A Low Down Dirty Shame (1994)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Keenen Ivory Wayans

Writer (WGA):

Keenen Ivory Wayans (written by)

Release Date:

23 November 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

He's armed and dangerously funny.

Plot:

A black detective becomes embroiled in a web of danger while searching for a fortune in missing drug money.During the course of his investigation...

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | White Supremacy | Explosion | Drug Lord | Homosexual

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Nov. 17

1:00 PM

BET

Cast

Keenen Ivory Wayans	...	Shame
Charles S. Dutton	...	Rothmiller
Jada Pinkett Smith	...	Peaches (as Jada Pinkett)
Salli Richardson-Whitfield	...	Angela (as Salli Richardson)
Andrew Divoff	...	Mendoza
Corwin Hawkins	...	Wayman
Gary Cervantes	...	Luis
Gregory Sierra	...	Captain Nunez
Kim Wayans	...	Diane
Andrew Shaifer	...	Bernard
Chris Spencer	...	Benny (as Christopher Spencer)
Devin DeVasquez	...	Mendoza's Girl (as Devin Devasquez)
John Capodice	...	Mob Boss
Craig Ryan Ng	...	Chun Yung Fat
Don Diamont	...	Chad

Also Known As:

Mister Cool

Runtime:

UK:100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Caravan Pictures

Trivia:

Shame tells the bodyguard/thug (played by Sven-Ole Thorsen) to "say hello to Arnold for me" before hitting him with the gun. Thorsen has appeared on screen in nine different Arnold Schwarzenegger movies, did stunts and training for actors and stuntmen in many others, and was actually introduced to the movie business by Arnold, who knew him from when they used to do bodybuilding competitions together.

Goofs:

Continuity: When he calls Agent Rothmiller to let him know that he has located Angela, Shame doesn't identify himself to the telephonist. But when Rothmiller gets on the telephone, he knows that it is Shame.

Quotes:

Shame: I'll go take me a shower and pretend that I didn't wake up in The Crying Game!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Notorious B.I.G.: Ready to Die - The Remaster (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

OLD ARRIVAL

Shaft with humor

I enjoyed this film, and it holds up fairly well with repeated viewings.

But more importantly, this film has historical importance.

First of all, this film is drawing very heavily on Hong Kong action thrillers at a time when these were just getting attention in the US.

Secondly, compare this film very carefully with the Samuel Jackson "remake" of "Shaft", released - with enormous hype - in 2000.

I don't know why Wayans didn't sue for plagiarism. Samuel Jackson's Shaft is Shame without humor.

Unfortunately, the humor is absolutely essential to this story. For one thing, it creates a "black" identity that is capable of rising above any Hollywood appropriation of it. Shame's secretary - and real romantic interest - is a strong black woman - a character type that Hollywood has finally admitted actually exists only very recently, since about 2001.

So Samuel Jackson's Shaft gets a x-million dollars promo, and still can't come up with an interesting story (although it was nice to see Richard roundtree on the screen again).

Meanwhile, let's talk about entertainment - alright, there are some bits that don't work; but enough do to keep the film moving. I had good time; what the heck.