Top 10 Blaxploitation Movies
The 1970s gave us a lot of different movies... including blaxploitation, in all its glory. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 Blaxploitation films. For this list, we'll be taking a look at blaxploitation cinema – which means films that were made primarily for an African-American audience, which featured a primarily African-American cast – and are looking for those that best encapsulate the genre and the era in which it was popular.
Special thanks to our user Tiye Cole for submitting the idea using our interactive suggestion tool at http://www.WatchMojo.comsuggest
Top 10 Blaxploitation Films
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The 1970s gave us a lot of different movies... including blaxploitation, in all its glory. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 Blaxploitation films. For this list, we’ll be taking a look at blaxploitation cinema – which means films that were made primarily for an African-American audience, which featured a primarily African-American cast – and are looking for those that best encapsulate the genre and the era in which it was popular. We’re not including films that parody or homage the genre, as they’re intended as a tribute after the fact.
#10: “Across 110th Street” (1972)
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No city is perfect, but this one seems particularly dangerous. This 1972 movie, both filmed and set in Harlem, sends two uneasy cops into an investigation of seven murders – all while mafia lieutenant Nick D’Salvio is also looking for the killers. The level of violence present in “Across 110th Street” was remarkable for the time, as was the clear racial tension permeating many scenes. However, it’s also been credited for transcending the genre with which it’s associated with breakthroughs in both filming techniques and its message, with a clear insight into morality running through all the hostility.
#9: “Dolemite” (1975)
The phrase “hip and happening” feels appropriate here. Stand-up comedian Rudy Ray Moore stars as the titular Dolemite, a pimp getting out of prison and hunting down those who framed him and got him set up for 20 years in the big house. The resulting film is an interesting blend of cheeky one-liners and impressive fight scenes, especially with regards to Dolemite’s karate-trained call girls. For a relatively light angle on social injustice, it’s certainly hard to do better. In short, “Dolemite” is nothing short of dynamite.
#8: “Black Caesar” (1973)
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Drama, brutal violence, and one angry crime boss – now there’s a combination! This remake of 1931’s “Little Caesar” focuses on Tommy Gibbs, a Harlem kid who grows up to become the head of a black crime family... and begins a push for war with the Italian mob. If that description doesn’t seem intense enough, lead actor Fred Williamson’s effectively despicable take on Gibbs fills in the gaps. Add to those grim character moments, more than a little bloodshed and a James Brown soundtrack, and this is quite the powerful film.
#7: “Coffy” (1973)
We tip our hat to you, Pam Grier: after all, how can you argue with a movie whose tagline is “They call her Coffy’ and she’ll cream you”? The famed blaxploitation actress takes center stage in 1973’s “Coffy,” about a nurse who becomes a vigilante to seek revenge for her sister’s drug habit and to bring down the drug trade. That relatively simple premise allows “Coffy” to go from scene-to-scene with ease, establishing upstanding or unpleasant characters for Grier’s Nurse Coffin to protect or punish accordingly. Plus, at the time, a blaxploitationfilm with both a female lead and an anti-drug message was rare – so credit where credit is due.
#6: “Cleopatra Jones” (1973)
She’s a secret agent not quite like the rest. The titular U.S. government operative Cleo Jones gets drawn into conflict with Mommy, a drug lord whose poppy field she destroys. In retribution, Mommy goes after Cleopatra’s lover...but our heroine isn’t ready to give up without a fight. In fact, some sources claim this was the first blaxploitation movie to make full use of martial arts. The film was designed to be easy for the public to digest and reflective of black feminism, both of which appear encapsulated by Tamara Dobson’s combative, yet charming, take on Agent Jones. It’s fun and thoughtful, at a time when audiences could use both.
#5: “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song” (1971)
Odd name aside, this is an interesting film. Funded entirely by Melvin Van Peebles, with help from Bill Cosby, this independent drama tells the story of a brothel performer fleeing the Los Angeles police after an aggressive act of self-defence. In addition to being the lead actor, Van Peebles also produced, wrote, directed, edited and created the soundtrack for “Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song,” enlisting the as-yet-unknown band Earth, Wind & Fire to perform it. As a result, the movie has an eccentric, yet honest, feeling to it, mixing quick editing with a believable worldview that became mandatory viewing material for members of the Black Panthers.
#4: “Foxy Brown” (1974)
Back to female-led films with another strong outing by Pam Grier. “Foxy Brown” stars Grier as a woman who seeks vengeance against a drug syndicate for her boyfriend’s death. Originally intended as a sequel to “Coffy”, this film uses familiar ideas such as a strong heroine driven to action and drug dealers being treated as villains. Yet, “Foxy Brown” succeeds on its own terms, balancing the story’s racially tinged subtext with Grier’s natural charisma, sex appeal and on-screen toughness. And it offers a bit of fun, to be sure.
#3: “Blacula” (1972)
Back in the day, blaxploitation horror films were a thing, and this movie started it all. “Blacula” kicks off with Mamuwalde, an African prince, being turned into a vampire and laid to rest in a coffin. Two hundred years later, he awakens in Los Angeles... and proceeds to wreak havoc, while seeking out his lost love. What’s remarkable is how “Blacula” uses familiarity with horror tropes to avert audience expectations, while also delivering a fun monster movie in its own right. The rhythm and blues soundtrack doesn’t hurt, either.
#2: “Super Fly” (1972)
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What’s a drug dealer to do when he wants out of the business? That’s the question our “hero” Youngblood Priest asks himself in the 1972 crime drama, “Super Fly,” as he seeks enough money to retire. Ron O’Neal plays Priest as a confident man who nonetheless seems worn down, conveying his personal quest to escape with ease. What may help is that the film avoids strict moralizing, instead focusing on tension between characters and the resulting action sequences. As such, it’s as entertaining as it is interesting to think about. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: - “The Mack” (1973) - “Black Belt Jones” (1974) - “Slaughter” (1972) - “Blackenstein” (1973)
#1: “Shaft” (1971)
As the theme song says, he’s a complicated man, but no one understands him but his woman; I’m talkin’ ‘bout Shaft – can you dig it? This private detective gets caught up in the hunt for a mobster’s daughter, drawing Shaft into a larger conflict that could spell all-out race war for Harlem. The stakes are high, but Richard Roundtree’s cool, confident portrayal of Shaft keeps us grounded in the adventure. From charming dialogue to surprising twists on the typical detective story, “Shaft” is certainly not lacking in ways to engage – and how can you go wrong with a hero who’s introduced via a groovy, Oscar-winning song? Do you agree with our list? What’s your favorite blaxploitation film? For more evocative Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
