Badmovies.org Forum

It's Black History Month in the real world-so I thought I'd start a thread about Blaxploitaion movie where we could list and post our favorites!

One of mine is ABBY (1974)
Carol Speed is the wife of a Preacher Man who becomes possessed by an African demon in this excellent EXORCIST rip-off.
William Marshall of BLACULA fame is his usual commanding presence as the Exorcist.

Lotsa colorful dialouge eg. :

Abby Williams: I have a few special tips for Sue, and I didn't want to pass up this golden opportunity.

Sue: What do you mean, Abby? Tips?

Abby Williams: [demon voice in full force] Like the facts of life, stupid! All men are not created equal; better make sure what he's got first! As a matter of fact, I'm gonna take ol' long George upstairs AND f**k THE s**t OUT OF HIM! THAT's WHAT I'M GONNA DO!

One HELL (hehe!) of a film! I bought a VHS copy from the now defucnt Canadian based Video Vortex in 1994.

Of note: Warner Bros. sued AIP on the basis that ABBY's plot was too close to that of the EXORCIST (it isn't) and as a result the film was pulled soon after it's release. Asshats.

(https://i.imgur.com/XPnXH4Q.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

COFFY (1973) starring PAM GRIER.  I love anything with PAM GRIER.   

You ain't kidding!

http://youtu.be/yBd_y4V7vtc (http://youtu.be/yBd_y4V7vtc)

BLACKENSTEIN (1973) is a personal favorite. A disabled vet named Eddie is turned into 'Blackenstein' by Dr. Stein. Blackenstein goes on the rampage to attack topless women. It reaches a climax when Blackenstein meets a pack of Doberman Pinschers.

Features some of the original DRANKENSTEN lab equipment created back in the 30s by Kenneth Strickfaden, a Redd Foxx type comedian, and Liz Renay (former stripper/gang moll who starred in John Waters' DESPERATE LIVING and author of her autobiograhy My Face for the World to See) is one of he victims.

By the 80s this was considered by some to be a joke title for a movie that never really existed, but exists it does.

https://youtu.be/6iHTvbZ85IQ (https://youtu.be/6iHTvbZ85IQ)

(I can't remember how to post a proper YOutube link!)

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not a subgenre I have delved into much but I do enjoy the Pam Grier ones. Foxy Brown and Coffy are good. Roy Ayers soundtrack to Coffy is one of my top 5 movie soundtracks

quite enjoyed BLACK DYNAMITE, the blaxploitation spoof from a few years ago.

LIVE AND LET DIE (the Bond film) seems influenced by blaxploitation...

I'm sure it's changed since you last logged in. No just drop in the url and remove the "s" in "https":

https://youtu.be/6iHTvbZ85IQ (https://youtu.be/6iHTvbZ85IQ)]https://youtu.be/6iHTvbZ85IQ

becomes

http://youtu.be/6iHTvbZ85IQ (http://youtu.be/6iHTvbZ85IQ)]https://youtu.be/6iHTvbZ85IQ

For me, I probably have the most sympathy for SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSS SONG, just because I spent the most time with it.

http://youtu.be/0rD1OzJVoWY (http://youtu.be/0rD1OzJVoWY)

It's not really blaxploitation, though, even though it helped kick off the movement. It was a serious attempt at avant-garde black cinema.

For pure fun give me the DOLEMITE series.

Speaking of PAM GRIER and FOXY BROWN: 

http://youtu.be/GCc99Gh-IEM (http://youtu.be/GCc99Gh-IEM) 

SUGAR HILL (1974)

Sugar Hill (Marki Bey) takes her revenge on scumbag gangster Robert (COUNT YORGA) Quarry for killing her man, with the aid of a voodoo priestess and Ruler of the Kingdom of the Dead Don Pedro Colley and his horde of cob-webbed, glowing eyed zombies.
The zombies are truly scary; a stand-out scene with the dead rising from they're graves.

"I give you your revenge! Put them to evil use! It is all they know-or want!"

http://youtu.be/CoAjesFhKrY (http://youtu.be/CoAjesFhKrY)

(https://i.imgur.com/3xRz8Lz.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

I remember this one. It had Zara Cully, who played 'Mother Jefferson' in THE JEFFERSONS was in it as a witch,

What? I am the first to post Blackula?

http://youtu.be/V8Sfrhj5IP4

By George (Jefferson!), I've never noticed that!


Yup. A true classic of any genre!

