{"id":5953,"date":"2008-10-30T10:40:14","date_gmt":"2008-10-30T17:40:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5953"},"modified":"2022-05-11T15:53:59","modified_gmt":"2022-05-11T22:53:59","slug":"bloody-mama-1970","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5953","title":{"rendered":"Bloody Mama (1970)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I&#8217;m sure glad I didn&#8217;t raise me any girls&#8230; Who knows how they&#8217;da turned out!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Poster-194x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"194\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-64760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Poster-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Poster-662x1024.jpg 662w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Poster-83x128.jpg 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Poster-768x1187.jpg 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Poster-994x1536.jpg 994w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Poster-175x270.jpg 175w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Poster.jpg 1035w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 194px) 100vw, 194px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nDuring the Depression, notorious gangster &#8216;Ma&#8217; Barker (Shelley Winters) leads her four grown sons (Don Stroud, Clint Kimbrough, Robert De Niro, and Robert Walden) on a deadly crime spree across the Ozarks.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Bruce Dern Films<\/li>\n<li>Depression Era<\/li>\n<li>Gangsters<\/li>\n<li>Grown Children<\/li>\n<li>Incest and Incestuous Relationships<\/li>\n<li>Outlaws<\/li>\n<li>Pat Hingle Films<\/li>\n<li>Robert De Niro Films<\/li>\n<li>Roger Corman Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\n<em>Bloody Mama<\/em> &#8212; one of the last films directed by famed B-movie producer Roger Corman &#8212; is widely acknowledged as one of his best, and remains a bizarrely compelling cult favorite. Loosely based on the exploits of Kate &#8216;Ma&#8217; Barker and her sons, <em>Bloody Mama<\/em> is a surprisingly complex &#8212; albeit entirely &#8220;imagined&#8221; &#8212; interpretation of this infamous clan&#8217;s warped existence. The film opens with a disturbing scene of young Barker (Lisa Jill) being raped in the forest by her father and brothers, thus establishing the ethos that in the backwoods Barker family, &#8220;blood is thicker than water&#8221;; immediately afterward, we see &#8216;Ma&#8217; Barker (Winters) bathing her grown sons, and are quickly made to understand that she holds a firm matriarchal grip over them, both psychologically (her word is God) and sexually (she sleeps with her sons at will). In response, each son is uniquely neurotic: Stroud (the oldest) is uncontrollably violent and Oedipally obsessed with his long lost father; Walden is meekly dominated by his jailhouse lover (Bruce Dern, gleefully psychotic in a bit role); Kimbrough is a religious fanatic; and De Niro (film fanatics take note!) is a loopy coke fiend. <\/p>\n<p>Corman, working with a slightly higher budget than usual, does an admirable job recreating the Depression era exploits of the Barkers, who &#8212; much like Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow &#8212; became notorious celebrities in their day. But the Barkers&#8217; criminal misadventures ultimately take a backseat to the more fascinating saga of their bizarrely dysfunctional family dynamics, which eventually &#8212; perhaps inevitably &#8212; precipitate their fatal undoing. Winters (100% invested in her role; she&#8217;s perfectly cast here) is the glue that holds this perverted household together; but when she starts ordering the deaths of innocent hostages &#8212; first a vivacious young swimmer (Pamela Dunlap) who flirts (at her own unknowing peril) with De Niro, then a compellingly decent millionaire (Pat Hingle) who&#8217;s been kidnapped for ransom &#8212; her children finally begin to realize that Mommy doesn&#8217;t always know best. Alas, by this point it&#8217;s too late for any genuine redemption to come to the Barker clan &#8212; so bloodthirsty audiences can rest assured that a riveting denouement lies in wait. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> In a 1970 interview with <em>Sight and Sound<\/em> magazine, Corman himself acknowledged that comparisons with the previous year&#8217;s cult hit <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=4421\"><em>Bonnie and Clyde<\/em><\/a> were inevitable, but noted that his approach &#8220;was not to romanticize or glorify, but to stay closer to what I felt the reality was.&#8221; While <em>Bonnie and Clyde<\/em> is clearly the superior film in many ways, the two movies ultimately rest upon their own unique merits. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Shelley Winters as Ma Barker<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Winters2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Winters2-1024x563.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47741\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Winters2-1024x563.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Winters2-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Winters2-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Winters2-768x422.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Winters2-1536x845.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Winters2.png 1729w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Pat Hingle as Sam Pendlebury, the millionaire hostage<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Hingle2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Hingle2-1024x552.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"345\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47749\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Hingle2-1024x552.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Hingle2-300x162.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Hingle2-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Hingle2-768x414.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Hingle2-1536x828.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Hingle2.png 1715w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Don Stroud as Herman Barker<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Stroud1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Stroud1-1024x565.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"353\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47747\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Stroud1-1024x565.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Stroud1-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Stroud1-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Stroud1-768x424.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Stroud1-1536x847.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Stroud1.png 1717w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Robert De Niro as Lloyd Barker<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-De-Niro.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-De-Niro-1024x550.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"344\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47744\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-De-Niro-1024x550.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-De-Niro-300x161.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-De-Niro-128x69.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-De-Niro-768x412.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-De-Niro-1536x824.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-De-Niro.png 1731w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Pamela Dunlap as &#8220;Rembrandt&#8221; (the ill-fated young swimmer encountered by De Niro<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Dunlap.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Dunlap-1024x566.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"354\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47745\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Dunlap-1024x566.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Dunlap-300x166.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Dunlap-128x71.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Dunlap-768x424.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Dunlap-1536x848.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/10\/Bloody-Mama-Dunlap.png 1729w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, as one of Corman&#8217;s best pictures, and a cult favorite. Listed as a Cult Movie in the back of Peary&#8217;s book. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cult Movie<\/li>\n<li>Important Director<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0065481\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.allmovie.com\/movie\/bloody-mama-v6198\/review\">All Movie Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dvdtalk.com\/dvdsavant\/s4610mama.html\">DVD Savant Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thespinningimage.co.uk\/cultfilms\/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=4456\">Spinning Image Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/bloody-mama\/review\/116582\/\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m sure glad I didn&#8217;t raise me any girls&#8230; Who knows how they&#8217;da turned out!&#8221; Synopsis: During the Depression, notorious gangster &#8216;Ma&#8217; Barker (Shelley Winters) leads her four grown sons (Don Stroud, Clint Kimbrough, Robert De Niro, and Robert Walden) on a deadly crime spree across the Ozarks. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Bruce Dern Films Depression Era Gangsters Grown Children Incest and Incestuous Relationships Outlaws Pat Hingle Films Robert De Niro Films Roger Corman Films Review: Bloody Mama &#8212;&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=5953\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5953","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5953","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5953"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5953\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84011,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5953\/revisions\/84011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}