• The ideas and ambition outweigh some of the skill here (and surely production value/budget) but it’s a very solid Blaxploitation film and indie film
  • The Curtis Mayfield score can’t be overstated. “Pusher man” and title track. “Pusher Man” is stunning and repeated twice. It’s also an excellent film score outside of the songs included
  • Debut film for Parks
  • Almost like a rough draft with some of the flubs– crude
  • Uses 1972 NYC as sort of like a post WW2 Rome or Berlin neorealism film with some of the abandoned buildings and decay
  • Film could be titled “Get Out” with Priest (Ron O’Neal) trying to escape from this fucked up and bastardized version of the American dream
  • The score shapes the action- sympathy and tenderness at times
  • Priest is complex as a character- he’s both grateful to and angry with the guy who got him into the drug trafficking
  • O’Neal isn’t an overly great actor but I love his glare- he has that down
  • Not sure it’s in the archives without Mayfield
  • Slo-mo softcore-like sex scene
  • Social statement- white cops with brass knuckles
  • Ambitious in stylistic intentions (still photography sections, camera movement, slow-mo sequences) but doesn’t stick landing in execution
  • The bag of money switch-a-roo feels like it was borrowed for Jackie Brown