Except without the "k".   :teddyr:

I haven't seen many blaxploitation movies, but Blacula and Sugar Hill are very good.

http://youtu.be/CrYX7OWZe4g (http://youtu.be/CrYX7OWZe4g)

Three the Hard Way

I am definitely a fan on the blaxploitation genre.  I love Pam Grier to the point I can probably list her whole filmography off the top of my head.  My favorite is Coffy, by far.  Coffy is a great revenge movie that plays with moral ambiguity.  As she goes takes justice into her own hands, she kind of loses herself even more. 

Blacula is another favorite, and that is all because of William Marshall.  He brings a great combination of camp and gravitas to the role.  He's really a joy to watch in anything, especially Video Pirates from Amazon Women in the Moon.


For now, I'll also recommend Bucktown, starring Pam Grier and Fred Williamson. Fred gets some old buddies to drive the crooked racist cops and politicians out of town, then has to run those old friends out of town when they take over. 

Me and Tiana just watched BUCKTOWN the other night. Great movie!

BUCKTOWN is a MUST SEE.  Never had the chance. 

I just watched this on youtube yesterday-

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FORCE FOUR (1975) aka BLACK FORCE

This is thee WORST (next to NINJA TERMINATOR) Kung Fu movie I have ever seen.

All the scenes filmed outside are dubbed like no one was watching the screen as it was done.
One scene has one of the Four questioning a preacher-and he answers (without moving his mouth) in a woman's voice!
People fall before they are hit, and or fall for no reason at all.

" SEE 28 Black Belts in Action!"  No see 4 Black Belts in action and 24 idiots play act fighting like 9 year olds!
 I sat threw the whole thing slack jawed.

“When things get rough-we get…bad” ?
            Why not tough?

I’ll tell you why.

This movie is SO bad it comes around in a circle and becomes bad again. It’s the Nirvana of bad. I love it.

With that recommendation, a must see! 

I really liked Abby

also lets get Guy from Harlem out of the way. doesn't get any cheaper than that

I HAVE to see this!
Thanks!  :drink:

 http://youtu.be/oHfLswbWpA8 (http://youtu.be/oHfLswbWpA8)

There's the South African blaxploitation film Joe Bullet (1975) about which there is so much misinformation, i.e. that it was banned (it wasn't) and that it was considered a lost film.*

*Archivally preserved in our vaults since 1975.

Iv'e never seen it-but it has historical importance because it was one of the first all black horror films.
The title comes from a 1930 jungle movie with naked woman getting molested by a gorilla. Thats exploitation.  :lookingup:

SON OF IGNAGI (1940)  

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I would like to see this movie.

I have been meaning to watch Son of Ingagi for a while now. 
Thanks for going back further.  Its seems most discussions about Black Cinema start in the 60s, when we could go back to the silent films of Oscar Micheaux. 

Darkstown strutters was hilarious.

Greener pastures was well made.

Check out these 'Dusk 'till Dawn' shows-

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UP JUMPED THE DEVIL (1941) Trivia Time-Mantan was once in line for the 3 Stooges!

from Moe Howard-

: “We really should’ a’ made Mantan Moreland our next third Stooge back when my brother Shemp cashed in (in 1955). They’d worked together, y’know, and Shemp actually had recommended Mantan if the need should ever, God forbid, arise.

“Mantan was responsive, when Larry (Fine) and I talked the idea over with him. I mean, we’d all seen our better days by that time, but ol’ Moreland, - now there was a talent that could’ a’ invigorated the whole act! He had the word play – you ever heard him do that ‘anticipation’ routine, where he and one or another of his partners finished each other’s sentences? – and he had the physical shtick, the jive moves and double take receptions that would’ a’ filled in the gaps when Jerome (Curly) and Shemp had kept covered.

“But of course Columbia (Pictures’ management) demanded a white guy, because they’d apparently been scared off of Mantan, and we ended up with that prissy damned Joe Besser, who was whatcha might call a pain…I’ve always thought what a great act the Stooges could’ a’ stayed for a while, if only we’d’ a’ gone with Mantan.”



I agree-Mantan is fantastic.


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Three The Hard Way is a great film.

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/31/Three_the_Hard_Way_%28film%29.jpg)

Review: http://www.dvdinfatuation.com/2017/03/2313-joe-bullet-1973.html (http://www.dvdinfatuation.com/2017/03/2313-joe-bullet-1973.html)

Trailer: http://youtu.be/3x38lsZCCho (http://youtu.be/3x38lsZCCho)

Thanks for that. :thumbup:

That review contains almost all of the misinformation put out about that film: sad to see that some people make up stories just to sell a film. Pity I can't reply to that.

