You may think you've seen some shocking and outrageous movies before, but you haven't seen anything until you've seen Goodbye, Uncle Tom. A pseudo-documentary about the horrors of slavery in pre-Civil War America, the movie has something to anger absolutely everyone. Out of print for years, the movie is finally back in print as part of the Mondo Cane box set. Mondo Cane is an Italian movie known for its sensationalistic and titillating approach to documentary filmmaking, but it's got nothing on this film.
The movie is filmed as if modern filmmakers took a trip the antebellum south and recorded what they saw there, with an emphasis on the most inhuman stuff they could find. So, we get to see rape, torture, children being sold as sex toys, beatings, and just about everything else you can think of. Even when there are not massive amounts of violence on the screen, it's still pretty disturbing. There's a shot of a little white girl and a little black boy running through a field together; after a little while you realize the girl has the boy on a leash. And about every five minutes, there's someone prattling on about the inferiority of blacks people. Much of the dialog comes from the actual letters and documents of time, so at least there's some devotion to historical accuracy. I'm not sure how accurate everything else is, but even if only 10 percent of it is true, it would still be absolutely horrible.
When not creating re-enactments of slavery, the filmmakers shot some actual documentary footage about race relations between blacks and whites in America in the early 70s. There's a lot of angry rhetoric from people like Eldridge Cleaver and some staged footage of some Black Panthers slicing up a white couple and beating an infant's head against a wall. There's also a scene in which a black guy tries to read The Diary of Nat Turner on the beach and fantasies about killing some nearby white people. By the end of the movie, you're not really sure whether you've watched a collection of David Duke's favorite moments in American history or a Five Percent Nation recruitment tape.
The movie has been called one of the most racist films ever made, which is ironic since the filmmakers made it to deflect accusations of racism over of their earlier documentary Goodbye, Africa. I think the problem people have with it is that it brings an exploitation flick sensibility to the study of a very painful part of Americas past. There are a lot of lascivious nude shots, especially in the part where the filmmakers visit a whorehouse staffed by slaves. In fact, there's a part in which the cameraman has sex with a 13-year-old slave girl, which is icky no matter how you slice it. It's a bit like compiling a movie of scenes of naked female prisoners in concentration camps and calling it The Original Girls Gone Wild. There are slow-motion death scenes, and an S&M sequence that looks like it came out a late night movie on Cinemax. Even more problematic is the fact that many of the slaves are portrayed as barely being human. In the "Stud farm" sequence, a young slave girl is raped by a slave "stud" who growls and drools like a dog. The only black characters with major speaking roles are a pimp and a cruel "mammy" character. Amistad this is not.
In the modern-day scenes, the filmmakers seem torn over whether to suggest that we all get along or that all we all start beating each other to death with baseball bats. The filmmakers have said that were just trying to show what was going on and not trying to send a "message", but at times it seems like they're just hoping there's going to be a race war in America so they can film it all. There are no interviews, just footage of black power rallies and hippies and audio recordings of black radicals declaring their contempt for Martin Luther King, Jr. and white people in general. One man goes so far as to declare that all white women are ugly. This is one movie in which no one looks to the cookie.
In the end, Goodbye, Uncle Tom is not so much a racist movie as it is a completely tasteless movie. It's like watching a John Waters-directed version of Black Like Me - whatever lessons about racism there are to be learned, they'll be overshadowed by the scenes of transvestites getting hit in the face with colostomy bags. I have no problems with a discussion of race relations or the horrors of slavery, but bringing a Jerry Springer-type sensibility to it is a really bad idea. The movie stands as a testament to good intentions gone completely awry.
Having said that, I'm surprised that it's been such an obscure film for so many years. I'd say that Birth of a Nation and Triumph of the Will are much dodgier productions, yet they can still easily be found in stores and are studied in film classes. Goodbye, Uncle Tom is one of the most incendiary pieces of filmmaking I've ever seen, and yet it's been rarely seen since its debut in the early 70s. The movie may be tacky and offensive, but it will provoke a lot more discussion than almost any other movie you've seen. Goodbye, Uncle Tom is part of the new Mondo Cane box set offered by Blue Underground, and it is definitely worth your time to watch it. I don't think it's possible for anyone to actually enjoy the movie, but I guarantee it will be an unforgettable experience.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Eric Olsen
Thanks Chris, sounds unbelievable, like it's trying to push every subconscious button. I am amazed I have never heard of it, just too hot for ANY side to handle it sounds like.
