Cleopatra Jones

Starring:Tamara Dobson, Bernie Casey, Brenda Sykes, Antonio Fargas, Dan Frazer, Bill McKinney, Stafford Morgan, Michael Warren, Albert Popwell, Caro Kenyatta, Esther Rolle, Keith Hamilton (II), Jay Montgomery, Arnold Dover, Angela Gibbs, John Alderman, Eugene Jackson, Lee Weaver (II), Kanes J. Crawford, George Reynolds
Director: Jack Starrett
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Product Description

A buxom beauty, undercover narcotics agent Cleo Jones is the principal operative in a covert scheme to eradicate an international drug trade. But she is pulled away from important business when a phony raid on her boyfriends ghetto halfway house puts the rehabilitation center in jeopardy. Cleo will soon discover the source of her domestic troubles: Mommy, a raunchy underworld eccentric with a collection of Amazonian women as sexual slaves. Former model Tamara Dobson made her feature film debut in this 1970s Blaxploitation cult classic. Title theme song by Joe Simon. Additional music by Carl Brandt and Brad Shapiro

System Requirements:
Starring: Tamara Dobson, et al. Edition Details: Region 1 encoding (for use in US and Canada only) Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Special Edition Number of discs: 1

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Special agent Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson), six feet two inches of sinewy fighting fury clad in layers of runway chic fashions in bright rainbow colors, strolls up a sand dune and orders the destruction of a Turkish poppy field. Thousands of miles away, an L.A. drug lord named Mommy (Shelley Winters hamming it up with garish wigs and lecherous leers) screeches as her life blood burns away and lures Cleopatra stateside to plot her demise. A product of the "blaxploitation" explosion of low-budget thrillers featuring black heroes in the 1970s, Cleopatra Jones may not be the best of the batch but revels in the most outrageous fashion sense. Cleo looks great in furs, pantsuits, ponchos, turbans--a new outfit every scene--and drives a sleek black Corvette with a personalized license plate: "CLEO." It's a shame that the producers dropped the exotic potential of a globetrotting super-agent for an L.A.-bound gangster film, which is entertaining in a comic-book way but rarely reaches the energetic levels of the gritty Pam Grier action pictures Coffy and Foxy Brown. Bernie Casey is a role model of dignity and action as a neighborhood activist, and a garishly overdressed Antonio Fargas delivers a suitably flamboyant performance as Mommy's pusher Doodlebug. The glamorous super-agent flew off to Hong Kong for the 1975 sequel, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

"Could Have Been Better".......2007-03-28

The movie was okay. If you like movies from the 70's, then this is another flick to add to your collection. Tamara Dobson is definitly
one tough sista.

RIGHT ON! SWEET SISTAH!.......2007-03-05

Simply one of the best, fun and campy, cult films of the 1970's. Even today 2007, this movie is alot of fun. Rest in peace Tamara Dobson, you were and always will be "a whole lotta woman!"

She Isn't Some Lame Wonder Woman.......2007-02-19

As bad as a man as Shaft is, he wouldn't play with Cleopatra Jones if he thought for one minute she was on her last nerve, and it was shredding fast.

Tamara Dobson portrays a special agent who is busting up a drug pipeline from Turkey to the United States that is operated by Mommy (Shelley Winters). I hope I don't ruin the ending for you, but keep in mind the movie isn't titled, Mommy.

I always found the film a parody of James Bond and the other tough white heroes back in the day who would gently set the lady aside before punching out the villains, with the hero capturing her heart in the end. Cleopatra Jones disarms the bad guys with her charm, but is also cooking up some knuckle sandwiches to take them out with when the time is right.

Dobson does a great job in a role that may have been nearly impossible to pull off well. Such over-the-top characters have to be difficult to portray - there is a fine line between acting well or making the character the buffoonish Rambo - but Dobson does a great job.

The DVD cover is a pretty poor updated version to the original artwork. The movie is from 1973, not 2003 and the artwork should make that point.

