Black Snake Moan

Black Snake Moan

United States - 2007

Director - Craig Brewer

I know this isn't a lost video, but I watched it and was inspired to write a tirade of sorts.

I watched Black Snake Moan tonight while folding laundry and drinking. It's a poorly made movie in basically all ways. It's sincere and well intentioned overall, but in a bad way. It had all the trappings of an exploitation movie, but delivered only feel-good knee slapping yukkery.

I love traditional blues music, so I was interested in this, but frankly Sam Jackson is not a good singer. The use of historical Son House interview footage was ill-concieved and stuck out like a sore thumb. The professional actors were tasked with filling in the empty boring bits that plagued the remainder, and it showed. Perhaps even to the point of revealing the actors own lack of skill. Sam Jackson does not belong behind a microphone, and his most genuine try at (reproducing Muddy Waters and others) delta blues does not make me even slightly less than rigid in the knees.

While I respect the intent of the film, a somewhat inspiring tale of po', damaged south'n folk of multiple colors, it doesn't suceed on any level beyond saccharine. I was embarassed to watch many of the dramatic, sappy scenes, and fast>>forwarded to the ones that were equally predictable, but less insipid.

This makes me think of a lousy remake of Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned, a damn good HBO original movie starring Lawrence Fishburne. Did I mention Black Snake Moan is way crappier?

The poster art gives the impression of corrupt morality and good old fashined exploitation, I mean c'mon, a girl in chains and a sweaty, dirty glowering guy? Classic! But no, the innefectual appearance of Christina Ricci's chest glands utterly fails to validate the wastage of the unused explosive potential of southern, whiskey, blues, and exploitation. Damn shame.