2 - Mac Diva
Considering that good films and books about slavery are often neglected, I don't have a problem with a movie that sounds like garbage being left alone.
3 - Chris Puzak
Eric,
The first two Mondo Cane films are pretty well-known, but this movie is obscure even by cult movie standards. It was never released on video in American until now (the subject matter and the X rating probably didn't help matters), and I don't think it got much of a video release overseas, either. I know Exhumed Films
in New Jersey did a screening of Goodbye, Uncle Tom a few months ago, but unless you were paying realy close attention to people who deal exclusively in cult films, you probably would never have heard of it. I only became aware of its existence a little while ago after a discussion about it on comic artist Steven Bissette's web forum. It really does go out of its way to shock people, and I'm really surprised that it got an official American release before movies like Cannibal Holocaust and Battle Royale.
Mac,
As a documentary about slavery, the movie is not very good. But, fans of cult movies will no doubt be interested in seeing it. I think it would also do a lot of good for film professors to show this film to their students as a great example of how not to make a documentary.
4 - Mac Diva
Maybe it is meant to be a 'mockumentary,' but then, who or what is it mocking?
5 - Al Barger
Good question, Diva.
6 - Bill Dunn
Honestly, I really liked the film, particularly the "Director's cut" version which strips away some of the exploitation and emphasizes the historical nature of the proceedings. "Amistad" comes across as so much white wash. I LIKED seeing a film where there are NO REDEEMING characters. I think film professors should show this film to students as an example of how to make a FILM instead of the garbage you are used to seeing. Jerry Springer? Come on, man, sounds like you could not handle the juice. No mention of the gorgeous cinematography, awesome soundtrack, deft editing (the girl running through the cornfield/along the beach cross cutting is remarkable) in your review. Yes, certainly it is a hot potato, but one worth getting burned on. Watch at all costs and hate yourself for days after! "I must kill you. Because I love you! Because you're white! White! White!"
7 - Paul C.
This movie is basically nothing more than a pseudo-documentary filmed for freak appeal, which that it gives. More than anything, what aggravated me the most about the movie was its oversimplification of slavery as being a "Southern" thing, with fake accents and all, when slavery was practiced with equal or worse consequences in the North -- but that's never shown in movies. In any event, this is a must-see for outlandish cult movie lovers everywhere.
8 - Mac Diva
You've convinced me, Paul. I want to see the movie for research purposes, at least. Maybe I can BitTorrent it. Can't buy the rest of what it you are saying, the 'the North was just as guilty' is unadulterated neo-Confederate piffle.
9 - bill dunn
Paul C. don't know what he speaks of. One thing everybody seems to be missing on this sucker (myself included) is that it was made by Europeans as a commentary on U.S. society at the time (and perhaps today). To be sure it is packed with over the top moments but to address it as dreck, even entertaining dreck a la "Basket Case", is to miss a great cinematic experience that is twice as challenging than any "Passion o' the Christ". Get yer feet wet boys and girls! You'll never learn to swim without jumping in the water!
10 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Nice review here. The main problem i had with the film is, as you mentioned, the animalistic portrayal of the slaves. The scenes where they sniff the camera and giggle as they are inspected are bitterly distasteful. It doesn't help matters to consider that the majority of the film was shot with the blessing of dictator Papa Doc, in his own backyard almost. Still, highly interesting, and worthwhile regardless of the many errors of judgement. My review of mondo cane is just up on the site here, and also at my own slab of Web-Net, http://mondoirlando.blogspot.com
11 - bill dunn
Aaron makes a good point here as far as being offended by the film's "animalistic" portrayal of slaves as well as the dubious pedigree of being made with the blessing of Papa Doc. But herein lies the rub, folks. If the filmmakers do not depict the slaves in this primitive light it would not be half as disturbing. The whole point of this sucker is to shock the viewer out of complacent watching, entertainment, etc. and force them to confront the grim truths of being human. By showing the slaves as animals it forces the liberal audience to identify with the slave traders not the slaves, a side of the coin not often shown. It is not trying to make a case for slavery but rather show it for what it truly was: dehumanizing and the worst of crimes against humanity. Rather than give us an easy out (i.e. a white character with redeeming qualities or soem heroic black character fighting against the cruelty of the opressors) it shows it like it likely was: rationalizations, frightened men and women, abuses of power (and children) and cruelty upon cruelty. This film is important and should be seen to be believed. It is a documentary after all. Has anyone else noticed how often I come back to this site and post another comment defending this film? Give the sucker a day in court and feel for yourself what this movie can do to you and the way you see the world.
