Samuel L. Jackson Sings The Blues

"Black Snake Moan" is shaping up to be one of the events of 2007. Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci play two strung-out characters -- Jackson is Lazarus, who is coming off a bad marriage and emotional betrayal. Ricci is Rae, a victim of abuse who turns to self-destruction. When Lazarus discovers Rae half naked, beat up and passed out on his lawn he takes her in, and after finding out her history, chains her to the radiator to facilitate curing her of her ways.

The movie's site has lots of stuff, but my favorite perk is the complete soundtrack -- not just samples -- the entire thing. I've never heard of a free soundtrack being made available before the movie came out, or for that matter, after the movie comes out. Jackson sings a couple tracks and does a pretty nice job. The tunes are all gritty down-south blues/rock that's reminiscent of Led Zeppelin -- especially track 4: When the Lights Go Out by The Black Keys. The site also has clips, stills, and blinking pictures of either Jackson's tummy or Ricci's tummy, I'm not sure which it is.

This movie has story. Nice job.

Black Snake Moan

When I first heard the pitch for "Black Snake Moan" I just rolled my eyes. Christini Ricci plays a victim of sexual abuse who turns to sleeping with everybody in sight as a way of coping.

Sam Jackson is a former blues guitarist who discovers Ricci passed out after a night of partying, and chains her to a radiator in an effort to cure her of her destructive ways, saying “God seemed fit to put you in my path and I’m gonna cure you of your wickedness.”

So. A man chains a half-naked nymphomaniac to his radiator...(roll eyes here).

I thought this plot had 'cheap exploitation' stamped all over it -- but, alas, I may have been wrong ('may have been' is code for 'was'). This picture is getting some very fine reviews and all the clips I've seen point in the right direction. This is shaping up to be a statement by writer/director Craig Brewer on ever failing moral standards.

IESB has seven clips from "Black Snake Moan". They're all good but the 11-minute making-of feature and music video are a cut above.

Where would we be if people didn't do work like this? Yes, I 'may have been'...wrong.

Filmspotting

Adam Kempanaar and Sam Van Hallgren review this year's Sundance Film Festival. Their top pick -- "Son of Rambow" which, from their rundown, sounds very appealing. Featuring two interviews: Craig Brewer, director of "Black Snake Moan", and Garth Jennings and Nick Goldsmith, director/producer of "Son of Rambow".