Black Snake Moan (film)

Infobox Film
name = Black Snake Moan


image_size =
caption = Promotional movie poster for the film
director = Craig Brewer
producer = Stephanie Allain John Singleton
writer = Craig Brewer
narrator =
starring = Samuel L. Jackson Christina Ricci John Cothran Jr. Justin Timberlake S. Epatha Merkerson David Banner Son House
music = Scott Bomar
cinematography = Amy Vincent
editing = Billy Fox
distributor = Paramount Vantage
released = flagicon|United States March 2, 2007 (nationwide) flagicon|Australia May 10, 2007 flagicon|UK May 18, 2007 flagicon|France May 30, 2007 flagicon|Sweden June 8, 2007 flagicon|Germany July 5, 2007 flagicon|Turkey July 27, 2007
runtime = 117 min.
country = USA
language = English
budget = $15,000,000 (estimated)
gross = $10,903,846
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website = http://www.moanmovie.com/
amg_id = 1:331163
imdb_id = 0462200

"Black Snake Moan" is a 2007 film written and directed by Craig Brewer. It was filmed in and around Stanton, Tennessee, and stars Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, and Justin Timberlake. The title of the film derives from the 1927 Blind Lemon Jefferson song, while the plot is loosely based on George Eliot's 1861 novel "Silas Marner". The film draws numerous references to the Mississippi Blues movement, not least in its title and soundtrack.

Plot

The film centers around two main characters: Lazarus (Samuel L. Jackson), a deeply religious farmer and former blues guitarist, and Rae (Christina Ricci), a young sex addict. Lazarus's wife has left him for his brother, which has left him a bitter and angry man. Rae's boyfriend Ronnie (Justin Timberlake) leaves for deployment with the 196th Field Artillery Brigade, Tennessee National Guard, and in his absence she has bouts of promiscuity and drug use. During one of Rae's binges, Ronnie's friend Gill (Michael Raymond-James) tries to take advantage of her. She laughs at his advances, comparing him unfavorably with one of the local black men, and he severely beats her. Believing she's dead, Gill dumps Rae by the side of the road and drives away.

Lazarus discovers Rae in the road the next morning and brings her home to nurse her back to health. Over the course of several days, Rae, delirious with fever, occasionally wakes up and tries to flee from Lazarus. He ties her to the radiator with a heavy chain to keep her from running away. After Rae regains her wits, Lazarus announces that it is his spiritual duty to heal her of her sinful ways and refuses to release her until he does so. Rae makes several attempts to escape, but eventually comes to tolerate her position. Lazarus gives her a proper dress to wear, plays guitar for her, and feeds her home-cooked meals. Meanwhile, Ronnie returns to town after being discharged from the National Guard due to his severe anxiety disorder. While searching for Rae, who has disappeared, he meets Gill, who informs him that Rae cheats on him whenever he is out of town. Ronnie attacks Gill, steals his truck, and continues searching for Rae.

Lazarus's pastor and close friend, R.L. (John Cothran Jr.), visits Lazarus at his house and discovers that Lazarus is imprisoning Rae. The pastor tries to reason with Lazarus and the group shares a meal. In the morning, Lazarus frees Rae, having decided that he has no authority to pass judgment on her. Rae chooses to stay with Lazarus of her own will. Later, Rae and Lazarus take a trip into town, where Rae confronts her mother (Kim Richards) about the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother's partner. Meanwhile, Lazarus has formed a budding romance with the local pharmacist, Angela (S. Epatha Merkerson). He plays a blues concert at a local bar, which Rae attends. Ronnie spots Rae and follows her to Lazarus's house. He confronts the pair with a pistol, but Lazarus talks him down and summons the pastor. Ronnie and Rae decide that they are stronger together than apart and get married. While driving away, Ronnie suffers a panic attack and Rae begins to break down, but together they overcome their afflictions.

Cast

Production

For the film, Jackson spent six or seven hours a day for half a year learning how to play blues guitar for several songs he plays throughout the film.cite web | title=About.com | work=Samuel L Jackson Talks About "Home of the Brave" | url=http://movies.about.com/od/homeofthebrave/a/bravesj120106_2.htm| accessdate=February 20 | accessyear=2007] cite web | title=Crave Online | work=Moaning MF'n Snakes | url=http://www.craveonline.com/filmtv/articles/04647479/moaning_mfn_snakes.html| accessdate=February 20 | accessyear=2007] Ricci wore an actual 40-pound (18 kg) chain during filming,cite web | title=The Two-One-Three | work=Black Snake Moan | url=http://www.the213.net/php/article.php?id=390| accessdate=February 20 | accessyear=2007] and ate only foods of no nutritional value to achieve a sickly appearance.cite web | title=Yahoo Entertainment News | url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/070223/139/6cfij.html ] She told "Entertainment Weekly" that she remained scantily-clad even when the cameras weren't rolling: "Sam [Jackson] would be like, 'Put some clothes on!'" she says. "I was like, 'No, you don't understand. I'm doing something important.'" [cite web | url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20013072,00.html |title = Entertainment Weekly ]

Reception

Reviews for the film were mixed. Matt Glasby of Film4 awarded the film only 1 star out of 5, calling it a "pressure-cooked mess" that was "bad enough to make gums bleed". [cite web | title=Black Snake Moan Review
publisher=Film4| url=http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=161454 | accessdate=2007-05-18] The film was also criticized by feminist activists for its portrayal of sexualized violence.cite web | publisher=feministing.com| title=Black Snake Moan| url=http://feministing.com/archives/006058.html| accessdate=2007-05-18]

