SYNOPSICS
American Pimp (1999) is a English movie. Albert Hughes,Allen Hughes has directed this movie. John S. Dickson,Antonio Fargas,Heidi Fleiss,L. Hammond are the starring of this movie. It was released in 1999. American Pimp (1999) is considered one of the best Documentary movie in India and around the world.
Street pimps, all of them African-American, discuss their lives and work: getting started, being flamboyant, pimping in various U.S. cities, bringing a woman into their group, taking a woman from another pimp, and the rules and regulations of pimping. The men are clear: it's about money. The women work every night, hustle hard, turn over all their earnings, and steal anything they can from clients. We meet a few of the women, who tell us what they want from a pimp. We also listen to a women who's legally employed at a Nevada brothel; we meet her White boss, a legal pimp. He and the street pimps, some of whom are now retired, make the case for legalizing the trade.
Same Actors
American Pimp (1999) Reviews
Pimpin' Ain't Easy
I've always had a guilty curiosity about the life of a pimp. Of course, we have those "pimp stereotypes" in films like "The Mack" and "Willie Dynamite." But do we really, really know ALL about this lucrative, though immoral, profession? Thanks to the Hughes Brothers, now we do. First of all, this well-made documentary doesn't glorify the life of street pimps. I'm sure a lot of you out there (especially women) will take one look at a film like this, and say to yourself, "Why the hell do I want to watch a movie about greedy, heartless, misogynistic 'mack daddies' who make a living at degrading women for their own financial pleasure?" The Hughes Brothers don't try to take sides. In fact, the film opens with a montage of opinions (mostly negative) from everyday people about these pimps. Whether you condone the industry or condemn it, that's not the issue. Allen and Albert Hughes do a wonderful job at intercutting the views and "days in the lives" of real pimps with clips from seventies blaxploitation flicks and topping it off with a vivid soundtrack filled with classic soul music. The film starts out by showing the more luxurious, darkly comic side of pimping. It's interesting to learn what real pimps really have to say. Of course, their vocabularies practically consist of three words: "ni**a," "motherf**ker" and "b**ch." But hey, that's how they talk. Am I going to blame the Hughes Brothers for writing an excessively profane script? They didn't write a script! This is how these pimps really talk! As the film goes on, we learn the more serious side of pimping. We learn the pimping REALLY ain't easy. But at the same time, they're not completely heartless. When one of their "hos" die or get sucked into drug addiction, they can't go on with their lives like nothing happened. And it's interesting to see how different pimps took different paths. Some decided to quit the business and concentrate on raising their families, some ended up in the penitentiary and some (believe it or not) found religion. But some still feel that pimping is the way to go, and though it's immoral, they don't necessarily think it's wrong. We even get a brief introduction into the lives of "legal pimps." You know, those clean-cut white guys with the fancy whorehouses with quality hookers who will do anything they please for a large sum of money. Expect to see gratuitous close-ups of female rear ends. At times, you feel as if you're watching a 2 Live Crew video. This is another film that I can consider a feminist's nightmare. Nevertheless, it's wonderfully done, eye-catching, compelling, funny and sometimes heartfelt. The Hughes meant to explore the subject without patronizing it. And I found it quite fascinating. If there happened to be a filmmaker who explored the world of pimping before these guys, then let me know. Until then, I give Allen and Albert two thumbs up for taking on daring subject matter involving an underworld of people often overlooked--or broadly portrayed--by the average filmmaker. My score: 7 (out of 10)
Fascinating movie.
'American Pimp' is fascinating from start to finish. The Hughes brothers documentary is relatively non-judgmental, and lets the flamboyant and ultra-verbal pimps do the talking. And boy, can they talk! This lack of moralizing troubles some viewers but I found it refreshing not to be manipulated and told what to think about a subject for once. Audiences will be divided in their reactions and opinions to these guys and I like it that way. Recommended viewing for anyone with an open mind and a sense of the absurd.
