Latest news with #Blaxploitation
Geek Vibes Nation
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
Shout! Studios To Release The Second Volume Of Their 4K UHD Blaxploitation Line This August
Over 50 years since the Blaxploitation subgenre dominated '70s film culture, Shout! Studios is excited to bring forth even more hallmarks of the genre in Blaxploitation Classics Vol. 2 on 4K UHD Blu-Ray on August 19, 2025, as part of the Shout! Select line. This new collection of films includes Foxy Brown , Friday Foster , Cotton Comes to Harlem , Bucktown , Slaughter and Slaughter's Big Rip-Off , presenting the genre's most treasured stars such as Pam Grier, Fred Williamson, Isaac Hayes, and Yaphet Kotto in all their heroic action on Blu-ray as well as on 4K Ultra High Definition for the first time worldwide. This gritty, glamorous and gun-slinging collection comes in a 12-disc set containing newly restored 4K scans from the original camera negative, making these films shine like never before. The box set also packs a multitude of bonus features, including the new 'The Cost To Be The Boss' The Blaxploitation Films Of A.I.P., Part Two, an in-depth documentary featuring new and archival interviews with Blaxploitation film producers and historians. The iconic Blaxploitation-dominated film era celebrated over-the-top action, comedy and fashion in culturally rich filmmaking, and brought Black filmmakers, stories and foxy prowess to spotlights of historically significant heights. Film collectors and fans celebrating the genre can pre-order their set now on and receive an exclusive 18'x24' double-sided poster featuring the original Foxy Brown (1974) theatrical poster on one side, and all six theatrical posters for the films on the reverse side when they order online. Synopsis: It's time to hit the streets again with the explosive second volume of Shout Factory's Blaxploitation Classics! These six high-impact action movies shed further light on the '70s subgenre whose themes and stars still burn brightly today. Feast your eyes on fiery performances from Pam Grier, Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, Yaphet Kotto, and Godfrey Cambridge as well as unforgettable supporting turns from Eartha Kitt, Redd Foxx, Ed McMahon, Jim Backus, and Cameron Mitchell. Shout Select is once again proud to present a special selection of these highly influential and entertaining films on both Blu-ray and 4K Ultra High Definition. FOXY BROWN The legendary Pam Grier is pure unadulterated cool in the electrifying revenge thriller, Foxy Brown. Foxy has found her soulmate in an undercover narcotics investigator – but when he's brutally murdered, she swears vengeance against the crime ring responsible. Posing as a call girl to gain access to the criminals, Foxy discovers just how high the corruption goes – igniting a blistering war that takes her from the city streets to a remote drug lab to a mid-air battle behind the controls of a plane! But the most startling confrontations are yet to come, as Foxy plots her ultimate scheme to bring down her boyfriend's killers once and for all. DISC ONE: FOXY BROWN (1974 – 4K UHD): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Presented In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible) Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono Audio Commentary With Director Jack Hill DISC TWO: FOXY BROWN (1974 – BLU-RAY): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono Audio Commentary With Director Jack Hill 'From Black And White To Blaxploitation' – An Interview With Actor Sid Haig 'A Not So Minor Influence' – An Interview With Actor Bob Minor 'Back To Black' – An Interview With Actors Fred Williamson, Austin Stoker, And Rosanne Katon Theatrical Trailer Image Gallery FRIDAY FOSTER The Final Boss of Blaxploitation Cinema, Pam Grier, leads an incredible cast, including Yaphet Kotto (Live And Let Die), Eartha Kitt (The Emperor's New Groove), Carl Weathers (Rocky), Scatman Crothers (The Shining), Ted Lange (The Love Boat), Jim Backus (Gilligan's Island), and Godfrey Cambridge (Cotton Comes To Harlem) in this ultra-hip action classic. When photographer Friday Foster (Grier) uncovers a white supremacist plot to assassinate the country's top black leaders, she and her free-wheeling, trouble-dealing P.I. friend Hawkins (Kotto) go on a mission to stomp the killers' scheme. From the backstage murders at an oh-so-seventies fashion show to a pedal-to-the-metal car chase in a hearse, Friday will do whatever it takes to expose the corruption – but this time, she won't be shooting with just a camera. DISC THREE: FRIDAY FOSTER (1975 – 4K UHD): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Presented In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible) Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono DISC FOUR: FRIDAY FOSTER (1975 – BLU-RAY): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono Theatrical Trailer Image Gallery COTTON COMES TO HARLEM Detectives 'Grave