Mixed Blood is an underground crime classic. A bit of Bloody Mama meets Cotton Goes to Harlem with a little Godfather nod here and there. It reeks of racism and exploitation on many levels. In the film a woman called La Puta, a Brazilian mob boss settles in Alphabet City and sets up a drug business using underage homeless boys called the Maseteros. She uses the boys as her army of dealers and killers. La Puta has a son Thiago that she never lets out of her sight and shares a bed with. Thiago is devastatingly handsome, but doesn’t speak English well, and his mother eludes that he could be mentally challenged. The irony is that it could be that the actual actor, Richard Ulacia did have some sort of developmental issues and they simply wrote it into the script. You hear him speak, and you think English could be his second language, and Portuguese his first; but there is a little something more about his performance that makes you wonder. Ulacia himself so beautiful, that you can’t imagine that he didn’t take over Hollywood especially in the shallow 80’s, so he seems quite mysterious.

The gang, though they make lots of money selling drugs, live in an abandoned tenement building in complete squalor, so they can keep their eyes on their business. The enemy of the Masetero’s are the Master Dancer gang; who is led by Juan the Bullet. A well coifed Puerto Rican that sounds like he was raised in New Jersey with the Shore Kids. No, the Dancers don’t break out dancing, which would only add to the cheesiness of whole 80’s gang movie theme. It’s almost a shame that they don’t. The Maseteros are supplied by a man only known as ‘The German’ who has an open disdain for the minions selling his poison on the streets of Alphabet City. The German has a beautiful girlfriend Carol, who is rich in her own right; and seems to tolerate the German out of boredom. When Carol begins tagging along into the ghettos, she becomes drawn to the life in the ruins, and most of all to the irresistibly gorgeous Thiago. Carol befriends La Puta and is invited to the Puta’s grandson’s christening party, where choreographed violence breaks out, that rivals that of the Godfather. Thiago, in his overly simple way falls for Carol and beds her much to La Puta’s overbearing chagrin. Carol naturally wants to be able to come and go as she is used to; and not be confined to the few blocks of Alphabet City. She talks Thiago into cleaning himself up and going to a swank Manhattan bar on a date. When he is gone violence erupts, and more of La Puta’s boys are killed. To add insult to injury when Thiago returns home after the mêlée, he announces that he’s taking Carol to Brazil on vacation without La Puta. His mother pretends to be happy about the relationship, but naturally she has other ideas about her beloved son’s fate. She will not be disobeyed, so she hatches a plan to get rid of Carol completely.

When boys of the gang are killed La Puta insists Thiago combs the streets to find replacements. When the pickings are slim one of the gang suggests that they start recruiting blacks. (the word used isn't as politically correct) La Puta says only if they are Latin, she doesn't want 'Mixed Bloods' in her gang. Meaning African Americans. Go figure.

This film was directed by Paul Morriesy, the guy responsible for all of Warhol’s oh so very artsy films. This film has grit, and bite, and a sick sense of humor. This film is also known as John Leguizamo’s first movie, though he was completely cut out of it. His name still appears on the end credits. I wonder if he gets a check? LOL!