Why Ralph Bakshi’s ‘Coonskin’ is More Controversial Than You Think!

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#6 in my ranking of Ralph Bakshi’s filmography.

This film, perhaps, embodies Ralph Bakshi’s most questionable creative instincts. Although recent reassessments of his work have placed it high, it stands out as one of the most disjointed productions in his career up to that point. The movie seems to express something vague about the African-American experience in America, but its stylistic and thematic elements are poorly harmonized. Initially criticized as deeply racist for its use of racial stereotypes, particularly concerning its portrayal of black characters, it’s worth considering whether Bakshi was attempting a counterargument to these stereotypes rather than an unintentional reinforcement of them. His background and evident appreciation for African-American culture, stemming from his upbringing in lower-income areas of Brooklyn, support this theory. However, despite his intentions, Bakshi failed to maintain a coherent narrative across the 80-minute runtime.

In this film, set as a live-action narrative, characters Sampson (Barry White) and the preacher (Charles Gordone) embark on a mission to rescue their friends Randy (Philip Michael Thomas) and Pappy (Scatman Crothers), who are in prison. However, they encounter delays during their nighttime journey, leaving Randy and Pappy waiting anxiously by the prison walls.

While they wait, Pappy shares an urban retelling of the Brer Rabbit tale with Randy. In this version, Brother Rabbit (Thomas), Brother Bear (White), and Preacher Fox (Gordone) are the main characters. The story begins in the South, where they were forced to flee after a series of events that led to them killing the local sheriff. Their house was then turned into a brothel, but this aspect is not revisited throughout the narrative.

They arrive in New York accompanied by a woman (Jesse Welles), who is portrayed as Miss America or an embodiment of America. She is either the sheriff’s daughter or a symbolic representation of a prostitute from the South. Some of these images, such as her being naked with skin colors representing the American flag, may not make perfect sense within the context of the storyline.

In a turn of events, they find themselves at the church of a corpulent preacher, Simple Savior, who fiercely preaches about the struggles of African Americans in America, often delivering his sermons with a tone brimming with animosity towards white culture. He collects donations for what he claims is a war against the white race, promising weapons like guns, tanks, and even planes. However, it’s all a scam, and he’s merely amassing wealth from these offerings. In the end, Brother Rabbit assassinates Simple Savior and takes control of the church, which becomes the hub of criminal activity in Harlem. The interplay between religion, deceit, and crime could be an intriguing subject to delve into within African-American culture, but Bakshi merely presents it and swiftly moves on, offering no deeper exploration or analysis. Instead, he focuses on creating visuals that aim to stir basic emotions in the audience, typically a mix of discomfort and repulsion, before transitioning to the next emotionally charged image.

In a scene reminiscent of Harlem, Brother Rabbit wields his power, drawing the ire of Officer Managan (Frank de Kova), who responds violently when a gay bartender is flirtatious towards him. This incident leads to Managan being drawn into a nightclub, where he’s subjected to humiliation – being drugged, dressed in drag and blackface, then shot by police officers in uniform. The character subsequently disappears from the movie, with the police no longer playing a significant role afterwards. This sequence, characteristic of Bakshi’s style, presents a message about prejudice within aggressive law enforcement, yet instead of offering insightful commentary, it resorts to degrading the character and moving on. Moreover, this scene bears little connection to the larger narrative of the film.

In simpler terms, the main conflict in the story revolves around a character named The Godfather (Al Lewis), who is portrayed as an over-the-top stereotype of Italians, intent on eliminating Brother Rabbit. He uses his effeminate, cross-dressing minions to assassinate Brother Rabbit but fails miserably. A pivotal scene involving a tar baby is reenacted at a large boxing match, which unexpectedly appears in the last twenty minutes of the film. The Godfather attempts to enlist Brother Bear for a boxing match against other black men, sparking controversy due to its exploitative nature. This subplot about racial tension is introduced and then dropped just as quickly, leaving room for further exploration in another movie. However, in this story, it’s only briefly touched upon before moving on to the tar baby scene, where the Italians get stuck in tar while trying to attack what they believe is Brother Rabbit.

In the same vein as his previous works, Bakshi’s latest creations present a collection of concepts that seem cohesive, yet fail to harmoniously unite. His animation remains static and lacks depth, while incorporating more live-action backdrops appears both as a temporary solution and an attempt to heighten the animation’s realism. However, Bakshi’s juvenile humor often conflicts severely with the rest of his work. The visual elements and humor clash, while the ideas themselves appear scattered and disjointed. There is no cohesive unity, much like his earlier work such as Fritz the Cat. Although there may be moments of success, these are limited by Bakshi’s inability to construct a compelling narrative over the span of a full-length film.

Rating: 1/4

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2025-02-14 01:45