DVD Artwork
Something heavy is going down when high-ranking criminals, one by one, are picked off by a vigilante group calling themselves “War on Crime.” Now Lt. Deel and his friend Chaka, a crime reporter, must team up to uncover a plot by the WoC to wipe out the cities criminal underworld in order to fill the void with their own illicit product!
As Chaka is brought into the vigilante group’s confidence and closer to the truth, as well as the true identity of the WoC’s leader Snowman, the deadly stakes continue rising. The pressure is on, the streets are hot and internal disputes from within the WoC threaten to spill out onto the gritty streets of South Africa in war, taking everybody down in the process. Can Chaka reveal the Snowman’s true intentions while saving his reputation with local police before it’s too late?
I know exploitation cinema isn’t exclusive to America, many countries around the world have made and continue to make exploitation, but I have to say that I’m rather surprised to see a Blaxploitation film hailing from South Africa. I suppose when you think about it though, considering all of the political and racial strife South Africa has seen, Blaxploitation cinema definitely makes sense. Naturally this isn’t the first time this particular film has seen release here in the states, a company called EastWest (likely a bootleg outfit) is still currently selling the “Soul Patrol” version of Death of a Snowman which runs one minute shorter than Synapse’s. I know BCI also owned the rights to this a few years back though I can’t seem to find any indication that it was indeed actually released.
Anyhow, the film itself was quite entertaining; there were a few sequences that seemed to drag along here and there but actors Davenport (lovin’ his Sean Connery beard!) and Gampu were likable characters with a laid back, believable relationship. Seeing Gampu portray a respectable Blaxploitation hero with a strong moral compass was also a refreshing change-up from the usual pimps, pushers, hustlers, gangsters and vigilantes that typified the sub-genre.
Basically the action was right on point, violence over-the-top and the score was wonderful as it was filled with dark grooves and fast-paced action funk so, for me, everything about Death of a Snowman just felt right. As I said, there were a few lulls but this is exploitation…not Fellini. If there weren’t some dull moments and missed opportunities for nudity, I’m not sure I would have enjoyed this so thoroughly. Yeah right!
Despite age and the wear and tear I’d expect from a South African exploitation film, Synapse’s transfer looked great on my widescreen television. There were a a lot of scratches and the picture was washed out here and there, especially noticeable in darker sequences, but all in all the colors were decent and it was far more watchable than most of the exploitation films I devour. With Synapse behind this release, you know you’re getting just about the best you’re going to get from the materials they’re working with.
Overall fantastic release and, if you’re a cult cinema fan, a must-see film. I’d recommend this as a rental for the newbies and a purchase for the collectors.
