Disco Godfather (1976)

The final Rudy Ray Moore theatrical release from his 1970s heyday is probably his all-around slickest effort. That doesn't mean it is the kind of thing that is likely to go down smoothly with a general audience: the acting ranges from competent to amateurish, the running time is padded heavily with gratuitous disco numbers, and the ludicrous plotting and dialogue make a mockery of the film's sincere attempts at an anti-drug message. Thus, Disco Godfather fails as an attempt at a socially relevant crowd-pleaser, but it succeeds mightily as good old-fashioned schlock. Director J. Robert Wagoner throws in all the exploitable '70s content he can muster (lots of kung fu and disco dancing) and also whips up a number of wild "drug hallucination" scenes that toss in every low-budget optical effect possible. Best of all, Rudy Ray Moore tops the film's crazy "Saturday Night Fever meets Reefer Madness" premise off with an all-stops-out performance that makes up for its lack of polish and convincing line deliveries through sheer charisma. In short, Disco Godfather is likely to leave most viewers scratching their heads, but its wild excesses make it a natural for fans of exploitation film oddities. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide