Looking back at ‘Blaxploitation’ films by Stephen Whitty
Stephen Whitty is a writer for The Star Ledger, the largest newspaper in New Jersey. Stephen has agreed to allow the Museum Of UnCut Funk to reprint a excerpt from his article.
Fred “The Hammer” Williamson
One of the most charismatic action stars, Fred is known for coming at you hard in-your-face action. True to his image, you can find him presently doing exactly that in Down ‘N Dirty, his second in a series of films in which he stars as street-wise Dakota ‘Dak’ Smith (first starred as “Dak’ in Night Vision – which he received the Dallas Forth-Worth Film Critics Assoc. Award).
Blaxploitation Filmography
The Civil Rights and Black Power Movements of the 1960’s set the stage for the 1970’s Black film revolution.
Blaxploitation Movie Poster Art – US
The U.S. Digs Blaxploitation!
The first Blaxploitaion film I saw was Foxy Brown. I remember begging my step father to take me to see Foxy Brown. Neither of us knew to content of the film and clearly it was not for a 12 year old to view but I had been such a huge Pam Grier fan.
Alabama’s Ghost Circa 1973
The film Alabama’s Ghost defies classification. Is it horror? Is it comedy? Is it sci-fi? Is it a musical? Regardless of the genre, one thing’s certain: there were copious amounts of LSD involved.
Cult Knockoff Thrillers From Manila
In the 1970s, it was a filmmakers’ paradise — exotic locales, cheap labour and enterprising directors willing to try almost anything to turn a buck. Though located thousands of miles from Hollywood, the Philippines had one of the busiest film industries in the world from the 1960s until the mid-1980s, producing a run of delirious action, horror and blaxploitation films that spawned cult hits like The One-Armed Executioner, The Impossible Kid and Women in Cages.
Uptown Saturday Night – Remix
If you want to ease the minds of film fans about a remake you’re working on, just compare it to Ocean’s 11. That’s what Will Smith did back in 2002 when his production company bought the rights to Sidney Poitier’s Uptown Saturday Night with plans to do an all-star Black update on the 1974 classic that originally paired up Poitier and Bill Cosby.
Tiger’s Sweet Sweetback
A Baad Asssss Blasian Is Coming Back To Collect His Dues….
For all the brothers and sisters who dig Blaxploitation films, have seen the original Sweet Sweetback’s film, and can see the similarities between Sweetback, the sex performer and Tiger Woods, the sex addict, as the Curator of The Museum of UnCut Funk I just could not resist…
Black Horror Flicks Circa 1970′s
During the 1970′s, Blaxploitation moved into the horror category with a number of movies, made for Blacks, staring Blacks. One of the most important actors from this period was William Marshall. He starred as Blacula, a Black version of Dracula in two movies, Blacula and Scream, Blacula, Scream. Blacula became the Blaxploitation’s eras first prominent horror film.
My Main Man Thalmus Rasulala
Thalmus Rasulala was born Jack Chowder on November 15th, 1939. One of the many Black actors from the 1970’s and beyond who never got his rightful due, Thalmus will always be at the top of my list of great performers.
