On this day in comedy on December 14, 1988 I’m Gonna Git You Sucka was released by United Artists.
This acclaimed parody of Blaxploitation films was written, directed by, and starred Keenen Ivory Wayans. For this ghetto flick masterpiece, he enlisted icons from the 70s era of wacka-wacka guitars and perfectly coiffed froes. Jim Brown, Bernie Casey, Isaac Hayes, Steve James and Antonio Fargas represent the old school. Comedy actors Kadeem Hardison, Dawnn Lewis, Tony Cox, Ja’net DuBois and Anne-Marie Johnson as well as comedians Damon Wayans, Chris Rock, Robin Harris, David Alan Grier and John Witherspoon represent the new breed on the screen (as most were virtual unknowns in 1988). The movie also features Clarence Williams III, KRS-One, Marlon, Kim and Shawn Wayans, Gary Owens, Eve Plumb, Piggy Lipton, Robert Townsend and John Vernon.
The story is all about the gold. The neighborhood that returning military vet, Wayans comes back to has changed. Gone are the apple pies cooling on the window sill, little girls with pigtails playing hop scotch in the street and blue birds chirping on the branches. The place has been saturated with gold chains by the nefarious “Mr. Big”. Thanks to this status-symbol-pimp, Wayans’ brother OD’d from too many gold chains and thus Mr. Big must be stopped. Now! So, Wayans puts together a gang to squash a mob. With names like “Slade”, “Spade”, “Hammer”, “Slammer”, “Kung Fu Joe” and “Fly Guy” there’s no way they can be stopped. Watch out, Whitey!
I’m Gonna Git You Sucka was met with positive reviews and was even shot as a TV pilot with many of the actors reprising their screen roles. The show didn’t sell, but the OG made good. On a $3 million budget, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka grossed $13,030,057 at the box office.
By Darryl “D’Militant” Littleton
Check out this clip:
