Classic Comment Review: The most "important" film on this disc happens to be the first. Let me begin with a little background on this film and my interest in it. Somewhere long ago when I was about 15, I was reading something and this film came up as "the first X Rated blaxploitation film." I found a synopsis and it sounded terrific. I then looked for it in all the local bootleg outfits (VSOM, Tapes of Terror, Shocking Videos, even the olde ABA catalogue) and found nothing. It remained at the top of my want list for a few years. Then quite randomly about one year ago, a guy I sometimes buy prints from sent me an email with a list of titles and among them was this film for just $75! Two weeks later I sat down in my living room and, after close to 5 years of searching, watched this strange little gem from glorious 16mm. Tongue is definitely not your run of the mill LA triple-Xer. Even from its opening minutes its clear its director, credited only as "K.P.," is not the average smut maker and his/her film isn't going to be the average smut film. In fact, there is no real sex for the first 25 minutes. Al Poe (who?) is Quasi, a morose and mute handyman who is seemingly abused and teased by everyone he encounters. His single asset: a 9 inch tongue. It seems that whenever his tongue makes an appearance, people want to screw him which sometimes works out for the better, but mostly for the worse. We open with a seemingly typical day in the life of Quasi as he sits alone in a park playing chess while his conscience or perhaps his insanity warns him of his impending doom. He visits a doctor who immediately tries to abuse him and is then invited to his white neighbor Cherry's house to fix her electricity but becomes trapped in a hateful world of perverse sexuality, leading to his destruction just as his fate had promised. Tongue is not nearly as depressing as it is just strange and, at times, downright surreal. The film reveals in heavy metaphors, mostly about racism. However, contrary to one's expectations, the film chooses to concentrate on Quasi's own bigotry rather than portraying him as the ultimate victim. It is even hinted that his inability to speak is the metaphorical result of his intolerance. Set to a well spirited jazz and R & B score, Tongue has a professionalism about it rarely seen in Z Rated films. The photography is sumptuous, the editing tight, and the aforementioned score moody and impressive. Director "K.P." uses the film's urban LA setting as a means to comment on the loneliness of city life and isolation, but also examines the self deprecating nature of Quasi's behavior within his setting. As we learn more about Quasi, his character becomes less sympathetic and more pitiful. When we finally learn the full extent of his actions, the audiences sympathies are almost turned against him and he sheds and pretentions as a victim. While the film might be a difficult viewing experience for some due to its lack of narrative continuity and sometimes out of nowhere jump-cutting, Tongue is as important of a piece of American black cinema as any and remains a poignant work sure to cause some thought and controversy. Star Rating ****1/2 out of *****
Also Known As
Mob Job
Director
K.P.
Minutes
Actresses
Brigitte Maier [IR, Facial]
Margo
Tasty Freeze
Actors
Al Poe
Dudley Dare
Honors & Awards
X-Caliber Awards, 1975
Winner: Best Interracial Scene, Brigitte Maier
Classic Comment Review:
The most "important" film on this disc happens to be the first. Let me begin with a little background on this film and my interest in it. Somewhere long ago when I was about 15, I was reading something and this film came up as "the first X Rated blaxploitation film." I found a synopsis and it sounded terrific. I then looked for it in all the local bootleg outfits (VSOM, Tapes of Terror, Shocking Videos, even the olde ABA catalogue) and found nothing.
It remained at the top of my want list for a few years. Then quite randomly about one year ago, a guy I sometimes buy prints from sent me an email with a list of titles and among them was this film for just $75! Two weeks later I sat down in my living room and, after close to 5 years of searching, watched this strange little gem from glorious 16mm.
Tongue is definitely not your run of the mill LA triple-Xer. Even from its opening minutes its clear its director, credited only as "K.P.," is not the average smut maker and his/her film isn't going to be the average smut film. In fact, there is no real sex for the first 25 minutes.
Al Poe (who?) is Quasi, a morose and mute handyman who is seemingly abused and teased by everyone he encounters. His single asset: a 9 inch tongue. It seems that whenever his tongue makes an appearance, people want to screw him which sometimes works out for the better, but mostly for the worse. We open with a seemingly typical day in the life of Quasi as he sits alone in a park playing chess while his conscience or perhaps his insanity warns him of his impending doom.
He visits a doctor who immediately tries to abuse him and is then invited to his white neighbor Cherry's house to fix her electricity but becomes trapped in a hateful world of perverse sexuality, leading to his destruction just as his fate had promised.
Tongue is not nearly as depressing as it is just strange and, at times, downright surreal. The film reveals in heavy metaphors, mostly about racism. However, contrary to one's expectations, the film chooses to concentrate on Quasi's own bigotry rather than portraying him as the ultimate victim. It is even hinted that his inability to speak is the metaphorical result of his intolerance.
Set to a well spirited jazz and R & B score, Tongue has a professionalism about it rarely seen in Z Rated films. The photography is sumptuous, the editing tight, and the aforementioned score moody and impressive. Director "K.P." uses the film's urban LA setting as a means to comment on the loneliness of city life and isolation, but also examines the self deprecating nature of Quasi's behavior within his setting.
As we learn more about Quasi, his character becomes less sympathetic and more pitiful. When we finally learn the full extent of his actions, the audiences sympathies are almost turned against him and he sheds and pretentions as a victim. While the film might be a difficult viewing experience for some due to its lack of narrative continuity and sometimes out of nowhere jump-cutting, Tongue is as important of a piece of American black cinema as any and remains a poignant work sure to cause some thought and controversy.
Star Rating ****1/2 out of *****