12 - Bert Randolph Detroid beyond the 8 Mile Border Folks
Hy Ya Folks,
what's gonna check dis up with my hoes, man? I've got a damn' fast car and I'm sort of da coolest pimp of Detroit City, man.
Yah man, I watched that nasty little movie, man. But's that's not the fucking truth, cause my brothers weren't in dat position at that times, you know what I mean.
Yah, I was a disgusting movie for my hoes too, who didn't wanna watch dat shit anymore by brothas who are tortured and mutilated by dat whitebreads. You know what we are suppose to do in Detroit? We whack all dat scrampy little shit, cause we are ruling es mi barrio, hermano.
13 - Bill Dunn
I think the above comment really summed this film up better than any other. I suppose I can retire now.
14 - no uncle tom
Why do you want to romanticize slavery?That's what it comes down to. The fact of the matter is that people STILL don't know about all the atrocities that happened during those times. If it shocks you good. If it disgusts you great. If it upsets you excellent.
15 - Natalie Davis
I'm amazed to just now hear about this film. Indeed, it ought to upset any decent person who sees it. Slavery was an inhumane, hateful, and horribly gruesome institution. The more I learn about slavery, the more upset, angry, and disgusted it makes me.
Two disturbing thoughts come to mind:
In one, I imagine Trent Lott walking out of a screening of Goodbye, Uncle Tom. He has a smile on his face and he's saying to himself, "Reminds me of the folks at home. Tis summer, the darkies are gay." He sighs contentedly. "Go-o-o-od times. Too bad Strom couldn't see it, God rest his segregationist soul." [For the record, I would guess that Mr. Lott would never, ever say such a thing.]
The second, which is just as upsetting to me, is a recollection of former SNL Not Ready for Prime Time player Garrett Morris's portrayal of an inmate taking part in a prison talent show. He sings: "Gonna get me a shotgun and kill all the whiteys I see..."
Gotta acknowledge the atrocities that went on before, but can't we all get along?
16 - paul owens
I thought the film was well made. We have to ask the question, who is mocking who? It does not romantisize slavery at all, Its show the ridiculous and ingnorant beliefs that white americans had to justify the enslavement of another race.
Of course the movie was meant to shock. To a black person it re-awakened the anger and rage caused by knowing what was suffered by their great-great grand parents and to consious whites it open their eyes to the barbaric crimes committed by their decendants and the cruelty inflicted by them to black people.
I would recomend all to go and see as it answers the question has to why their is so much racial hatred in the USA.
17 - Jihad Khayyam
The movie is one of the best if not the best documentry on slavery that exist. It shows that even after the physical and mental slavery, that blacks are still suffer today from the dynamics of it. The slavemasters have set it up so that the mental bondage is on automatic.
18 - Chill-Will
Well I thought this film missed a few points that could have really been informative and could have brought its viewers to fully understand slavery and the views of ignorant slave owners. I fond some parts quite interesting and some parts unnecessary; and there where many scenes with children that I felt wasn’t necessary as I also felt that some of the children where slightly miss-treated simply to get a particular part made in a film. So I do recommend people to see this film; I just don’t want them to expect much. Everyone who sees this film will have his or her own opinion about it...
19 - Scott Butki
This sounds fascinating. I'm going to have to check it out along with another movie rubbing some the wrong way - a documentary made about what life would have been likehad the confederacy won the Civil War, i.e slaves sold via a cable channel, etc.
Info is here:
20 - Scott Butki
Is this movie available at Blockbuster? I didn't see it available via Netflix
21 - afrodancer 624
I absolutely disagree with you! I think your response is an example once again of a person being confronted with the HORRIBLE occurances during slavery and not wanting to accept that a group of people would behave SOOOOOOO inhumanely toward another. WELL IT HAPPENED AND IT WAS THAT HORRIBLE/SICK/CALCULATED.
22 - Scott Butki
Well, I still want to see it.
23 - Enrico
I think the problem is that white people simply don't want to accept the truth. Its easy to bash a film and ban it, demean it, but the fact is that Addio Zio Tom is a great film. It shows the true face of American society, American views towards the poor, American racist views, are all exactly the same today as portrayed in the movie. Its a candid look at America, and this is the troubling factor for Americans.
24 - Scott Butki
I'm white and I'm going to go see it.
25 - Scott Butki
Moved it up on my Netflix list today.