Signifyin' Cinema: Rudy Ray Moore and the Quality of Badness (original) (raw)

This article examines the overlooked significance of Rudy Ray Moore's films within film and race studies, arguing for a reevaluation of their cultural impact and artistic expressions. Employing the theory of "signifying" from Henry Louis Gates Jr., it explores how Moore's low-budget productions both critique and respond to mainstream cinema, serving as precursors to hip-hop visual culture. The analysis also addresses the problematic portrayal of black womanhood in Moore's work, while situating his influence in the broader context of black cultural production and the commercialization of 'bad' imagery.