YES, IT'S BLAXPLOITATION, BABY!

Bad filmmaking. Questionable politics. Incredible music.

It's Pam Grier. It's Antonio Fargas. It's Shelley Winters.

Sex. Violence. Stereotype. Wacka-wacka guitars.

Pimps. Revolutionaries. Righteous babes. Crooked cops. Fiiiiiine clothes.

No, I don't know why I love these movies, nor why this is among my favorite music in the world. But I've learned to stop fighting it and here is my celebration of a very complicated era in the cultural history of white/black relations.

I don't know if what follows is anything near a complete list--I doubt it--but here goes. I've tried to note what I know about its current availability. o/p means out of print. CD/anth means that one or some of the tracks from the soundtrack are anthologized on CD somewhere.

ACROSS 110th STREET (1973) Starring Yaphet Kotto and Anthony Quinn Music by JJ Johnson; incl. vocals by Bobby Womack video available, soundtrack CD The theme song so good they used it twice (see JACKIE BROWN below). BLACK CAESAR (1973) Starring Fred Williamson Music byJames Brown, with Lyn Collins video available, soundtrack CD CLAUDINE (1974) Starring James Earl Jones and Diahann Carroll Music by Curtis Mayfield with Gladys Knight And The Pips video available, soundtrack CD The feelgood black movie genre that was parallel to the Blaxploitation genre but with less violence. Features "Mr. Welfare Man" CLEOPATRA JONES (1973) Starring Tamara Dobson; with Shelley Winters Music by ?; incl. vocals by Joe Simon and by Milie Jackson video available, soundtrack o/p, title track CD/anth High production values; Dobson is amazing, and Shelley, well, what can I say. COFFY (1973) Starring Pam Grier Music by Roy Ayers featuring DeeDee Bridgewater video available, CD/anth; CD import "Coffy Is The Color" and "Shining Symbol," wow. Oh sweet revenge. COMEBACK, CHARLESTON BLUE (1972) Starring ? Music by Donny Hathaway video available, CD/anth "Little Ghetto Boy" is the gem here. CORNBREAD, EARL AND ME (1975) Starring Laurence Fishburne Music by Donald Byrd with the Blackbyrds video available, soundtrack CD The feelgood black movie genre that was parallel to the Blaxploitation genre but with less violence. DEATH WISH (1974) Starring Charles Bronson Music by Herbie Hancock video available, soundtrack on CD It's not really Blaxploitation, but the soundtrack is Herbie Hancock's contribution to the genre. FOXY BROWN (1974) Starring Pam Grier; featuring Antonio Fargas Music by Willie Hutch video available, soundtrack on CD Hmmm, lesbianistic villains! And really the best opening sequence of any film ever. An awesome soundtrack. The lady is super-bad! HELL UP IN HARLEM (1973) Starring Fred Williamson Music by Fonce Mizell and Freddie Perren with vocals by Edwin Starr video available, soundtrack o/p, title track CD/anth One of the best theme songs. JACKIE BROWN (1997) Starring Pam Grier Music by Pam Grier, Roy Ayers, Bobby Womack, and many others soundtrack CD Well, OK, it's not really Blaxploitation but it worships the era, has great music and so I include it here.

LET'S DO IT AGAIN (1975) Starring Sidney Poitier & Bill Cosby Music by Curtis Mayfield fetauring the Staple Singers video available, soundtrack o/p, title track CD/anth THE MACK (1973) Starring Max Julien and Richard Pryor Music by Willie Hutch video available, soundtrack on CD Brothers gonna work it out! PIPE DREAMS (1976) Starring ? Music performed by Gladys Knight And The Pips video available, soundtrack CD The feelgood black movie genre that was parallel to the Blaxploitation genre but with less violence. SAVAGE (1973) Starring James Iglehart Music by Don Julien soundtrack CD "On the streets or on the sheets, he's a savage!" SHAFT (1971?) Starring Richard Roundtree Music by Isaac Hayes video available, soundtrack CD The grand-daddy of them all. Who is the man who's a sex machine with all the chicks? SHAFT IN AFRICA (197_) Starring ? Music by ? Featuring "Are You Man Enough" by the Four Tops video available, soundtrack o/p, CD/anth SHAFT'S BIG SCORE (197_) Starring ? Music by ? Featuring "Blowin Your Mind" by O.C. Smith video available, soundtrack o/p, CD/anth SHEBA, BABY (1975) Starring Pam Grier Music by Monk Higgins & Alex Brown, incl. vocals by Barbara Mason video available, soundtrack o/p SHORT EYES (1977) Music by Curtis Mayfield video available, soundtrack CD "Do Do Wap Is Strong In Here" and "Freak Freak Free Free Free". More the prison movie genre, but it's Curtis. SLAUGHTER'S BIG RIP-OFF (1973) Starring ? Music by James Brown with Fred Wesley and Dave Matthews; featuring Lyn Collins video available, soundtrack CD "How Long Can I Keep It Up" is about as wonderfully trashy as they get.

SPARKLE (1976) Starring Irene Cara Music by Curtis Mayfield with Aretha Franklin video available, soundtrack CD The feelgood black movie genre that was parallel to the Blaxploitation genre but with less violence. SUPERFLY (1972) Starring Ron O'Neal Music by Curtis Mayfield video available, soundtrack CD Check out the awesome 2-CD special anniversary reissue from Rhino/Curtom 1997 SWEET SWEETBACK'S BADAASSSSS SONG (1971) Starring ? Music by Melvin Van Peebles video available, soundtrack CD Featuring Earth Wind & Fire THREE THE HARD WAY (197_) Starring ? Music by ? Featuring The Impressions soundtrack o/p, CD/anth TOGETHER BROTHERS (1974) Starring ? Music by Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra soundtrack o/p, CD/anth TOUGH GUYS (1974) Starring Isaac Hayes Music by Isaac Hayes video available, soundtrack CD A worthy follow up to SHAFT A TRIBUTE TO JACK JOHNSON (1970) Music by Miles Davis soundtrack CD It's a documentary but it's Miles. TROUBLE MAN (1972) Starring ? Music by Marvin Gaye video available, soundtrack CD It figures that Marvin Gaye's contribution to the genre would be both one of the highlights of the genre and the highlights of his own career TRUCK TURNER (1974) Starring Isaac Hayes Music by Isaac Hayes video available, soundtrack CD A worthy follow up to SHAFT UP TIGHT (1968) Starring Ruby Dee and Raymond St. Jacques Music by Booker T. & The MGs CD People say Van Peebles' SWEETBACK was the first of this genre, but they apparently haven't heard of this one. Man, that organ is amazing on "Time Is Tight" YOUNGBLOOD (1978) Starring ? Music by War CD and also enjoy: Isaac Hayes: THEME FROM "THE MEN" (1972) CD/anth; TV soundtrack Leroy Hutson: LOVE OH LOVE (1973) CD features "Getting It On (Theme from The Jay Johnson Affair)