Super Fly wannabes...
You have to hand it to Albert and Allan Hughes, two fearless film makers, that take us along to see how the other half live. The world of the pimp, in this case, American pimps, is something no one had dared to explore up to now. Whether it's worth your while to take a look, or not, is ultimately, up to the viewer. We are presented several men who make a living out of women. These men that are showcased in the documentary appear to be well adjusted to their status. They are all successful in what they do, otherwise, one can't explain how they have stayed around for such a long time. Their stories, which obviously are spontaneous, tend to bore us eventually. After all, how many times can one hear them repeat themselves again and again using the same derogatory tones for the women they exploit. What the Hughes didn't show is the other side of the coin: how these women exploited by their pimps. They only present a few prostitutes who appear to appreciate the role of this element in their lives. The directors also tend to glorify, in a way, the sleekness of the pimps' style, which tend to make them dress in outrageous costumes that only them can wear in our society. The film is an eye opener about an underclass we know little, or nothing about. One can only hope they will not be role models for others to follow in their footsteps.
pimpin' ain't easy, but it sure is fun, as the song goes
American Pimp, a film by the Hughes brothers, is probably more entertaining, almost in a manner that crosses between a typical documentary and as one of the film clips shown from the Mack as an exploitation film, than it deserves to be. But then the Hughes brothers have made a film about exploitation, the self-glorified glory of it, the stylish inner world that they've created for themselves and their 'ho's' that is like the mob only, well, more stylish and specific. Unlike the mob, as the film tries to show (however true to life compared with facts you be the judge) that they aren't all violent criminals, but see it as a way of life. The Hughes's- maybe wisely and not wisely at the same time- don't try and interfere with these guys and their dialog. There's no preachy message that "pimping and prostituting is wrong." They know audiences aren't completely numb to what the facts are in a (for now) criminal enterprise. But, as I said, it's also entertaining, the kind of entertainment that comes from listening to someone you know is crazy or f***** up and at the same time has a weird, hypnotic quality. They go through telling what it's all about- the breaking in, so to speak, of new prostitutes for the pimp, when said prostitutes might leave, the ins and outs of being a new pimp or an old pimp or someone who talks a big game and may or may not mean what he says. Actually, for the latter, the Hughes's don't seem to skimp on any of their interviewees: they all appear to be genuine to the business, appear being the big word. But it's the intent that counts, and these guys at least sound the part, as well as look it, and in a dirty way these guys are really, really funny, sometimes without trying to be even due to their own self-aggrandizing. As for the prostitutes themselves, they are shown not quite as much. While it might have been difficult for the Hughes's to get any legitimate documentary footage of them, aside from a couple of moments revealed like when a pimp named RC (I think that's his name) berates a girl for getting drunk, with the menace of violence in the subtext, it works fine as it is. It's like a candid string of tall tales from characters painfully believable, as those who think that the media portrays them stereotypically, and why not? Some of these guys ARE walking stereotypes- doesn't stop them from getting their pimp-hand on. It ain't easy, but it's almost in a guilty way insatiable.
American Pimp is a Masterpiece!!!!!
Despite the Critic's various negative reviews of this film, I thought it was one of the greatest documentaries I have ever seen. The Hughes Brother's have crafted an intricate portrayal in the world of the Pimp. Now I know what you folks are thinking, the subject is too crass and the language and dialogue are raunchy! But that is the way the Hughes have to portray the pimps as they are basically being themselves. The documentary shows the pimps just how charismatic and charming they can be despite their infamous occupation. This film might probably also right the media and the general public's sterotypical viewpoints and stereotypes. I also liked the way they portrayed the woman(or the Politically Incorrect term, Ho's,Bitches, and tricks) who work for and live with the pimps. Now heed this warning, this film contains extremely rauncy content including sexual situation and foul language, meaning that the general public will not flock to see this. But if you are an open-minded person, a film of documentarie freak, or just darn curious about pimps then i suggest you go see this movie.