"Meet SUGAR HILL and her ZOMBIE HIT MEN...The Mafia has never met anything like them!" - Tagline from the Sugar Hill press materials.

The amazing and infamous AIP (American International Pictures) distributed Sugar Hill in 1974, the same year that they released Foxy Brown (with Pam Grier), Truck Turner (with Isaac Hayes), Savage Sisters and the incredible "blaxploitation" Exorcist rip-off, Abby.

The Sugar Hill script, by Tim Kelly, was originally called Black Voodoo. According to director Paul Maslansky, it was called Voodoo Woman.

The movie's theme song, "Supernatural Voodoo Woman" by the group, The Originals, and was featured on their 1974 album, "Game of Love" from Motown Records.

To date, Sugar Hill is the only film directed by Paul Maslansky. He is best known for producing several films, all of wildly different natures, like the Police Academy franchise (1984-1994, including the 1997 television series!), Return to Oz (1985), Ski Patrol (1990), The Russia House (1990) and Fluke (1995).

Actress Marki Bey, who plays Diana "Sugar" Hill, previously appeared in Hal Ashby's acclaimed 1970 film, The Landlord. After Sugar Hill, Bey went on to appear on several popular 1970s television shows that included Baretta, Charlie's Angels and a recurring role as Officer Minnie Kaplan on Starsky and Hutch. Since then, Ms. Bey appears to have retired from Hollywood.

Veteran actor Robert Quarry started his acting career with a small role in Alfred Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (1943). He is most famous among horror film fans for his title role in the film, Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) and its sequel, The Return of Count Yorga (1971). He also appeared alongside Vincent Price in Dr. Phibes Rises Again (1972) and Madhouse (1974). Quarry's career was resurrected by director Fred Olen Ray during the late 1980s and throughout the 90s by casting him in approximately fifteen feature films!

Actress Zara Cully (Mama Maitresse) is probably best remembered for her recurring role as Mother Jefferson on TV's The Jeffersons. She also appeared in the bizarre biker flick Darktown Strutters (1975).

One of the alternate titles of the film is The Zombies of Sugar Hill.

The AIP press book for Sugar Hill includes the following ideas suggested to theater owners for promoting their screening of the film (was anyone fool enough to actually carry these out?):

"Reptile Lobby Display - As snakes play a major part in the voodoo ritual, use a large aquarium or glass case, obtain several snakes and place on display in your outer lobby with information pertaining to the picture and/or voodoo ritual. Ritual information is easily obtainable from your local library."

"Ouanga or Voodoo Charm - In a small plastic bag, put a couple of plastic bones or a molded ball resembling the human eye and affix to a simulated leather thong to be worn around the neck. This represents the Ouanga or voodoo charm to ward off evil spirits and can be distributed in the theatre or around the city with pertinent printed information, in advance of your playdate."

"Candy Bally - Print labels reading, `I'm Sugar Hill, Try Me!' and the pertinent information about your playdate and show times and affix to small, plastic bags of any kind of candy. These could be distributed at shopping centers, at your own theatre in advance of the playdate or in any place where traffic is fairly heavy. As `Sugar Hill' has a PG rating, they could even be distributed among the younger patrons."

by Eric Weber

Sources:
The American International Picture Sugar Hill press book, 1974.
Laughing and Screaming: An Interview with Producer Paul Maslansky by Brian Albright, "Shock Cinema" number 31, August 2006.
IMDB.com