If you are looking for a movie that packs a punch, run quickly away from the usual suspects and get Cleopatra Jones.

Dreaming Big.......2007-01-12

This film brought back a lot of great memories for me. I enjoyed seeing Tamara Dobson on the screen playing the heroine that all teenage girls of the time enjoyed watching. She was smart, pretty with her own sense of style.

Cleopatra Jones.......2006-12-22

This DVD is awesome!!!

I recommend this DVD to anyone who likes action and 1970s blacksplotation movies. Eventhough this movie came out a few years before I was born, I enjoyed watching every moment of this DVD.

Average customer rating:

Passive Aggressive
Peculiar amalgam of other films
Unexpected, twisted little gem
Cleopatra needs to go back to 1st husband
Darkly Compelling

Cleopatra's Second Husband (Ws)
Starring: Paul Hipp , Boyd Kestner , Bitty Schram , Radha Mitchell , and Alexis Arquette
Director: Jon Reiss
Manufacturer: First Run Features
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000067IXL
Release Date: 2002-07-30

Customer Reviews:

Passive Aggressive.......2007-01-02

-The house sitter from hell is pretty much what the movie is about and whiles that's not new territory it still works for the most part. Plus there is this whole aspect of the hunted becoming the hunter which I believe makes about the 6th time this year that I've seen a movie with that motif. The way the main character gets his revenge is a very clever one though and I guess if had to slowly kill someone I'd trap them in a box too and taunt them on a video camera. That whole video camera and being trapped in a box to me was far more interesting than anything in the movie. I wish the whole movie had being about that instead of the slow moving and sometimes disturbing story that we get here.

-The only reason I rented this movie was for the Aussie beauty Radha Mitchell, and I have to say I was little disappointed after seeing the movie. It's not that she's terrible in the movie, far from it. It's just that she pretty much gives a cameo performance. Her screen time is probably about five minutes total, and in the scenes that she's in she's either having sex with someone or doing something equally suggestive. I'm sure if you find her hot then you'll love her scenes in the movie, but for those of us that find her beautiful and share no naughty thought about her, it may require the use of the fast forwarding button. And according to Reiss the reason why her character had about three lines in the movie was because she was originally written as French character.

-Boyd Kestner who plays the domineering Zack Taylor, and he pretty much gives the best performance in the movie. He plays the a**hole that we all know that thinks he's the s**t and has a way to exert his authority on anyone. Even when he's weak and trapped in a box he still manages to scare and intimidate. This is the first with Kestner that I've seen and I really hope that the man catches a lucky break and does something that garners him more attention because he was amazing in this movie. Paul Hipp plays the dormant Robert very brilliantly and he does a great job of playing a man that spends the movie being told what to do. In the latter moments of the movie when he finally grows some testes and figures out how to stop Zack we get to see a much more lively version of him and Kipp plays that nicely as well.

-Like Michael Bay, Antoine Fuqua, Spike Jonze, and F Gary Gray, Director John Reiss also comes from the music video world but since a bulk of his videos have been banned on MTV I don't think they are ones that anyone has seen before. He has a very assured style of directing and never rushes things which is great, but a little speed wouldn't have hurt this movie. things that should have been done in two minutes went on for what felt like ten minutes. The movie is only about ninety minutes long, but it sure does feel longer. I wouldn't have minded if the slow moments had something interesting, but the ones we get here are filled with either sex scenes that make you fast forward the movie, or Robert moping around the house with a "woe is me" demeanor.

-The one thing about the movie, which was apparently a huge issue in the casting of the movie, is the whole "rape sequence". The clever thing that the Reiss does with the scene though is not show the thing but rather just suggest it, and show it start then cut away. That to me was greatly effective and even though we don't get to see anything it still left me in a bit of a sour mood. I didn't crack a smile or feel good about anything after that scene for about a good 30 minutes which is a great credit to Reiss. The scene is a turning point in the movie so it was a necessary one but at the same time a bit unnerving, which is why so many people turned down the role of Zack. I think there were better ways for him to have shown the whole dominance aspect, but what we have in the movie is fine. It makes the movie harder to enjoy, but it still works fine.