As of April 20 2008, Rotten Tomatoes reported a 66% "Fresh" rating with 95 positive of 145 total reviews, "Average Rating: 6.3 out of 10".cite web | publisher= rottentomatoes.com | title=Black Snake Moan | url = http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/black_snake_moan | accessdate=2007-04-20] On the television program "Ebert & Roeper", filmmaker Kevin Smith, filling in for Roger Ebert, described the film as the best of the year thus far. Smith praised Manning and Jackson, saying this was Ricci's best performance and Jackson's best performance since "Pulp Fiction" (1994). Richard Roeper also gave the film a "thumb up" rating. During its March 2 to March 4 2007 opening weekend in the US the film earned $4 million, putting it in eighth place behind films including other new releases "Wild Hogs" and "Zodiac".cite web | title=boxofficemojo.com | work=BLACK SNAKE MOAN | url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=blacksnakemoan.htm | accessdate=March 4 | accessyear=2007] [cite web | title=Weekend Box Office, March 2–4, 2007| publisher=Box Office Mojo | url=http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2007&wknd=009| accessdate=2007-05-18] Peter Travers of "Rolling Stone" declared the film the year's Worst Soft-Core Sex on his list of the Worst Movies of 2007. [Travers, Peter, (December 19, 2007) [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17686508/peter_travers_best_and_worst_movies_of_2007/17 "Peter Travers' Best and Worst Movies of 2007"] "Rolling Stone". Retrieved 2007-12-20]

Controversy

In April 2008, Christina Ricci commented on the promotional movie poster for the film, claiming it exploited women:

oundtrack

Infobox Album
Name = Black Snake Moan
Type = soundtrack
Artist = various


Released = 2007-01-30
Recorded =
Genre = Blues
Length =
Label = New West
Producer = various
Reviews =
Last album =
This album =
Next album =

"Black Snake Moan" was released January 30, 2007 by New West Records featuring various artists including three tracks performed by Jackson himself. The 17 tracks cover classic to modern blues.

Reception

The soundtrack album was well received by critics, customers and the public at large.

Critical reviews

Glenn Gaslin at "Moving Pictures Magazine" briefly reviewed and praised the album: "It should make anyone who loves the blues, er, happy." [cite web
url=http://www.movingpicturesmagazine.com/reviews/soundtracks/blacksnakemoan
title="Black Snake Moan" Soundtrack
first=Glenn
last=Gaslin
publisher=Moving Pictures Magazine
accessdate=2007-11-05]

Chad Grischow at IGN reviewed the album at length, concluding with, "The album does an excellent job at capturing the sweaty underbelly of the southern blues scene, and is a recommended listen, even if not for the reasons you originally picked it up." [cite web
url=http://music.ign.com/articles/760/760860p1.html
title=Various Artists - "Black Snake Moan" Soundtrack
first=Chad
last=Grischow
date=2007-02-28
publisher=IGN
accessdate=2007-11-05]

On February 16, 2007, Sarah Linn of "Sound the Sirens" Magazine wrote in her final paragraph, [cite web
url=http://www.soundthesirens.com/articles/index.php?id=33,649,0,0,1,0
title=V/A: "Black Snake Moan"
first=Sarah
last=Linn
date=2007-02-16
publisher=Sound the Sirens Magazine
accessdate=2007-11-05] cquote |As a stand-alone album, these 17 tracks are sure to give anybody, blues fan or not, a major taste of what blues music embodies: human struggle. Rootsy and spiritual, down-and-out but hopeful, each track is drunk and steeped on old-time blues, and can be best summed up by the “Father of the Delta Blues,” Son House. He says this on the blues: “Sometimes that kind of blues will make you even kill one another … or do anything, that kind of love … that’s where the blues started.”

James B. Eldred at Bullz-Eye.com concluded his favorable review with, [cite web
url=http://www.bullz-eye.com/cdreviews/eldred/various_artists-black_snake_moan_soundtrack.htm
title=Various Artists: "Black Snake Moan" Soundtrack
first=James B.
last=Eldred
publisher=Bullz-Eye.com
accessdate=2007-11-05] cquote|Blues fans, indie rockers, and those who worship at the Church of Jackson should pick up this soundtrack. Not only does it prove that one of film’s great hard-asses can sing, it’s also a great introduction to the blues, both classic and modern.

Commercial rankings

As of May 20, 2008, Amazon.com ranked the album #8,894 in its music category. When considered within the blues subcategories, it was #91 in Regional Blues and #13 in Delta Blues. [cite web
url=http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000L211NC/
title="Black Snake Moan" [SOUNDTRACK]
publisher=Amazon.com
accessdate=2008-05-20]

Track listing

Footnotes

References

General sources:
* [http://www.blackfilm.com/20050624/features/blacksnakemoanpreview.shtml Blackfilm.com, June 2005: "BLACK SNAKE MOAN preview: An Interview with Director Craig Brewer"] (cited 2 September 2006)
* [http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&id=1809233868&cf=info Yahoo Movies, "Black Snake Moan"] (cited 2 September 2006)
* [http://www.realmovienews.com/movies/4061 "Black Snake Moan" at Real Movie News] (cited 29 November 2006)

External links

* [http://www.moanmovie.com/ "Black Snake Moan" Official Site]
*
* [http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/trailers.php?id=2576 Movie trailer]
* [http://festival.sundance.org/filmguide/popup.aspx?film=7407 "Black Snake Moan"] at Sundance.org
*rotten-tomatoes|id=black_snake_moan|title=Black Snake Moan
*
* [http://www.allthingshidef.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Blog&mod=View+Topic&mid=67D6564029914AD3B204AD35D8F5F780&tier=7&id=18B0F38EB014424CB84A2607A2F19248 Black Snake Moan HD DVD Review]