Black Mama, White Mama (1973)

UK Arrow Video / MGM Blu-ray edition

Turnable sleeve



This film is mainly an Action Chase movie taking place somewhere in the Philippines
with 2 western female prisoners on the run and chased by the Police, the Guerillas,
a Crime gang hired by the police and by a Drug gang, and ending in a big shoot-out.
But, this film starts out as a regular WIP movie with the required genre elements as a
shower scene, dyke guards and a cat fight.

Pam Grier had by 1973 already made 2 shot in the Philippines Women in Prison
exploitation flicks with director Jack Hill and with fellow US actor, the Jack Hill
regular, Sid Haig - her sensational debut in The Big Doll House in 1971 and The
Big Bird Cage
in 1972 and she continued with Jack Hill resulting in the Blaxploitation
classics Coffy in 1973 and Foxy Brown in 1974.

With this yet another cheapie US-Philippine co-production she worked with the
Philippine schlock maestro Eddie Romero (1924-2013) the legendary director of 1969
trash horror The Mad Doctor of Blood Island, and Pam also teamed up again with
Margaret Markov the same year 1973 in the forgotten but great female gladiator
flick The Arena beautifully shot and co-directed by Maestro Aristide Massaccesi
alias Joe D'Amato

Above pic: The Booklet

This film starts with a new busload of female prisoners arriving to The
Women's Rehabilitation Center, a Philippine jungle prison. Well, it's
not that clear that we're in the Philippines as it could've been in some latin
american country as well (as so often in a WIP movie), but later in the
film we se signs in tagalog and police officers with Manila emblems on them.

Pam Grier is Lee Daniels, a prostitute involved with drug traficking, and
Margaret Markov is Karen Brent involved with armed revolutionaires.
They've 2 dyke guards watching and peeping (when showering) on them,
the sadistic blonde Densmore (Lynn Borden) and Logan (Laurie Burton).

But soon, to soon maybe, this WIP movie turns into a women on the Run
Chase action movie.
They manage to flee during a prisoner transport and the chase is on. The
Police Captain Cruz (Eddie Garcia) leads the hunt and he also hires the
local crime gang lead by Ruben (Sid Haig) to get them. But, Pam's drug
boss (Vic Diaz) wants her too and also Markov's guerilla buddies.

Above pic: The Old US MGM DVD

The Blu-ray presents the film in widescreen 1.85:1 and with a LPCM mono
english audio and with english subtitles.
Extras: White Mama Unchained: Interview 2015 with Margaret Markov
about her career (14 minutes), Sid Haig's Philippino adventures (15
minutes), The Mad Director of Blood Island: Archival interview with Eddie
Romero (14 minutes, 2013), trailer, picture gallery, a Booklet and an audio
commentary with filmmaker Andrew Leavold

 

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