I have the DVD (part of the "Soul Cinema" collection).

I am a huge Blaxploitation fan and try to buy as many of these movies as I can. I think one of the funniest ones is THE GUY FROM HARLEM. Here is a link to some comments I posted about it (in 2006!): http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php/topic,105004.0.html (http://www.badmovies.org/forum/index.php/topic,105004.0.html)

Some of my other favorites are obvious choices like SHAFT and SUPERFLY.

Also:

* TRUCK TURNER (Isaac Hayes!)
* SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG (a very odd movie . . . difficult to watch because of the way it was put together . . . but essential viewing)
* DR. BLACK AND MR. HYDE (Bernie Casey!)
* SLAUGHTER (Jim Brown!)
* CLEOPATRA JONES (with Shelley Winters as the villain!)
* ACROSS 110TH STREET (excellent movie)

So many others . . .

That one was banned in South Africa, believe it or not.  :question:

With Black Panth er coming out soon, we have to acknowledge Friday Foster as the first black comic book character to get their own movie. 

Black Panther-the comic book back in the 70's was a dam good comic! Jack Kirby drew it! (I collected every Jack Kirby comic when I was a kid in the 70's.)
The Black Panther was the s**t!

(https://i.imgur.com/dRgbXYa.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

That's insanely crazy.
Censorship is EVIL.  :hatred:

 It's also unusual in that the 'Mad Scientist' in the movie is a woman. N'Gina the Ape Man looks pretty creepy in some shots.

I love this weird little movie. Great music, too, around the 8:15 mark..

! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HJKNvolqHg#)

Dam! I never heard of Spencer Williams. Fantastic!

GANJA AND HESS (1973)

I have to confess. I've never seen it-I'm so ashamed.
It stars Duane (NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) Jones and Marlene (SWITCHBLADE SISTERS) Clark and it's about vampires-gotta be good!

(https://i.imgur.com/JajMn86.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

Ganja and Hess is an interesting one.  I kind of hesitate to group it with other blaxploitation movies, because it is more of an "art film" with kind of a free flowing narrative structure. 

I suppose the same can be said for Sweet Sweetback's Badasssss Song.  Sweetback is kind of the eyes of the audience, and the movie is more or less a series scenes of life unfolding or of people talking at him.  He is a very passive character for the majority of the movie.

I've only begun to dig into the "Blax" genre over the past couple of years ...so far I'd say anything with Pam Grier in it is gold (of course), but my favorite so far has been Isaac Hayes' Truck Turner from 1974 - it's a damn good straight up action movie. Isaac Hayes is badass, with a great supporting cast incl. Nichelle Nichols, Yaphet Kotto, Scatman Crothers, and many other familiar faces.  

I also enjoyed when he was with The Avengers:

(https://i.annihil.us/u/prod/marvel/i/mg/7/00/587533f063eff/detail.jpg)

WELCOME HOME BROTHER CHARLES (1975)

Directed by Jamaa Fanakaa- the man who gave us the PENITENTIARY movies, this has Brother Charles going to prison on trumped up charges, and upon his release exacts his revenge on 'the man' with his giant boa constrictor dick.
Yes. His DICK.

I bought it on tape about 20 years ago at the flea market under the title SOUL VENGEANCE.

(https://i.imgur.com/HsNiwpU.jpg) (https://lunapic.com)

I have the SOUL VENGEANCE DVD!

Here's a couple:

THE THING WITH TWO HEADS(1972)

(http://cdn.smosh.com/sites/default/files/legacy.images/smosh-pit/092010/2heads-poster.jpg)

Ray Milland is dying and his head gets transplanted on Rosey Grier's body..hilarity ensues.

DR.BLACK AND MR.HYDE(1976)

(https://trashfilmguru.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/dr_black_mr_hyde_poster_01.jpg)

Bernie Casey is a doctor who takes his own formula and becomes a violent albino that murders hookers, yes, it is as bad as it sounds. With a climax filmed in the Watts neighborhood.

since this thread started I've been trying to think of the movie I saw.

It was on TCM a while ago. it was like the very first blaxploitation movie from like 1927. It was good. the guy ran a protection racket or somethign

Actually, all -black cast films go back to  1916, where Noble (KING KONG, MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE) Johnson and his brother
George started the first black production company- Lincoln Motion Picture Company. Another early films company was Ebony Pictures which made all black comedies as early as 1918. Of course they weren't called 'blaxploitation" films back then- they were called "race pictures".

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