Digger' Jones (Godfrey Cambridge, Watermelon Man) and 'Coffin Ed' Johnson (Raymond St. Jacques, The Green Berets) are on the case and in everyone's face when they investigate the crooked Reverend Deke O'Malley (Calvin Lockhart, Uptown Saturday Night). But when $87,000 of O'Malley's freshly laundered cash gets stashed in a bale of cotton, Grave Digger and Coffin find they're not the only dudes with an interest in cotton futures! Trailing the bale all over Harlem, they come up against the mob, the cops, and more in an all-out dash for the cash. DISC FIVE: COTTON COMES TO HARLEM (1970 – 4K UHD): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Presented In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible) Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono DISC SIX: COTTON COMES TO HARLEM (1970 – BLU-RAY): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono Theatrical Trailer BUCKTOWN It's a match made in Soul Cinema Heaven when Fred Williamson (Black Caesar) and Pam Grier (Jackie Brown) team up to heat up the streets – and the sheets – in this action-packed flick about a city ripped apart by prejudice and greed. Duke Johnson (Williamson) arrives in Bucktown to bury his murdered brother. Taking over his brother's bar, he crosses paths with a foxy local woman (Grier) and runs afoul of the local police force, who are as corrupt as they come. Proving he can't be pushed, Johnson calls in his friends from the big city to help him set things straight. But when the smoke clears, Johnson discovers that his vicious cohorts are just as bad as the bigoted cops they took down – and now he must rid Bucktown of his violent friends … by any means necessary! DISC SEVEN: BUCKTOWN (1975 – 4K UHD): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Presented In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible) Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono DISC EIGHT: BUCKTOWN (1975 – BLU-RAY): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono Theatrical Trailer SLAUGHTER The great Jim Brown is cleaning up the streets one mobster at a time in Slaughter! A former Green Beret, Slaughter (Brown) sets out to get the mafia man who blew up his folks' car … with them still in it! But when he blows up a planeload of mob henchmen, he finds himself the pawn of the feds who were also on their trail. Ordered to tail the gangsters to South America, Slaughter uses any means possible to get his man! Stella Stevens (The Poseidon Adventure), Rip Torn (Freddy Got Fingered), and Cameron Mitchell (Deadly Prey) co-star in this thrill-a-minute actioner. Get ready for the Slaughter! DISC NINE: SLAUGHTER (1972 – 4K UHD): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Presented In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible) Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono DISC TEN: SLAUGHTER (1972 – BLU-RAY): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono Theatrical Trailer SLAUGHTER'S BIG RIP-OFF Slaughter is back – and the mob's out to get him! Jim Brown (The Dirty Dozen, Mars Attacks!) returns as the ex-Green Beret who takes on the job of scorching the mob in this spectacular action flick! When a gunman tries to take down Slaughter, he knows his battle with the mob – and corrupt cops – is far from over. Helped by an honest detective and a pimp with a heart of gold, Slaughter goes on a mission to expose every politician and policeman on the take. But getting the incriminating list of names won't be easy. It's in the safe of the big man himself (Ed McMahon, The Tonight Show), and he'll do anything to keep it out of Slaughter's hands! DISC ELEVEN: SLAUGHTER'S BIG RIP-OFF (1973 – 4K UHD): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Presented In Dolby Vision (HDR-10 Compatible) Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono DISC TWELVE: SLAUGHTER'S BIG RIP-OFF (1973 – BLU-RAY): NEW 4K Scan/Restoration From The Original Camera Negative Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio Mono NEW 'The Cost To Be The Boss' The Blaxploitation Films Of A.I.P., Part Two – An In-Depth Documentary Featuring New And Archival Interviews With Film Producer And Son Of AIP Film Producer Samuel Z. Arkoff – Lou Arkoff, Film Historian Nathaniel Thompson, 'Truck Turner' Director Jonathan Kaplan, Film Critic And Author Odie Henderson, 'Coffy' Director Jack Hill, Associate Professor And Author Dr. Yvonne D. Sims, Film Critic And Author Quatoyiah Murry, Post-Production Supervisor At AIP – James L. Honore, Afrocentric Film Scholar Dr. Michelle B. Taylor, And Author And Film Historian Chris Poggiali. Theatrical Trailer Before we let you go, we have officially launched our merch store! Check out all of our amazing apparel when you click here and type in GVN15 at checkout for a 15% discount! Make sure to check out our podcasts each week including Geek Vibes Live , Top 10 with Tia , Wrestling Geeks Alliance and more! For major deals and money off on Amazon , make sure to use our affiliate link !
