Ganja & Hess (1973)

After being stabbed with an ancient, germ-infested knife, a doctor's assistant finds himself with an insatiable desire for blood.

Director:

Bill Gunn

Writer:

Bill Gunn

Stars:

Duane Jones, Marlene Clark, Bill Gunn

Cast

Cast overview:
Duane Jones	...	Dr. Hess Green
Marlene Clark	...	Ganja Meda
Bill Gunn	...	George Meda
Sam Waymon	...	Rev. Luther Williams
Leonard Jackson	...	Archie
Candece Tarpley	...	Girl in Bar
Richard Harrow	...	Dinner Guest
John Hoffmeister	...	Jack Sargent
Betty Barney	...	Singer in Church
Mabel King	...	Queen of Myrthia
Betsy Thurman	...	Poetess
Enrico Fales	...	Dr. Green's Son
Tommy Lane	...	Pimp
Tara Fields	...	Woman with Baby

Storyline

Dr. Hess Green, an archaeologist overseeing an excavation at the ancient civilization of Myrthia, is stabbed by his research assistant, who then commits suicide. When Hess wakes up, he finds that his wounds have healed, but he now has an insatiable thirst for blood, due to the knife carrying ancient germs. Soon after, Hess meets his former assistant's wife, Ganja. Though Ganja is initially concerned about her missing husband, she soon falls for Hess. Though they are initially happy together, Ganja will eventually learn the truth about Hess, and about her husband. Will she survive the revelation? Will Hess?

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | allegory | vampire | male full frontal nudity | female nudity | 

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Taglines:

Some Marriages Are Made In Heaven. Others Are Made In Hell.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Black Vampire

Filming Locations:

Croton-on-Hudson, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kelly/Jordan Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min 78 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Dolby 2.0)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010)

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Soundtracks

"March Blues"
Sung by Mabel King

User Reviews

Misunderstood

Many comments on this film from other users implicitly take on a perspective not unlike that of the producers who severly cut the film before its theatrical release because they expected it to be a more conventional blaxploitation horror film. It is neither blaxploitation nor horror, but instead one of the few (only?) examples of an independent African-American art cinema from the early '70s. It may be flawed, but it is also an incredibly ambitious, challenging film. If you are a fan of Shaft, Superfly, et. al., you may not like this one; if you are a fan of Bergman, Bunuel, or Antonioni, you should check it out.