Brotherhood of Death

I will admit that the trailer from Gorgon video did seem so tremendously cool. But I had seen the film back in the early 80's on a Saturday afternoon broadcast on a local channel. I was fully prepared for it and think perhaps the previous reviewer is overstating the case. Yes, the jungle scenes are filmed in a yard, but the story and acting far surpassed what I had recalled from my childhood. It took me many years to finally re-discover this film (and I might add it is available on DVD for less than $10) and was very pleased with my purchase. But not to dispute the previous review, the trailer did kick serious ass with the tag line "See them avenge the death of a Brother, the rape of a sister, and the murder of their only honky friend..."

There appear among the stars of this little-known Black exploitation vehicle several 1970's National Football League players, who played mostly in the Baltimore/Washington area: Roy Jefferson (he was a Wide Receiver with the Chargers and Baltimore Colts), Mike Bass (he was a defensive back with the Washington Redskins), Mike Thomas (he was a running back with the Washington Redskins), and Frank Grant, who was a wide receiver. Several of the other actors may also have been pro athletes, such as Dennis Johnson (there was a Dennis Johnson who was a 1970's guard with the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns) and Larry Jones. For most, this is their only movie "credit."

BROTHERHOOD OF DEATH is the story of a group of black friends who return to their hometown after a stint in Vietnam. Fed up with the harassment and abuse from the "Nighthawks of the Ku Klux Klan" they decide to organize black voter registration to take control of their town. Of course, the KKK (and their pink robed Grand Cyclops!) won't stand for this, and so the battle between the Klan and the black Nam vets begins.....

With the exception of the sympathetic Sheriff, the white characters are cartoonishly evil goons. What do you expect though? The soundtrack is repetitive, but funky, if you like that sort of thing. The only thing this movie might be good at is explaining civics to a group of fifth graders. The rest of you will probably be bored to tears....

If you pick this one up, check out the beginning and the end only. Or better yet watch the trailer, as it has ALL of the good scenes from the movie condensed into about three minutes.

Brotherhood of Death (1976)

** (out of 4)

Incredibly stupid and politically incorrect blaxploitation flick about three black Vietnam vets who come home from the war and battle the KKK after they rape a woman. Like many other blaxploitation films, this one here takes a serious issue and makes it hip and cool. There are all sorts of racial slurs thrown around but everything is handled so poorly that you can't help but laugh at everything going on. The Vietnam scenes look like they were filmed in my back yard and the Klan members are the biggest bunch of rednecks I've seen on screen. This is certainly a pretty bad and childish film but it's got that blaxploitation stamp of campiness that keeps it entertaining.

The story starts 8 years ago (I can't believe it's been that long). I was a sophomore in high school when my friend and I decided to rent Faces of Death II. I know, I know, but give us a break. We were dateless high school losers who needed a little gore to break up the monotony of another lonely Friday night. Anyways, before witnessing the abominable horror of staged death scenes, there was a trailer for a little movie called Brotherhood of Death. Imagine scenes of redneck Ku Klux Klan redneck types gettin' their come-uppins from an angry group of Vietnam-hardened brothas. Further imagine this with funk music in the background and a foreboding voice incessantly repeating "Brotherhood... OF DEATH!!!"

My life was forever changed by that trailer. I actually made my friend stop Faces of Death in the middle of it so we could rewind the tape and watch the trailer over and over. Thus began a long 8 year search for Brotherhood of Death.

I finally found a copy for $10 last summer. As I popped the cassette into the VCR, I giddily prepared myself for an hour and a half of Man-bashing. What I got was pure, unadulterated crap. It certainly had a moment (maybe two) of enjoyment, but was far from the blaxploitation classic I had built it up to be in my mind. The Vietnam scenes looked like they were filmed in the woods behind my house. Yes, whitey got it good, but not until the last 5 minutes of the movie. Much like my review here, the movie was too long (at 90 minutes!) and delivered nothing but disappointment. Perhaps this a consequence of the time period it took me to find the movie. After 8 years, my expectations surpassed what Brotherhood of Death could have possibly delivered. Or maybe it was just a bad, bad movie.

My suggestion: rent Faces of Death II and watch the trailer for Brotherhood of Death. If you're a blaxploitation fanatic as I am, I guarantee you'll want to go out and find a copy after viewing the trailer. Resist these temptations!! Pretend that the trailer really is the movie. You'll be much more satisfied that way.