Black America Web
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Pam Grier's Iconic Roles That Changed Hollywood Forever
Source: LMPC / Getty Pam Grier, known as the undisputed queen of 1970s Blaxploitation films, paved the way for Black women in Hollywood by embodying strength, style, and resilience on-screen. Her groundbreaking career spans over five decades, delivering unforgettable performances that have earned her a devoted global fan base. RELATED: Someone Had The Audacity To Say Pam Grier Isn't Black Beauty Personified RELATED: Pam Grier Taps Into Her Inner Gangsta In Tubi's 'Cinnamon' Grier burst into stardom during the 1970s with films that gave audiences fiercely independent heroines rarely seen at the time. She became the face of a genre, bringing charisma and power to every role. Grier's performances didn't just entertain; they broke barriers, showcasing women not as damsels in distress but as characters who could command their own stories. The 1973 classic Coffy is perhaps her most iconic role, where she played a nurse turned vigilante taking down drug pushers. Her unapologetic portrayal of Coffy transformed her into a feminist icon of the era. Soon after, she solidified her status with Foxy Brown, where she became a force of justice once again. These roles made her a symbol of empowerment, especially for underrepresented audiences. Years later, Grier captivated audiences in Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown, proving her immense range as an actress. Playing the titular role, a smart and resourceful flight attendant tangled up in a money-laundering scheme, Grier earned critical acclaim, including a Golden Globe nomination. It was a triumphant return to mainstream cinema, showing her remarkable staying power. Pam Grier's legacy isn't just about the characters she played. It's also about the doors she opened for women of color in Hollywood. Her fearless performances continue to inspire, and her influence is felt across the industry. Grier shines as Coffy, a nurse who turns vigilante to take down drug dealers and crime bosses responsible for destroying her community. Her fierceness and unapologetic determination made Coffy a groundbreaking character and solidified Grier as the first Black female action star. Playing Foxy Brown, a courageous woman on a mission to dismantle a drug syndicate, Grier brings unmatched charisma and strength to the role. This film remains a cultural touchstone for its bold, unapologetic portrayal of empowerment and justice. Grier stars as Jackie Brown, a flight attendant caught smuggling money, in Quentin Tarantino's homage to 1970s Blaxploitation. Her layered, nuanced performance in this crime drama earned her critical acclaim and showcased her ability to master more subdued, complex roles. Grier plays Sheba Shayne, a no-nonsense private investigator who returns to her hometown to fight off corrupt businessmen threatening her father's business. Her intelligence and poise in this role highlighted her versatility as an actress. Grier takes on the horror genre in this sequel to 'Blacula.' Playing Lisa, a voodoo priestess, she radiates strength and courage while facing supernatural forces. Her commanding presence elevated this cult classic beyond a standard horror film. Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
The Guardian
30-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Soul, sermonising and wrestling Satan: James Brown's 20 best albums – ranked!
If you want a roll call of James Brown's formative influences, just check the covers on this album: Hank Ballard, Roy 'Good Rockin' Tonight' Brown, dirty blues supremo Bull Moose Jackson and Billy Ward's impressively morbid The Bells, which – never knowingly understated – Brown used to perform on stage with a doll representing his lover's corpse. A classic 60s JB album, in that it carelessly throws together singles, tracks from random sessions and live tracks (the version of Tell Me That You Love Me is ludicrously intense). The difference here is the quality of the ragbag material: Bring It Up, Money Won't Change You, Let Yourself Go, the effervescent sermonising of Don't Be a Dropout. Brown's second Blaxploitation soundtrack isn't a match for Black Caesar (below), often relying on transplanted or rewritten old material. You can see why the film's producers were annoyed, but if you ignore its origins and simply take it as 40 minutes of music, it works just fine – and the opener, Slaughter Theme, is superb. Brown's disco years have been much maligned, not least by Brown himself. The standard line is that he ended up sounding like everyone else, which just isn't true: the rhythms might have changed, but there's a sweat-soaked rawness to Mutha's Nature that resembles nothing else disco produced. They say that if you're going to buy a Brown album, you're best served by a compilation, and that is particularly true of his early years. But not entirely. Aside from the hits, Think! has a lot to commend it, not least I Wonder When You're Coming Home and You've Got the Power, both haunted by the ghost of doo-wop. An album that lies somewhere between funk and disco, with a title track that