Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975)

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

Made in the midst of the seventies and the era just before the explosion of the horror genre. Just before that exploitation was the independent thing. And of course black actors wanted to have their own exploitation. Here we have a very good example what we call blaxploitation. But this here is really good. Naturally the main leads are black people but the one to look out to is Tamara Dobson. She was a natural beauty but sadly she became sick and stopped making movies in 1984. She died of her disease which was MS in 2006. Here she's Cleopatra Jones, let's just say a black 007. But look how the feature was made, back in those days they knew how to do their stuff, no CGI or other stupid effects, here's it's the real stuff but here it's effects in the attacks and the many fights. Don't think that you will see a serious amount of blood, no it doesn't. But of course for the seventies nudity was a normal thing and it contains some nudity. But also have a look at Cleopatra's clothes and the way they put some make-up on her. The score, pure seventies, this is excellent stuff. I can't say anything that I didn't like in it. The chases with the cars and motorcycles, it goes on for minutes. You can guess it, one to watch

If you can stand this frightening eye shadow, as well as those painted long very long eyebrows then you can stand anything ! First of all they wanted to make a stronger sequel in kind of big production where Dirty Harry meets James Bond meets Bruce Lee ! And they did it through this story about a casino, dragon lady, a drug smuggling, etc. It's bigger indeed than (Cleopatra Jones) which was close to a solid TV pilot. BUT I have a lot to say about it though..Of course as you guessed : (Tamara Dobson) and her outrageously bizarre looks in here! In fact she made me sick to my stomach during the whole 96 minutes. What the hell was that anyway ?! Those showy outfits, flamboyant costumes, funny hats, jewelry with frippery, and that genuinely horrible make-up !!!! She looked all along like a total freak, or a walking bazaar. That was too damn much in the most ugly way EVER !It was beyond any endurance's power I have. So it may hurt you badly when some boy whistles when he sees her and be that dazzled ! Yes, she could DAZZLE easily I know to the extent that makes you blind !Not to mention the characterization of Cleopatra this time. If you complained about her being some mannish at the first movie then be assured; here she's all man baby ! with no slight second to feel any kind of femininity. They wanted the taste this time as intensive as it could be. Look at the frame of Cleo here : no boyfriend, with a girl sidekick all the time, her girl sidekick got no boyfriend also !, moreover being in explicit manly costumes. It's the typical manly violent black lady of the era for all the aggrieved black people, the aggrieved women, and the sexually perverted persons too.I liked the theme song, the wonderful music, the good cinematography, the strong editing, and the fact that there were no Barb Wires in the fights' scenes unlike our very fake days ! Despite some crappy moments like when the Chinese girl, who supposed to be a sharp police officer, opened her flat's door while she was going to shower so the whole bunch of killers could enter plainly !?. It transformed into comedy already when Cleo was hiding in the dark to descend upon a bad guy at the stairs unexpectedly while she was wearing the most flashy suit I've ever seen in my life !It's fine Action for sure but as I told you earlier; how it recommends a very powerful stomach to bear Dobson's sight as she wasn't here a "Hard Woman" inasmuch as a "Hard" only !

Surprisingly entertaining Blaxploitation film from the 70s with Amazonian Tamara Dobson returning as the hustling, Kung Fu fighting, bizarre fashion plate Cleopatra Jones. This time Cleo needs to help Matthew and Melvin Johnson in Hong Kong to break up a drug ring under control of the Dragon Lady(actually she and her casino are in Macao). Dobson must wear no fewer then ten weird outfits and quips one-liners throughout with the aid of little helper Ni Tien(a most beautiful young lady). The Dragon Lady is played deliciously by the ever delicious Stella Stevens. Stevens actually gives a pretty good performance as one cold-hearted, ruthless woman accustomed to getting what she wants. This movie gives you exactly what you are promised and expect: lots of action, lots of silliness, lots of innuendo and subtle as well as obvious humour, and lots of martial arts. Dobson gives her standard performance and the rest of the cast does as well. Character actor Norman Fell is here as Cleo's governmental contact and lends the film some credibility. You got to love the 70s action sequences, the outlandish costumes, and that groovy soundtrack.

I think this is one of the best movies during the Blaxploitation era. Its full of Suspense and Drama. I would recommend this movie to anyone. I gove it two BIG thumbs up!!!!!!!!