Produced, directed, written, scored by, and starring Melvin Van Peebles, this landmark "blaxploitation" film was as controversial as it was popular for its then X-rated story of one African-American man's triumph over the Man. After beating a couple of white cops he witnessed brutalizing a local black revolutionary, sex show performer Sweetback (Van Peebles) has to go on the run. As he flees through decrepit South Central Los Angeles, Sweetback demonstrates his formidable potency through sex as well as violence, evading the police manhunt by any means necessary. As Sweetback runs off into the sunset, however, Van Peebles warns that the story, like the 1960s racial strife, isn't over.
Sobering look at a working-class black family's dead-end existence in the housing projects of Brooklyn, N. Y. , and a young man's foolish scheme to turn their lives around. Ambitious and interesting first feature for teenaged writer-director Rich (who also appears on-screen as the talkative Larry). Extremely rough-edged, but redeemed by some fine performances--and searing emotions. VHS & DVD Rated R
Pam Grier combines big guns and fantastic
'70s outfits in Sheba, Baby. After roughly 4,000 establishing shots of Chicago in the opening credits, private eye Sheba Shayne (Pam Grier) immediately heads to Louisville, where thugs are leaning on her father's business, trying to get him to sell out. The police, alas, are no help, but never fear--Sheba is the kind of private dick who doesn't shy away from dunking a man's face in toxic chemicals to get the information she needs. She soon finds herself going head-to-head with a crime lord named Pilot, and the butt kicking begins. Sheba, Baby offers giant ties, big guns, and a firefight on speedboats, and yes, of course there's a catfight. Mandatory viewing.
DVD & VHS
!! Blaxploitation at it's finest. Marloe Monte convey's the despotism and decrepitude of south central L.A. to perfection, a visceral portrayal of what could be considered one of the most ignominious eras in contemporary American culture. The laconic dialogue, consisting in it's finest moments of archaic "jive talk", replete with the obligatory "mutha" every ten minutes, realistically portrays the culture and frustration of Charles (Monte) and his prostitute girlfriend as they struggle to ameliorate their lives in an atmosphere of ubiquitous oppression and exploitation by the omnipresent "MAN". A brilliant concept, brilliant execution, inspired acting...I cannot praise it enough. The sexual tension is as tangible as can be, and the action is incessantly non-stop. VHS Only
When a pal of detective John Shaft is murdered in a bombing (and $250,000 in cash turns up missing),New York's coolest private eye finds himself caught in the middle of a power struggle between black and white gangsters over the numbers racket in Queens. Directed by Gordon Parks (who does a brief cameo as a croupier in an illegal casino) and written by Ernest Tidyman (both of whom did the original Shaft), this film lacks the pacing of its progenitor. Roundtree is at his best when he's questioning a woman he's just met about a suspect while at the same time beguiling her into the sack (ah, those lazy, crazy days of the sexual revolution). The finale--a shootout in a cemetery, followed by a car-boat-helicopter chase through Queens and up the Harlem River--is preposterously drawn-out: Shaft, impervious to machine-gun fire, winds up tripping, spraining his ankle, and limping while running from the chopper; two shots later, he's sprinting like a halfback. Look for late Muhammad Ali trainer Drew Bundini Brown as a wise-cracking mobster. DVD Only
Superfly, starring Ron O'Neal, Carl Lee, and Sheila Frazier is one of the greatest films ever made in the 70's Black film genre. It is a ghetto drama set to the music of the late great Curtis Mayfield - an excellent soundtrack that brilliantly narrates the film and compells you to contemplate the ins & outs of innercity blues; the challenges Vs. Options or lack thereof. This movie is hitting from beginning to end and though often dismissed as blaxploitation, it's strong messages of changing ones predicament, allows it to escape this criticism. Ron O'Neal portrays a drug dealer by the name of Priest with the baddest vines, cars, and plenty of women. He decides that there is more to life than this. With the help of his main squeeze Georgie,he stages one last score to get out of the game despite strong opposition from his partner and other shady individuals that rely on his thriving drug business. Will he make it out? Buy the film and see for yourself! VHS & DVD Rated R Not for sale to persons under age 18.
In all honesty, I had grown a bit tired of Denzel Washington's "goodie-two-shoes" roles in recent years, as great as they were. His performance in TRAINING DAY, however, has given me newfound respect for him as an actor. Not only does he play "the bad guy," but he milks it for all its worth - his Alonzo Harris would make Clint Eastwood's DIRTY HARRY look like Barney Fife from "The Andy Griffith Show." In TRAINING DAY, it was Denzel Washington's performance alone that blew me away! The fact that he has recently received his fifth Oscar nomination - and third for Best Actor - should come as no surprise.
Kudos also to Ethan Hawke for a great performance and a well-deserved Supporting Actor Oscar nod this year. Any young actor who can hang with the likes of Denzel Washington in a film like this DESERVES recognition. Hawke proves that he has a stellar film career ahead of him.
The Academy Awards telecast is March 24, and my money is on both these tremendous performers to come away with well-deserved Oscar gold. TRAINING DAY is a film with no special effects, no colorful cinematography, and no Picasso-esque art direction - just a movie that slaps you upside the hide from start to finish, with two powerhouse performances that stay with you long after the closing credits
If you thought Philadelphia, The 12 Monkeys and Tradin' Places were the only films other than The Philadelphia Experiment set in Philly, you're dead wrong.
When it comes to grittyness, this early '70s film, which appears to be shot mostly in West Philly puts NYC to shame.... in terms of charactor and story development its also definitely *not* your typical blaxploitation film - - and this becomes clear the moment you realize that its actually an adaptation of a novel by Iceberg Slim, a writer who along with Donald Goines wrote about urban street life and told tales of hustlers and pimps long long before Shaft and Superfly. In fact, it was probably the realism of their books most likely that fueled the fantasy of that film genre....
The story is about the final days of a relationship between an aging hustler named Blue and his young counterpart/protege known as "White Folks" so named because he can pass for white, a bend which made their game all the more strong. While hated by most black folks because he looks like a white man, he is understood and protected by Blue - - and together their hustle and schemes seem almost righteous, because through Folks, Blue is able to engage in confidence games praying on greedy white people who believe they are about to get rich by exploiting black folk. Far from being jive talking hustlers, both are articulate and intelligent and have learned well from one another, making their game even stronger, til one day they hustle the wrong person putting a dirty cop and the mob on their tale, in the middle of the biggest hustle of their lifetime. Suddenly, its a race against time and the questions whether its time to get out of town or get out of the game.
Great film, great locations, well acted, and a nice bluesy soundtrack. If you like this film, check out the novel by Slim, as well "Across 110th Street"
Thomasine & Bushrod was intended as the African American counterpart to Bonnie and Clyde, the difference being that the story in this case was utterly fictional. Vonette McGee plays Thomasine, and Max Julien (who also wrote and coproduced the film) is Bushrod. They are a pair of thieves, operating in the southwest between 1911 and 1915. Fancying themselves as Robin Hoods and the White Establishment as the Sheriff of Nottingham, Thomas and Bushrod steal only from Caucasian capitalists, then distribute the booty to Mexicans, Native Americans and poor whites. George Murdock is the rednecked sheriff who dogs their trail. Virtually the entire production staff of Thomasine and Bushrod, from director Gordon Parks on down, was comprised of black talent.
