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Black Snake Moan
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List Price: $14.99
Our Price: $13.49
Your Save: $ 1.50 ( 10% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Paramount
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake, S. Epatha Merkerson, John Cothran Jr.
Directed By: Craig Brewer
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
Brand: Paramount
EAN: 0097363461944
Format: Closed-captioned
Label: Paramount
Manufacturer: Paramount
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Paramount
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2007-06-26
Running Time: 115
Studio: Paramount
Theatrical Release Date: 2007-03-02
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Editorial Reviews:
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When ex-blues musician Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson) finds the town nymphomaniac Rae (Christina Ricci) left for dead on the side of the road, he vows to nurse her back to health…and cure her of her wickedness. Until then, she’ll be chained to the immovable radiator in his home. But Lazarus has demons of his own: his wife just left him for his own brother. While Lazarus and Rae struggle to fix their broken lives, the situation threatens to explode as Rae's boyfriend Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) — a roughneck soldier just back from Iraq — comes searching for his missing lover.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: More than what the ads promised
Comment: I expected "Black Snake Moan" to be a kind of guilty-pleasure movie, something along the lines of a "Death Proof", "Planet Terror", or "Kill Bill". You know, trashy fun. But it's really much better than that. Yes, it has a half naked girl chained to a radiator. But it also has two damaged people reaching out to one another, a rich array of supporting characters, a couple of serious themes (in particular, how past abuse informs everything a person does for the rest of their lives), wonderful music, and top-notch acting. Sure, there's some trashy fun to be had, but it's a shame that the film's marketing team only played up that aspect in the ads and ignored the richer stuff. The film might have done a little better in theaters.
"Black Snake Moan" looks and sounds great on DVD, and there's a full array of extra features. Writer/director Craig Brewer is featured prominently in the extras, and he's an interesting guy to listen to. He's grounded, creative, and has a great sense of showmanship... but not at the expense of knowing what's really important in a film. I'll have to check out his earlier movie, "Hustle & Flow", now that I've seen what he can do.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Strange Tale of Sin and Salvation
Comment: Craig Brewer's second film Black Snake Moan is a strange tale of sin and redemption in the new South. The film which could have been merely a lurid sexploitation film about a young nymphomaniac and the aging bluesman who attempts to heal her turns into an interesting if flawed exploration of the power of love and music to heal broken people.
The films leads Samuel L.Jackson and Christina Ricci do surprisingly good work in this film. Ricci plays Rae with feeling and compassion. She gives a performance that allows her to break free from her usual roles and play a character that while hard to believe at times comes across as broken and likable. Jackson steps out of his usual tough guy role into that of bluesman Lazarus who makes it his job to save Rae. It is in his showing of unconditional love that he leans the power of music to heal.
The disc I watched was standard definition but was quite good in both picture and sound quality. The musical score by Scott Bomar is quite good and reflects the blues roots of the source material. The dis includes a quite well done commentary by Brewer and three featurettes on the making of the film and its soundtrack.
All in all not a bad film and certainly better thann expected. Well worth a rental.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Well acted unexpectingly good movie
Comment: I first saw this film when it aired on Showtime, never having wanted to see it before as I didn't quite get what the film was about. My first time watching it, expecting that I wouldn't like it, just the opposite happened. The film is wonderfully acted by all actors.. Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake, ect. The story to me is a sad one, with a very moving and happy ending. You feel for the characters, and I think Ricci shines in this difficult role. A movie with a more serious underlying note, definitely worth seeing. Great soundtrack too. Am glad to have a copy of this film in my collection.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Strange Yet Rewarding Film
Comment: This is a strange yet rewarding film. Samuel L. Jackson and the actor who plays R.L. do a very good job of making a semi-ridiculous film seem semi-believable. I believe that Christina's character being tied up in chains by a black man is meant to represent one of the strongest fears that white men had about black men down south; that they were more masculine, overtly sexual and were out to steal and rape "their" women. Of course, Jackson's character, Lazarus, does no such thing. Instead, he takes care of Rae, Ricci's character, and helps cure her of her disease. For those who know nothing about the Blues, this film can be a little misleading. For instance, Blind Lemon Jefferson's recording of "Black Snake Moan" has nothing in common with the version Jackson performs, save the lyrics. The original is much more convincing, musically complex, and features superior vocals. There is also a very strong emphasis on Hill Country Blues in this film, as we can see by the presence of Kenny Brown and Burnside's grandson, who is an excellent drummer. Hill Country Blues is not the form of Blues that is usually thought of when one hears the word "Blues". Instead, the Delta Blues of Muddy Waters or Son House is often pictured. Hill Country Blues was not even known about until Lomax went down south and discovered the magnificent "Mississippi" Fred McDowell. R.L. Burnside, who was a McDowell disciple, has his music prominently featured in this film, though he is not historically important at all. Even at his best, he is a second-rate Fred McDowell. If those who worked on this movie knew more about the Blues, they would have taken out a lot of the Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside music and included songs more representative of the Blues as a whole.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Worth viewing
Comment: I enjoyed the movie. It was a little different but good. Some reviewers say the "black snake" reference was sexual......maybe but if you actually watch the movie Laz is playing the guitar and refers to what he calls "the black snake moan". It shines light on a taboo subject, sexual abuse. It gives insight on why a lot of "loose" women behave as they do. If nothing else I'm sure it provokes thought about that. It does require you to think while watching the movie so if you like simple movies it's not for you. Some parts are stereotypical but the story overall is good....Worth checking out.
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