-It has its problems but overall it's a pretty decent flick. If you're a die hard Radha Mitchell fan then I won't recommend it because she's barely in it. However If you're in the mood however for a tale of dominance and revenge then this maybe your ticket.

Peculiar amalgam of other films.......2004-01-18

The first half of this film actually works well because the dynamics of the two couples portrayed are sizzling, punchy, and smart. One of them is a yuppie duo made up of a photographer obsessed with somewhat creepy subjects, and his wife who's equally compulsive in her behavior about trying to become pregnant. These two obvious uptighters are paired off against a couple who are the obvious opposite--wild with enormous libidos, selfish, and inconsiderate.

It's when the film progresses to the dynamics of the two men alone that it encounters serious problems. The interaction here is much too forced, contrived; there's a lot of treading water here, but the water is pseudo-water and the treading is thrashing about without a reason. After all, why thrash around in water that's not even water? Without giving away the plot points here, it's just not credible that the dominant one of this male pair would continue to accept the ministrations of the other man after a major problem arises. In addition, the dominant guy's treatment of the other man is much too crudely handled.

This obvious lack of credibility ruins the entire second half of the film whose ending would otherwise be very creepy. But because the events leading up to it really don't work, the ending suffers considerably. We just don't buy it.

Had the filmmaker thought through the interaction of the two men more carefully and plotted the film in this middle section more believably, this would have been a significantly stronger piece of work. As it is, it is a muddle whose three stars are for the strong first half and some definite creepiness in the ending section. In addition, any title that requires serious cogitation to understand (after which it is STILL not understood) is perhaps somewhat suspect.

Unexpected, twisted little gem.......2003-08-11

Full disclosure: I rented this film because a former boyfriend of mine was the director of photography and I was curious to see what he'd been up to. For a low-budget film, it is gorgeously filmed (good job, Matt Faw!) and well acted. Given the title and the word "erotic" on the cover, I was expecting the plot to evolve into a kinky threesome, but instead its twistedness takes a whole different route. It starts out normally enough: a couple who's stressed out from trying to get pregnant takes a vacation and allows another couple they don't really know to house-sit. When they get back, the house-sitters won't leave. The mind-games quickly escalate and eventually turn violent and unexpectedly (but very inventively) sadistic. Not a date movie, but definitely worth watching if you like odd, twisted, offbeat films. (And the director's commentary only added to my appreciation of the cast and crew's achievement.)

Cleopatra needs to go back to 1st husband.......2002-12-08

I'm not going to tell you how the movie ended like the previous poster had, thank you very much. If you like diabolical movies, then add this to your list of ones to watch. It's predictable in a many ways with a sick surprising ending. I wasn't enjoying it much and not too enthuses about this cuz it's not my type of movie and i would not watch it again due to the nature of the subject matter which is twisted. My question is 'who is the 2nd husband of cleopatra?' which is what i was trying to figure out during the whole movie.

