If you haven’t seen this yet, you need to rush to the theatres and catch it while you still can. Craig Brewer has officially landed on my list of filmmakers to watch for. He has effortlessly created a contemporary exploitation film sans the forced nostalgia of Tarantino/Rodriguez’s upcoming GRINDHOUSE. I’m in no way knocking GRINDHOUSE, it’s just refreshing to see a modern day exploiter exist on its own merits without utilizing a derivative spattering of ancient genre tropes. BLACK SNAKE MOAN is just that film.

Brewer’s first major film, HUSTLE & FLOW got rolling with a pimped out (pun very intended) visual flair, as a prostitute left her employer’s car to service a trick in his. The low angle flamboyance of this opening titles catalyst must be seen to fully appreciate. However, after that HUSTLE & FLOW settles into a standard, albeit good, visual style. BLACK SNAKE MOAN on the other hand sustains Brewer’s lyricism throughout, a perfect compliment to the sensationalism of the subject matter. Up next he’s slated to tackle a Charlie Pride biopic (this according to the imdb). I, for one, can’t wait.

I agree completely. I thought this movie did a wonderful job of laying it's trashy elements into a bigger story developing upon them, without looking away, ignoring or putting them in the background.

I also agree regarding the nostalgia. As much as I'm looking forward to Grindhouse, and I am - a lot - it doesn't feel like its pushing anything forward, inspiring a future direction for more exploitation movies, aside from possibly a Grindhouse franchise of some sort.