my friendship with Synthia Saint James who played the role of Ulika. She is now a much sought after public speaker, artist, and painter. She is world famous. She was exceptionally good in Emma Mae. It would be intriguing to see her in a film again.

Charles David Brooks, III as "Zeke" was unbelievably great. His performance was attention grabbing.

Jesse, "The Bull," Amos gave the performance of his life. Character so obnoxious that it was hard to find anyone rooting for him and, in the end, discovering that the tables had turned on him. Plenty of moments to foreshadow his demise, dethronement from the love shown by Emma.

Daisy & Huari's performances were superb. They kept the family together.

In Emma Mae, or Black Sister's Revenge, she was utterly believable as a young lady who was an integral fabric in her community as well as the story.

The altercation with the 2 black police officers suggests that those in authority can be harder on their own people than those who are not. They get their just desserts and come uppance at the hands of Jesse and his cohort. Amazing moments of violence that had the 2 young black men administering a beating to the cops who had assaulted them. Action begets reaction.
The thought crossed my brain that it would be fantastic for Jamaa to make a follow up film using the same actors and actresses who populated his films 35 years ago.

We saw Jamaa Fanaka's "Penitentiary" a few weeks ago at the Armand Hammer Museum in Westwood. Brilliant director, great film with lots of tension and absolutely alive with electric energy and passion. Even more importantly, it was filled with philosophical moments that placed life in perspective. Priceless film and a genuine joy to view after 32 years. Of exceptional note was Seldom Seen's incisive philosophic approach which helped to give the meat and potatoes to the characterizations in Jamaa Fanaka's masterpiece. It is rare for an Afro-American to hold the audience in the palm of his hands. Seldom Seen did that with incredible pathos and poignancy. I am reminded somewhat of Emma Mae's soliloquy when she confronted her lover in the bedroom. Outstanding performances all around from a world class director. I would very much like to see Mr. Fanaka continue his directorial imperative at the tender age of 67 and beyond. His moxie and chutzpah are amazing and he is to be highly commended for the tremendous body of work that he has created.

The best film was saved for last in the Los Angeles Rebellion Preservation Project, sponsored by the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Andy Warhol Foundation, and the UCLA Film & Television Archive.

"EMMA MAE" aka "Black Sister's Revenge," a Must See film even now, after a 35 year absence from our hearts and minds.

Best, Thomas Penick / Author / Poet / Creative Executive Producer / Administrative Director U.S.A

Great classic movie. Great plot & story line. This is a hard to find gem worth checking out. Glad to find it on dvd.

If you love those 70's flicks then this one is a winner. I love action packed movies and typically I am not too fond of the old ones because they are not as realistic as the new age, but this one is good. It has a good meaning and it keeps you into it.

I was lucky, or unlucky, enough to see this movie Fri. night 3/21/08 on the TCM channel. This is what you get when you can't sleep. By the way, it was followed by Penitentiary, but I digress. This movie hooked me like a roadside fatality car accident, I didn't want to look, but I couldn't look away. The acting was awful, but the story was interesting; it showed the lengths a sister would go to for her man, when she ain't got nothing to lose and she is from "Sippi" or Mississippi for the unhip. And, let those last five minutes be a lesson to those of you who don't know that "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". Especially a country black woman who has robbed a bank to bring about the release of her man from the big house.

I'm going to buy this movie right now so I can watch it again at my leisure with my friends.

I love this movie! I grew up in the 70's and just takes you back to the days in the "hood" and how things use to be.

This movie had me rolling in laughter, but there's an important message behind this movie. The production is quite low and the acting will not win any Oscars, but this is one of the best Blaxploitation movies I have ever seen.

When I brought this movie I wasn't expecting much. I thought maybe a movie that would show me a good plot and a low budget production set but nothing more. However, when I started to watch "Black Sisters Revenge" I saw how fast it moved from when Emma (a country girl and the star of the movie) first came to Compton to live with her aunt's family to how she started to shuffle and jivin' in the "chicken n' biscuit joint"; she went to a house party where of course the movie had to show "brothers and sisters" smoking weed and drinking beer; oh yes, we can't forget the gangs that where at the party to `cause some trouble and have a shoot-out; and last but not least Emma fell in love and went to bed with an idiot junkie(the whole plot for the movie. He is the one she goes to bat for when he is in jail). You would think this all happened over a month or so; nope not this movie. This all happened within a 24hr period!
Watching this movie made me realize why white people think so low of black people. This movie made absolutely no sense. I don't want to give a way the whole story for the movie but I can tell you this. If you like shows like Archie Bunker and GoodTimes (which I do) watch the movie with a grain of salt; see it for what it was at that present time and learn from it. Yes the movie is horrible but if it makes you wiser (especially if you are black) than I give the movie a passing grade.

Peace!