Top 10 Blaxploitation Movies of the ’70s

The origins of blaxploitation movie stands in need of recognition from the black public in the late 1960s. They were looking for a cinema that reflected their daily life and experiences. The ingredients of this subgenre include nudity, violence, funky soul music, and focus on a black protagonist in a world teeming with drug dealers, gamblers, con artists, pimps (and their flashy outfits and cars), prostitutes, and bounty hunters. . Well, at number 10 we have…

10) Foxy Brown (Jack Hill, 1974)

I like Coffy this blaxploitation movie is modeled after Pam Grier, who returns to play the avenging angel. This time, her revenge spree focuses on the mob responsible for the death of her boyfriend, an undercover cop who is betrayed by her brother. Despite some simplistic plot twists, a very funny picture with some violent action scenes and again a very convincing 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 Tipper (Jonathan Kaplan, 1974)

In this straight-up, no-nonsense action flick, Isaac Hayes is former football star, now bounty hunter Truck Turner, chasing a sadistic pimp on the dangerous streets of Los Angeles. A tragic accident ruins the game and suddenly the roles are reversed. From then on, Truck finds himself embroiled in a game of cat and mouse between Harvard Blue (Yaphet Kotto), the ruthless Los Angeles crime kingpin, and his henchmen. . Director Kaplan also did the impressive “coming of age” drama. over the edge (1979).

8) Superfly (Gordon Parks Jr., 1972)

Drug dealer Youngblood Priest (Ron O’Neal), so called because he carries his samples on a hanging crucifix, has decided to make one last score before leaving the cocaine business for good. Trouble arises 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 Superfly’s return (Sig Shore, 1990).

7) Sweet Sweetback Baadasssss Song (Melvin van Peebles, 1971)

Melvin van Peebles (who starred in, directed, wrote, edited, composed and produced the independent film) is the con artist Sweetback whose hedonistic lifestyle takes a U-turn after witnessing the brutal beating of a black activist by two white police officers. xenophobes. He exacts revenge on the two policemen and for the rest of the film is on the run with the police force on his heels. Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song is an experimental and uncompromising blaxploitation film that includes psychedelic and hallucinatory 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 in his best role) initial motives for taking over white man-controlled Manhattan, to give black people a better deal, changes 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 killed by some black street kids was cut because a black audience wouldn’t accept it. Due to the success of the film, Cohen instantly made the fun 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 cool private investigator in this action-packed crime movie. Although the film was a commercial failure at the time, the Marvin Gaye soundtrack was very successful.

4) Willy Dynamite (Gilbert Moses, 1974)

The blaxploitation movie with the most brazen pimp costumes ever, but also a compelling study of a hustler’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 leave “life.” Sands died of cancer shortly before the film’s release at the age of 39. A fascinating 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 ventures further into this degenerate world she discovers that there are people involved who are close to her. Director Jack Hill and his team took 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 is Goldie, who returns 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 policemen who arrested him the first time, he is accompanied 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, extremely violent crime thriller directed by the underrated Barry Shear (of the excellent The Todd Murders) a black police lieutenant (Yaphett Kotto) and his racist colleague (Anthony Quinn, who also co-produced) investigate a robbery by three black men at a mob-owned policy bank in which seven men were killed. For different reasons, the thieves are also pursued by the sadistic Italian mob 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.