The origins of the blaxploitation movie he found himself in need of recognition from the black public at the end of the sixties. They were looking for a cinema that reflected their life and daily experiences. The ingredients of this subgenre include nudity, violence, funky soul music, and center around a black protagonist in a world filled with drug dealers, gamblers, con artists, pimps (and their flashy outfits and cars), prostitutes, and bounty hunters. . Well, in number 10 we have…
10) Foxy Brown (Jack Hill, 1974)
As coffy this blaxploitation film is modeled after Pam Grier, who reprises her role as the avenging angel. This time, her revenge spree focuses on the mob responsible for the death of her boyfriend, an undercover cop who is double-crossed by her brother. Despite some simplistic plot twists, a very funny picture with some violent action scenes and again a very compelling role from the irresistible Pam Grier as Foxy Brown. The soundtrack was recorded and produced by well-known R&B artist Willie Hutch.
9) Truck Flipper (Jonathan Kaplan, 1974)
In this no-nonsense, no-nonsense action flick, Isaac Hayes stars as former football star, now bounty hunter Truck Turner, chasing down a sadistic pimp on the dangerous streets of Los Angeles. A tragic accident ruins the game, and suddenly the tables are turned. From then on, Truck is caught up in a game of cat and mouse between Harvard Blue (Yaphet Kotto), the ruthless king of crime from Los Angeles, and his hitmen. . Director Kaplan also made the impressive “coming of age” drama. over the edge (1979).
8) Superfly (Gordon Parks Jr., 1972)
Drug dealer Youngblood Priest (Ron O’Neal), so named because he carries his samples on a hanging crucifix, has decided to make one last score before quitting the cocaine business for good. Problems arise when a powerful unknown drug dealer (his supplier to him) wants to keep him in business. Although it was a hugely successful film with one of the best soundtracks ever used in a Curtis Mayfield blaxploitation film, it was also unfairly characterized by some critics as a glorification of the drug trade. Followed by two sequels, Superfly TNT (1973) directed by former star O’Neal and The return of super fly (Sig Shore, 1990).
7) Baadasssss song by Sweet Sweetback (Melvin van Peebles, 1971)
Melvin van Peebles (who starred in, directed, wrote, edited, composed, and produced the independent film) is con man Sweetback whose hedonistic lifestyle takes a U-turn after witnessing the brutal beating of a black activist by two white police officers. xenophobic. He takes revenge on the two policemen and for the rest of the film he is on the run with the police hot on his heels. Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss song is a no-compromise, experimental blaxploitation film that includes trippy, psychedelic imagery, the use of split-screen, and a rather subversive opening sequence involving Melvin’s son Mario. A true original.
6) Black Caesar (Larry Cohen, 1973)
Black dealer Tommy Gibbs’ (Fred Williamson at his best) initial motives for taking over white man-controlled Manhattan, in order to give blacks a better deal, change when he himself begins behaving like a “white man’s black.” “. black caesar(also know as godfather of harlem) was directed by the talented Larry Cohen (bone, God told me that) known for his clever location photography that gives his films a rare authenticity. The original ending with the black godfather being robbed and murdered by some black street kids was deleted because a black audience wouldn’t accept it. Due to the success of the film, Cohen instantly made the hilarious sequel. hell in harlem. Great music by James Brown.
5) Troublesome (Ivan Dixon, 1972)
A real gem, this rather unknown blaxploitation film with Robert Hooks (Walking fast) as repairman Mr. T who has multiple business interests. He gets into trouble when two thugs hire him to investigate who he’s stealing from his gambling operation. Hooks is great as the genius private investigator in this action-packed crime flick. Although the film was a commercial flop at the time, the Marvin Gaye soundtrack was very successful.
4) Willy Dynamite (Gilbert Moses, 1974)
The blaxploitation film with the most shameless pimp costumes ever, but also a compelling study of a con man’s downfall. Roscoe Orman (better known as Gordon in Sesame Street) is the successful and ruthless pimp Willy Dynamite (Willy D) who rules his group of prostitutes with a firm hand. His decline begins when a social worker named Cora (an excellent Diana Sands) convinces one of her girls, who has been mutilated in prison, to give up “life.” Sands died of cancer shortly before the film’s release at the age of 39. A captivating image from start to finish.
3) Coffy (Jack Hill, 1973)
A top notch revenge movie starring the queen of the blaxploitation genre Pam Grier. Grier plays Nurse Coffy, who is determined to avenge those responsible for her little sister’s heroin addiction. As she delves further into this degenerate world she discovers that there are people involved who are close to her. It took director Jack Hill and his team just 18 days to make this violent and subversive film that launched Pam Grier’s career. Her strong central performance was also Tarantino’s main inspiration for writing his screenplay for jackie brown (1997) in which he also starred. coffy was remade in 1981 as charming but deadly with an all-white cast.
2) The Mack (Michael Campus, 1973)
Max Julien stars as Goldie, returning to her neighborhood after a five-year prison sentence, who becomes a calculating and ruthless pimp. His philosophy is that if you want to control a woman’s body, you also have to control her mind (as he does in the hilarious Planetarium sequence). In his violent battle against his competitors and the two police officers who arrested him the first time, he is joined by his faithful friend Richard Pryor (in a memorable role) and his brother (Roger E. Mosley) who tries to convince him to that is exploding his own people. Probably the most influential blaxploitation movie and the best ‘pimp’ movie ever made. The funky score is by Willie Hutch.
1) Across 110th Street (Barry Shear, 1972)
In this fast-paced and extremely violent crime thriller directed by the underrated Barry Shear (from the excellent The Todd Murders) a black police lieutenant (Yaphett Kotto) and his racist colleague (Anthony Quinn, who also co-produced) investigate a robbery committed by three black men at a mob-owned insurance bank in which seven men were murdered. For different reasons, the thieves are also hunted by the sadistic Italian mafia lieutenant Nick D’Salvio (a wonderful Anthony Franciosa) and his henchmen. Great performances, excellent use of locations and deep characterizations. Bobby Womack’s title song is also used in Tarantino. jackie brown and Ridley Scott american gangster.