temporarily reversed Brown's commercial decline in the US. Quite rightly so: it's fantastic, particularly in the full-length version here. Moreover, This Feeling, I Refuse to Lose and, especially, the frantic Can't Take It With You run it close. The world could probably have lived without It's a New Day's thoughts on feminism – 'a man can't do nothin' no more!' – although its groove is magnificently hypnotic. Elsewhere, there's the peerless Give It Up or Turnit a Loose, a great remake of It's a Man's Man's Man's World and the fabulous, mid-tempo World. Usually a pioneer, Brown was a latecomer to Blaxploitation soundtracks, but had clearly noted the success of Isaac Hayes' Shaft and Curtis Mayfield's Super Fly. As with those albums, the music on Black Caesar outstripped the film it accompanied: check out Down and Out in New York City and Make It Good to Yourself. One thing the album format allowed Brown and his musicians to do was stretch out, something they were capable of without a hint of self-indulgence. Hot Pants offers just four tracks: the curiously titled Blues & Pants is a serious deep cut; while Escape-ism's squealing horns later turned up on Public Enemy's Don't Believe the Hype. Brown's 60s studio albums were so wilfully patchy, it's no wonder the occasional gem gets ignored, but I Can't Stand It When You Touch Me is a relentless delight. The lesser-known tracks (the instrumental The Soul of JB, the bizarrely produced stomper Time After Time) are as delightful as the big-hitting title track. Live at the Apollo's sequel captures Brown in a period of transition – what would come to be called funk is starting to stir. His band, the Famous Flames, sound as punchy as ever, but there is more space in the songs. Get the unedited deluxe edition, on which It's A Man's Man's Man's World lasts nearly 20 minutes. Proof that the Godfather's albums were more than just addendums to his hits. Soul on Top is, if not a concept album, then certainly a conceptual one: an unexpected set of jazzy R&B recorded with Louie Bellson's big band. Amazingly, it works – even the swing take on For Once in My Life, also recorded by Stevie Wonder a few years prior. When Brown began slowing down the rate at which he released albums, it led to an increase in their quality – here, even the evidently improvised slow-motion closer Never Can Say Goodbye is compellingly haunting. Point docked for including two spoken-word warnings about drugs – the sombre King Heroin and Public Enemy Number One, the two parts of which go on for what feels like months. The tracklist suggests a hurried dance-craze cash-in; five songs have 'popcorn' in the title. It might well have been recorded in a rush, but that works in It's a Mother's favour. A couple of ballads aside, the album feels like one ferocious extended jam, improvised on the spot, Brown barking orders to the musicians as much as singing. Tom Waits described seeing Brown live as 'like putting your finger in a light socket', which fits the music here: the handbrake turns of the 'fast medley' (three songs in 80 seconds!); the ferocious succession of tracks on side 4. And hats off for his rant against dieting: 'The more you got, the more I want.' As the 60s ended, Brown seemed to finally grasp that an album was more than a random collection of tracks. The title number is the draw here, but there's a real flow to the rest. The ballads and instrumentals are too good to count as padding, and the slinky groove of Licking Stick – Licking Stick is obviously irresistible. At this point, Brown had started billing himself as the Minister of Super New New Heavy Funk. The Hell album's My Thang reveals he wasn't exaggerating. An abysmal, inexplicable cover of When the Saints Go Marching In aside, it's all fantastic – plus the cartoon sleeve features Brown wrestling Satan and winning. Sex Machine saw Brown's band, the JBs, at the height of their powers, supposedly captured live. Over half of the album patently isn't live, but given how awesome the extended takes of the title track and Mother Popcorn are – not to mention the thrillingly improbable transition from a version of If I Ruled the World into a warp-speed There Was a Time – is anyone really bothered? Brown's label was dismissive of his idea for a live album, so the singer had to fund its recording himself. The result was an atmospheric, electrifying document of classic Chitlin' Circuit soul, both raw and incredibly tight: a relentless, no-pauses barrage of songs, strafed with the audience's screams and cries. Brown's career was about to take a commercial dive, but you'd never guess from The Payback; nor would you guess that it was a rejected film soundtrack repurposed as a standalone double album that's completely cohesive and immensely powerful. At least part of that power and cohesion comes from a shift in tone. In the midst of Watergate and a deepening recession, Brown's messages of empowerment now seem underpinned by a noticeable impatience and anger. The softer songs have a bleak, despairing tone, suggesting that, whatever Forever Suffering and Doing the Best I Can present themselves as, they're not necessarily just about affairs of the heart.
