“Black Shampoo” is one of the lousiest blacksploitation films I’ve seen, and if you’re familiar with the genre, you know thats saying a lot. In terms of technical quality, this makes “Dolemite” look like “Do the Right Thing”. Fortunately, its also extremely entertaining because of the crappy nature of the product. Absolutely nothing happens, but the incredibly dated production and stupidity make it very entertaining for a bad movie night. The film is also pretty schizophrenic. For most of the running time, it feels like a standard 70s softcore porno with some blacksploitation elements. However, at the end it becomes an action film when our hero begins to weld a chainsaw.

Just what makes this so entertaining? For one, its extremely politically incorrect with just about every stereotype in the book. Blacks, whites, gays, rich, no ones safe from the screenwriters. Plus, the film has a badness that crosses over into surrealism at moments, especially the rodeo cookout. Also, its hilarious how no one can resist our hero’s “charms”, Mr. Jonathan. Personally I was a bit confused, because he comes across as being egotistical and dull as a dishwasher. Oh well, it all works within the context of the film. Add to this some truly silly violence (the gay hairdresser gets a curling iron up his, well you know, and the aforementioned hero’s chainsaw revenge), make this lots of fun for fans of psychotronic cinema. By the way, its directed by the guy who play Acid in “Satan’s Sadists”, one of my personal favorite cult films.