The "Sugar Hill" of the title does not refer to Sugar Hill in Harlem or even Sugar Hill in Detroit, but instead to Diana "Sugar" Hill (Marki Bey), a fashion photographer whose fiance Langston (Larry D. Johnson) owns the night club Club Haiti. Unfortunately, for Lagston, local mobster Morgan (Robert Quarry) wants Club Haiti. When Langston refuses to sell, Morgan's thugs beat Lagston to death in the club's parking lot. Sugar wants justice for her dead fiance and seeks out Vodou priestess Mama Maitresse (Zara Cully). Sugar then carries out her revenge against Morgan and his henchmen with the aid of the aid of Baron Samedi, the Lwa of the dead, and an army of zombies.
Paul Maslansky, who directed Sugar Hill (1974), had worked a producer on such films as Castle of the Living Dead (1964) and The She Beast (1966). With the success of Blacula (1972) and its sequel, Scream Blacula Scream (1973), it was quite natural for American International Pictures to want to produce more Blaxploitation horror movies. Samuel Z. Arkoff of American International Pictures then asked Paul Maslansky to "...make a black exploitation picture...a black, funny horror picture" and gave $125,000 to do so. As to its subject matter, Sugar Hill (1974) traces its roots back to the classic horror movies White Zombie (1932) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943). While nothing supernatural appears in the film, vodou had recently been part of the plotThe the James Bond movie Live and Let Die (1973).
The title role of Sugar Hill was played by little known actress Marki Bey. At the time, she had only appeared in a few movies, such as The Landlord (1970) and The Roommates (1973). According to the film's publicity materials, she researched her part with various vodou groups in the Los Angeles area. Morgan, the villain in the film, was played by Robert Quarry, best known for playing the lead role in Count Yorga Vampire (1970). Sugar Hill (1974) would be the last film Robert Quarry would make under his contract with AIP.
The all important role of Baron Samedi was played by Don Petro Colley. At the time, he may have been best known for guest appearances on TV Westerns and the role of Gideon on Daniel Boone. Prior to Sugar Hill (1974), he had already appeared in the Blaxploitation movies The Legend of N***** Charley (1972) and Black Caesar (1973). Like Marki Bey, Don Pedro Colley researched his role, studying the vodou practices from Haiti.
Sugar Hill (1974) featured yet other cast members of note. Mama Maitresse was played by Zara Cully, now best known as Mother Jefferson on The Jeffersons. Morgan's henchman Fabulous was played by Charlie Robinson (then billed as Charles P. Robinson), who would go onto play Mac on Night Court.Blues legend Big Walter Price appeared in the small role of Preacher in the movie.
As mentioned earlier, the roots of Sugar Hill (1974) go back to the classics White Zombie (1932) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943). This is even true of the look of the zombies in the film. These are not the ghouls of Night of the Living Dead (1968), with deteriorating bodies that move slowly. Instead, these are proper zombies with pale skin and bulging eyes, often covered in cobwebs. It has been claimed that the zombie's eyes were created by cutting ping-pong balls in half and painting them silver. According to a September 1973 article in the Houston Post, the cobwebs covering the zombie's bodies using rubber cement, which was blown over the actors using fans. Hank Edds was responsible for the make-up on Sugar Hill (1974). He also worked on Chinatown, which was released in the same year.
Although Sugar Hill (1974) was set in the fictional "Calaiah Parish" in Louisiana, it was shot in the Houston area. Shooting began on September 10, 1973, and was scheduled to last three weeks. Local people in Houston were recruited for both the cast and the crew. Houston locations were also used extensively, including Lulu's Bar, which was located near downtown Houston, and the Heights branch of the Houston Public Library, which doubled as the "Voodoo Institute." Support for the production was provided by the Texas Film Commission.
Like many Blaxploitation movies of the era, Sugar Hill (1974) featured a theme song, in its case "Supernatural Voodoo Woman" by The Originals. The Originals were a Motown group that had the 1969 hit "Baby I'm for Real (which went to no. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart) and "The Bells" (no. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 4 on the R&B chart). "Supernatural Voodoo Woman" did not chart, although it is one of the most listenable songs to emerge from a Blaxploitation movie.
Sugar Hill (1974) was released on February 6, 1974. It did very poorly at the box office, making only $30,500. With a budget of $350,000, this means that it took an enormous loss. Sugar Hill (1974) would be cut from its original 91 minutes to 83 minutes for television and re-titled The Zombies of Sugar Hill for television.
As might be expected, the portrayal of vodou in Sugar Hill (1974) is both inaccurate and sensationalized. It includes the usual tropes and even stereotypes of the genre: "voodoo dolls," a reanimated chicken's foot, a "voodoo queen" in the form of Mama Maitresse, and so on. While vodou is a syncretic religion blending Catholicism and African religions, the movie portrays it as little more than magic and a tool for revenge.
One thing that sets Sugar Hill (1974) from other Blaxploitation movies of the era is that, despite being a horror movie, it is not nearly as violent. There is no real blood and no real gore beyond several severed heads. There is also no nudity and no sexual situations.
While its treatment of vodou leaves a bit to be desired and the film is dated, Sugar Hill (1974) does have much to recommend it. Marki Bey gives a sincere performance as the title character and proves she is much more than a pretty face. Don Pedro Colley gives a wonderfully over-the-top performance as Baron Samedi. The zombies are suitably creepy and a good break from the George Romero inspired ghouls many insist on calling "zombies." At its core Sugar Hill (1974) is a movie that is not afraid to have some fun and an enjoyable revenge horror film.
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