Darkly Compelling.......2002-08-01

This is a fascinating look at the dark turns unhealthy relationships can take. This low budget film, written and directed by Jon Reiss, starts off innocuously enough. Robert (Paul Hipp) and Halle (Bitty Schram) are a rather boring,yuppyish LA couple. Halle is domineering in a whiny sort of way; her husband is submissive in a detached sort of way. This fact does not seem very interesting at the outset, but it sets the stage for the rest of the film's bizarre developments. Paul and Halle go on vacation and entrust their house to the care of another couple, Zach (Boyd Kestner) and Sophie (Radha Mitchell). Those of us who have seen any psychological thrillers know that this is a fatal mistake, but Paul and Halle are preoccupied with their own issues. Theirs is a passionless marriage; Halle regulates their sex life based on her ovulation cycles. Paul, meanwhile, is trying to jumpstart a fledgling career as a photographer. He is also a hypochondriac who constantly downs herbal remedies. When they return, the house is a mess and Paul's tropical fish are dead. Zach and Sophie declare they have no place to go, and convince the other couple to let them stay another week. From here, things turn at first predictably, then unpredictably dark and strange. Sophie seduces Paul; Halle leaves. Zach gradually reveals himself to be a sadistic psychopath who easily dominates the physically and emotionally weaker Paul. The rest of the film is all about violence, sado-masochism and revenge. Jon Reiss does a very good job of allowing his film to sneak up on us. It doesn't exactly build suspense in the manner of Hollywood film; the pace is slow and the mood changes subtly rather than abrubtly. Those looking for a conventional suspense-thriller may become bored early on, as it starts off rather sluggishly. Like many low budget independent films, the cast is small and the atmosphere somewhat claustrophobic. Yet Cleopatra's Second Husband (a cryptic, misleading title) makes the most of it's limited scope, actually turning it into an essential feature of the plot. There is no simplistic resolution to things; this is neither a morality tale, a gore-fest nor a gimmicky thriller, but a complex exploration into the deepest realms of the human psyche.

Average customer rating:

"Rites" not done right

The Satanic Rites of Dracula
Starring: Patrick Barr , Michael Coles , Peter Cushing , William Franklyn , and John Harvey
Director: Alan Gibson
Manufacturer: Cleopatra
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000E1168A
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Customer Reviews:

"Rites" not done right.......2006-05-24

After the success of "Horror of Dracula," Hammer Horror apparently decided to wring the last buck out of the Dracula franchise, with Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee as the hero and villain. The final chapter is "Satanic Rites of Dracula," a limp horror flick that is rather boring when it's not silly. Throw in some naked breasts and dated haircuts too.

Scotland Yard uncovers a rural cult of satanists, and learn that their members include prominent scientists and politicians. It would be a scandal if they made an error, so they ask Professor Larimer Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) to investigate. Van Helsing pays a visit to one of the cultists (his old college buddy) and discovers a horrific secret: a new, superstrain of the Black Death.

Even worse, Van Helsing finds that his old nemesis Dracula (Christopher Lee) has returned from the grave (how many times is it now?) and is the leader of this cult. While Scotland Yard battles hordes of vampiric women hidden in the cult's house, Van Helsing is taken prisoner by Dracula himself -- and his granddaughter Jessica may be Dracula's next victim.

Horror isn't supposed to be silly, and it's not supposed to be tedious. "Satanic Rites of Dracula" is both. It feels as if Hammer Horror was running out of potential Dracula scenarios, so they threw in some cheesy satanism and lots of because-we-can nudity. (Apparently to stake a female vampire, you have to pull open her shirt first)

Worst of all, very little of it makes sense -- why does Dracula want to kill everyone, and thus himself? Uh... he just does, okay? That's about the whole explanation. And the illogical storyline is bogged down by really bad dialogue ("My revenge has spread over centuries and has just begun!").

Most of the movie revolves around Scotland Yard's idiot inspectors bumbling around, getting into trouble and barely escaping those vampire sexpots. Occasionally they stake somebody, but not often enough. It takes most of the movie for Dracula to even show up, and when he does, Lee looks kind of peevish, like he resents being in this cheesy movie. Somehow, I can't blame him.

It's especially a shame because Lee and Cushing are the sole bright points. Lee was as impressive and creepy as ever, with his sonorous voice and seductive bloodsucking. And Cushing had the toughness and steeliness to play a good Van Helsing, although they water down his character by giving him a twerpy granddaughter.

It's a good thing "Satanic Rites of Dracula" was the last of Hammer's Dracula movies, because this one was a pathetic enough finale to the series. Lee and Cushing are the only reasons to watch at all.

Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

The original is still the best
Cleo and Mi Ling are unstoppable!
A true gem
It's cool, baby!
Better than the original!

Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold [Region 2]
Starring: Tamara Dobson , Stella Stevens , Ni Tien , Norman Fell , and Albert Popwell
Director: Charles Bail
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Customer Reviews:

The original is still the best.......2006-03-22

Like most sequals, this movie is not of the same caliber of the original Cleopatra Jones. It is, however, entertaining, and collectors of Urban 70's movies will find this one a "must have" for the collection.

Cleo and Mi Ling are unstoppable!.......2006-01-28

Typical blaxploitation from the 70's but with a great flair in that that leading roles are played by two hot butt kicking ethnic Princesses! Cleo knows her Kung Fu and uses it well. My fav is the asian hottie Mi. In one scene Mi has just finished showering and walks out into the living room in her bathrobe only to be greeted by a group of intruders. They proceed to tie her hands up but are in for real surprise. This lady is a deadly martial artist. With her hands still tied, she turns her bare legs and feet into deadly weapons overpowering the men with some explosive kicks. She is soon joined by Cleo and the girls finally finish the guys off leaving the baddies knocked out cold. Although a bit campy, this movie is a cult classic and a great sequel to the original.

A true gem.......2005-07-07

This movie only gets better with multiple viewings. Although this is a sequel you do not have to watch the first movie, simply titled, Cleopatra Jones, to understand Casino of Gold. For various reasons a third movie was not made. ENJOY and have a great time watching a great action film.

It's cool, baby!.......2002-06-20

"Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold" was my initiation into the "Blaxploitation" film genre. In this film, Tamara Dobson stars as a statuesque African-American secret agent woman. She teams up with an Asian woman named Mi Ling (played by Tanny) in order to rescue two undercover agents from the clutches of the Dragon Lady (Stella Stevens), a casino-owning drug pusher. Written by William Tennant, the film is directed by Chuck Bail.

"Cleo" is full of outrageous costumes, hip dialogue, action, and funky music composed by Dominic Frontiere (starting with the opening credits song, "Playing with Fire"). There is a fair amount of graphic violence. Cleo is a fun character; she's sort of like an African-American female James Bond (in fact, I found the tone and pacing of this film to be similar to that of the Bond flicks of this time period). The film makes good use of its Far East setting.

Dobson gets solid support from the rest of the cast, but I especially loved Norman Fell (an actor best known as TV's Mr. Roper from "Three's Company") as Cleo's grouchy but likeable boss. Fell and Dobson have a really enjoyable chemistry in their scenes together.

"Cleo" is a fascinating film that could, I imagine, inspire some lively analyses grounded in race, gender, economics, post-colonial politics, criminology, and other fields of inquiry. Or you could just enjoy it as a fun, slightly campy adventure flick with a kick-...heroine.

Better than the original!.......2002-06-17

This sequel is that rare bird... one that is better than the original movie (CLEOPATRA JONES). Largely because of the exotic setting (Hong Kong and Macao are more fun than East L.A., after all), and certainly because of the villainess, Stella Stevens.

Cleopatra Jones tends to find herself up against Evil White Lesbian dope queens, and Stella Stevens is certainly nicer to look at than Shelly Winters (in the original). Her climatic fight scene ... with the foxy black Cleo is OVER THE TOP! The ladies must have been covered with bruises after shooting this (NO stand-ins apparent!).

As for Stella's "wild" outfits, they are conservative compared to the title heroine's!

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

"Could Have Been Better".......2007-03-28

The movie was okay. If you like movies from the 70's, then this is another flick to add to your collection. Tamara Dobson is definitly
one tough sista.

RIGHT ON! SWEET SISTAH!.......2007-03-05

Simply one of the best, fun and campy, cult films of the 1970's. Even today 2007, this movie is alot of fun. Rest in peace Tamara Dobson, you were and always will be "a whole lotta woman!"

She Isn't Some Lame Wonder Woman.......2007-02-19

Dreaming Big.......2007-01-12

Cleopatra Jones.......2006-12-22

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