Uncle Tom

A documentary on American slavery by the makers of Mondo Cane. Using reconstructions of how black slaves were transported, sold, bred like cows, chained, raped, abused, the film purports to be a testament to the barbarism of our ancestors. In fact, with its wheeling camera movements over slave markets, its concentration on eccentric slave owners (massaging the breasts of their 'prize bitches'), its jaunty music, its obsession with black sensuality, it turns out as nasty sensationalism. Ironically, it was made in Haiti before Papa Doc died, but never for a moment conveys the idea that slavery, in a 20th century form, still exists. CAub.