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In the accompanying articles about Western Girl Gangs I talked
about the realism (or lack of) of this Western genre. Well, unlike 'Hooded Angels' this
story is firmly set in a fantasy old west. Like the dude ranch fantasy of so many Roy
Rogers films we have a wild west setting which we know never existed. The film stars
Monica Calhoun, Stacey Dash, Marie Matiko (drool), Lisa Raye and 'Lil Kim' as a group of
the most unlikely gunslingers you are ever likely to imagine. Critics of the film
argue that you would never have leather wearing gunslinging black women running amok in
the wild west and looking like colour co-ordinated models from a fashion magazine. There
are numerous examples within this article.
Well I know that, you know that and believe it or not the
scriptwriter (Jean Claude LaMarre who also directs and acts in the film) knows that.
This is a fantasy western and you are not expected to take it too literally. The
story is about the 'Rose Gang' who are a gang of pre-dominantly black female outlaws, the
ever gorgeous Marie Matiko excepted. The classic elements of the traditional Western are
here revenge, greed etc. but unlike the other films discussed on the accompanying
page this is presented in a much more lurid, popularist and hiphop generation style. In
some ways this makes the film better to watch as we aren't trapped in a strict cinematic
depiction of the American west. I'd gladly pay money to watch the 'Rose Gang' play poker,
ride horses and get involved in gunfights. In fact I'd defy anybody who reads this page to
say different. We pay our money to be entertained and I for one was entertained.
The story centres on the 'Rose Gang' who disband after one
last robbery goes wrong and there is a shoot out in which an innocent bystander gets
killed. The film starts it's story some time after this. The opening titles proudly
proclaims that the Rose Gang may have been women. I can only assume that optical services
were deficient in this version of the wild west as I don't see how even the most short
sighted person could mistake any of the members of the Rose Gang for the Dalton Gang
- just take a look at the vidcaps to get my meaning. Anyway, after one of the sisters of
the gang is murdered (by another unlikely black gunslinger) the Rose Gang reform to seek
revenge and earn a bit of money on the way.
The Rose Gang ride into the town of Flatridge and despite their looks and demeanour don't seem to attract any surprise from the resident populace - like I say this is a fantasy western. There are love affairs, bar room shoot outs, cold blooded executions and no small amount of tragedy before the Rose Gang complete their quest and ride into the sunset. There are various sub plots about mysterious strangers and villainous law officers and the whole story is played with tongue firmly in cheek.
I like Westerns and I particularly liked this unusual effort. This isn't the first attempt at creating a pre-dominately black western and it probably isn't as historically inaccurate as you might believe. But because of it's very nature the film opens itself open to criticism. But I for one can overlook any deficiencies if I can see lots of gun slinging cowgirls - particularly if one of them is Marie Matiko. The acting is distinctly average (at best), the plotting is unlikely and the setting is total fantasy -I loved every implausible moment of it. Film Rating 6/10 and Gunslinger Rating 10/10.
If you want to go to 'The Westerns Page' click
on this hyperlink
If you want to go to 'The Hooded Angels Page' click on this
hyperlink.
