‘Coonskin’, the Animated Film and Nouveau Cult Classic by Ralph Bakshi.

Spike Lee digs it. The Wuntag Clan wants to do a remake…

As for me, I had never in my ‘mullato’ life heard of the film until tonight. Now that I’m ‘in the know‘, I must say that I’m intrigued and extremely tickled (and shocked) by the wild commentary and 70’s styled blaxploitation animation. I’m also left wondering how much has really changed since 1975? If Coonskin were to take place in the present we certainly wouldn’t be hard pressed for material.

What the heck am I rambling about? Read on, people, read on…

Overview:
Released in 1976, “Coonskin” is a VERY controversial film by Ralph Bakshi (Fritz the Cat, Heavy Traffic), that is a violent, sexual retelling of Uncle Remus and the Brer Rabbit stories (Song of the South). The film stars Phillip Micheal Thomas, Scatman Crothers, and Barry White, and begins as Philip Micheal Thomas Character is locked up in jail with Scatman Crother’s Character, awaiting to be set free by Barry White’s Character. While waiting for the jail break, Crother’s tells Thomas a tale about Brer Rabbit, Brer Bear, and Brer fox, who move from the South to the North, and gets involved with the mafia, phony preachers, black revolutionarys, pimps, and racist cops.

Coonskin Dialogue:

Doorman: This here’s where Simple Savior runs his black revolution, brother. Natural Black Jesus is the reverend’s cousin, too. He gives people the strength to kill whites.
Brother Bear: Kill whites?
[to Preacher Fox]
Brother Bear: You hear that shit?
[to Doorman]
Brother Bear: Any whites?
Doorman: Yeah, any whites.
Brother Bear: Ain’t this a bitch?
Preacher Fox: Anyone we want?
Brother Bear: Ain’t this a bitch!
Preacher Fox: Huh. We can kill anyone we want?
Doorman: Any whites.
Preacher Fox: I have one special…
Brother Bear: [Grabs Fox and pulls him to the side] Stop it, Fox. Stop it.

Footage:

Quotable:

“The issue is, if you want real freedom, freedom comes with being able to look at what’s right and what’s wrong about your people. It isn’t about shoving things under the rug. When I made the film, there were con artists in the black liberation movement. I’m 65 now. I have less of the fury you feel in Coonskin. But now I realize there’s a lot more wrong with the world than I ever guessed at the time.”

-Ralph Bakshi, Metro Active Movie Interview, 2003.

Related Linkage:
An interview with Cinequest Maverick Spirit honoree Ralph Bakshi | The Full Monty of Coonskin Movie Clips | Al Sharptons Protest | Overpriced Coonskin T-Shirts