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how she is being treated, he decides to confront the two for their ungentlemanly behavior. The confrontation does not bode well for
Gordone, for after a little tussling he is knocked out and falls to the ground. He wakes up to find that he has been charged for the murder of one of the bikers whom he had confronted earlier.
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Martel
Gordone had been wandering aimlessly through the desert when he is finally picked up by an African-American woman driving a van dubbed the "Shaggin' Wagon". The woman, Linda, who picks him up is actually a prostitute on her way to some clients. On the way to the diner where the two parties are
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candy bars) spark an interest in each other, but Linda decides to wait until after she has finished with her clients, "You know, honey, it's got to be business before pleasure, and I'm sure you're a real pleasure". They reach the diner and Linda meets with her clients, but when
Gordone does not like
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Shortly afterward, an illegal boxing tournament is organized in the prison, led by
Lieutenant Arnsworth. The winner of the tournament will be allowed to leave the prison on early parole because Lieutenant Arnsworth can pull a few strings on the parole board, and Gordone feels as though he would be
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Gordone is then put in another cell, his new cellmate being an older man going by the nickname "Seldom Seen", who has been in this jail for 35 years (adding up to 50 years as he spent another 15 years in jail in his youth), and has developed his own personal wisdom, out of sheer survival concern,
225:
Gordone is sent to jail and becomes cellmates with a man who goes by the nickname of "Half Dead". While in his cell, Gordone has to defend himself from constant advances from the brute. The two battle it out in the cell until the walls are covered with sweat and blood. The wailing and begging
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373:, was released in 1987. The plot centers on "Too Sweet" Gordone's time in prison, where he is sent after beating another boxer to death in a performance enhancing drug-fueled fugue state. The film was released theatrically in the United States by
234:
able to win it. The only thing that stands in his way is a man by the name of Jesse "The Bull" Amos, who is in charge of everything within the prison and is the leader of the prison's strongest gang. "Seldom Seen" agrees to be
Gordone's trainer.
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by Xenon
Entertainment in 2000. Both films contain an audio commentary by writer/director Jamaa Fanaka and are currently out of print. They were subsequently re-released by Xenon on DVD in 2006. Both films were released on DVD and
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attracts a lot of attention from other inmates, who cheer for "Half Dead" to rape the newcomer, but in fact
Gordone manages to subdue his assailant and rises triumphantly, telling everybody to "back off".
348:, was released in 1982. It was a direct sequel that followed the exploits of "Too Sweet" Gordone shortly after his release from prison. It was notable for the early casting of
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considering himself "the freest man in the world" for he learned how to control his desires and focus on his core self. Gordone and "Seldom Seen" develop a genuine friendship.
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as Martel "Too Sweet" Gordone, a man who deals with his wrongful imprisonment as a black youth. The film was released on
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recast in the villainous role of "Half Dead". The film was released theatrically in the United States by
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to meet, Linda and
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Dir. Jamaa Fanaka. Perf. Isaac, Kennedy, and
Pollard, Thommy. 1979, Film.
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Fanaka produced two sequels to the film over the ensuing decade.
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in September 1987 and grossed $ 1,392,616 at the box office.
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Both the original film and its first sequel were released on
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ArrowDrome DVD re-released the film in February 2012 in the
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American film distribution : the changing marketplace
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in April 1982 and grossed $ 3,178,542 at the box office.
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411:. UMI Research Press. p. 293.
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803:Films directed by Jamaa Fanaka
405:Donahue, Suzanne Mary (1987).
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246:as Martel "Too Sweet" Gordone
788:1970s English-language films
720:Welcome Home Brother Charles
467:"Penitentiary (1979) - IMDb"
116:The Jerry Gross Organization
356:as his brother-in-law, and
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264:Gloria Delaney as "Peaches"
249:Wilbur White as "Sweet Pea"
130:November 21, 1979
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40:Theatrical release poster
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16:1979 film by Jamaa Fanaka
594:. imdb.com. 2 April 1982
531:. imdb.com. 2 April 1982
529:"Penitentiary II (1982)"
294:as T.C., The Money Maker
21:Penitentiary (1938 film)
276:as Lieutenant Arnsworth
375:The Cannon Group, Inc.
352:as Gordone's trainer,
270:as "Half Dead" Johnson
783:American boxing films
508:"Penitentiary II DVD"
432:Kennedy, Isaac, Dir.
255:Hazel Spears as Linda
174:$ 100,000 (estimated)
808:1970s American films
793:Blaxploitation films
387:List of boxing films
798:Films set in prison
636:. boxofficemojo.com
573:. boxofficemojo.com
367:The second sequel,
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59:Jamaa Fanaka
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29:Penitentiary
751:Street Wars
268:Badja Djola
219:Mr. Goodbar
182:$ 4 million
64:Produced by
46:Directed by
773:1979 films
767:Categories
640:2012-04-26
619:2012-04-26
615:. imdb.com
598:2012-04-26
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556:2012-04-26
552:. imdb.com
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514:2012-04-26
493:2012-04-26
393:References
307:Home media
299:Soundtrack
198:drama film
179:Box office
150:93 minutes
134:1979-11-21
56:Written by
324:in 2018.
104:Edited by
712:Emma Mae
381:See also
292:Tony Cox
163:Language
78:Starring
335:Sequels
318:Blu-ray
166:English
155:Country
132: (
753:(1992)
747:(1987)
739:(1982)
731:(1979)
723:(1975)
715:(1974)
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171:Budget
350:Mr. T
663:IMDb
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452:IMDb
413:ISBN
238:Cast
212:Plot
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320:by
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
