to an untapped revenue market. And so blacks have come full circle as it is this market and its hopes for something better than images of domestics and mammies that first spawned the blaxploitation craze. There is no argument that blacks in film have made significant advancements since the days of popular blaxploitation film such as Shaft. However there is also no argument that blacks have far to go in receiving a fair and honest portrayal in movies and television.
Unlike with films of the LA Rebellion, Blaxploitation offered a portrayal of Black life that was entirely hyperbolic and often fictionalized to pull in Black audiences from poorer areas, who could not afford a television. With the insurgence of television in White American households, the movie theater was deemed a thing of the past. Families stopped going to films on a weekly basis because they had the much smaller and more convenient box at home. This prompted Hollywood to take on a more interesting
My first introduction to Rudy Ray Moore and his 1975 Blaxploitation classic, Dolemite, came in the form of the Xenon VHS release. My memory is a little fuzzy about the first time I watched Dolemite on my own, but I distinctly recall putting the film on one night when a group of friends were over at my place. The results were as expected: lots and lots of uncontrollable laughter. Of course, being in our early 20s, we were consuming beverages of the alcoholic variety, which did nothing but make us
80s. This movement consisted of African American filmmakers interested in interrogating images of race, class, and gender, specifically for black audiences. They were oppositional to Hollywood and mainstream cinema and thus did not want to make blaxploitation films. They despised racist attitudes or portrayals which glossed over America’s history of slavery and oppression. Teshome Gabriel was one member of this movement; he tried to decolonize the mind and align with struggles in Africa. He sought
Blaxploitation The Blaxploitation films were needed to reshape the past images of slavery. Blacks were exiting the Black Panther and Black Power movement, which the people had become profound to the use of drugs within urban communities. Therefore, the films were produced counter to the rise of drugs. So, the films were used as a framework to create new stereotypes of blacks being big bad drug dealers or pimps. The films were publicized in the media, which produced a greater outcome of people wanted
Blaxploitation Films and Their Importance: A Research Paper Bianca Van Vlimmeren San Jos State University Alternative Cinema Drew Todd Blaxploitation Films and Their Importance Blaxploitation was a revolutionary movement that brought civil rights progression in America to the silver screen. Developed around the early to mid-1970s, Blaxploitation was a genre that sought to break the boundaries of the stereotypical portrayal of African- Americans at the time, which were generally loyal
trials and triumphs of African-Americans, comes a new problem—blaxploitation films. Blaxploitation films essentially use African-American stories as a basis for their plots, but instead of being profound, are a detriment to representation of the black community. Tarantino’s film, Django Unchained, serves as the perfect example of a blaxploitation film, because: the film is primary based on a historical
was Blaxploitation. This sub-genre of film spanned across many different genres. Blaxploitation films dominated such genres as action with films such as Shaft (1971) and Foxy Brown (1974). Blaxploitation thrilled audiences with horror films such as Blacula (1972) and Blackenstein (1973). The genre made audiences laugh hysterically with such films as Uptown Saturday Night (1974) and Dolemite (1975). Since Blaxploitation spans across many genres what can be or cannot be considered Blaxploitation? The
The Cultural Impact of Blaxploitation Films Introduction This paper argues that Pam Grier’s outstanding and groundbreaking career in blaxploitation films, which include Foxy Brown, Jackie Brown, and Coffy, played a significant role in not only challenging and reinforcing racial stereotypes in the black community but also contributing to a fine distinction of understanding the cultural impact of blaxploitation films on the portrayal of African Americans. What is a Blaxploitation? First, it is crucial
The Blaxploitation Horror Film captivated viewers nationwide. These films, charged with the social and political issues of their time, were created primarily to appeal to black moviegoers yet drew widely diverse audiences. The premise of these films seems simple enough: retell a classic horror movie monster story, but infuse it with black characters in a modern setting. African-American filmmaker William Crain's Blacula, released in 1972, is arguably one of the most successful Blaxploitation Horror
Black Media of Color The media has had countless dilemmas with representing race and culture accurately and mostly by people of color. Such as the Blaxploitation movies and black TV and the attraction that they have to other races, mainly whites that also go to enjoy these cinemas and cultures. Whites always seem to be willing to accept the black lives on screen but never appear to in real life. But black people themselves have had some reservations about the very show and movies that put them
been nominated for many of these and has received many awards for a lot of these films. He is still acting and does not seem to be thinking of retirement any time soon. He truly is a great example of a great actor who rose to fame in the time of blaxploitation and also an inspiration to all those with addiction problems as someone who was able to overcome his problem and make something of himself.
is black. This change works for the film on multiple levels, firstly it is to pay homage to one of the films inspirations, which is the blaxploitation movies of the 70’s and 80’s (Semley 22). Also, Pamela Grier who plays Jackie also starred in many of the films from that era (The name Brown is also a reference to her film Foxy Brown). The homage to blaxploitation films goes even further than just Jackie’s character. Music in Jackie Brown has heavy tie ins to the blacksploitation genre. Songs like
suggests, Cleopatra Jones spoke to the yearning of many black women for more complex and empowered black woman representations. As a sister sitting behind Sloan at the movie’s end declared, “Damn. That movie felt good.” An iconic actress from the Blaxploitation movies is Pam Grier, who fit perfectly both the roles of a sex icon and a “supermama” vigilante. I will consider two of her films that differ in certain areas when it comes to portrayal of the black female and the permissiveness they use - Foxy
associated with ghetto youth seem to give life to the production of new popular culture trends in the United States” (175). Even with the genre’s popularity and commercial success, Watkins refers to the time period that these movies originated as the Blaxploitation era because of the exaggerated configurations of blackness (172). The movies Boyz N the Hood and Menace II Society are two examples of ghetto films that one may believe exploit the conditions and lifestyle of those who live in the hood. These
The Emergence of Colour In today’s culturally diverse, politically correct society, it is hard to believe that at one time racism was not only accepted as the norm, but enjoyed for its entertainment value. Individuals of African descent in North America today take the large, diverse pool of opportunities offered by the film industry for granted. Much like Canadian theatre however, there was a time when a black man in any role, be it servant or slave, was virtually unheard of. It took the blaxpliotation
candidates for slavery actually helps the reader explain the Black exploitation that is illustrated throughout the rest of the book. Alexander goes from discussing slavery, post slavery, Jim Crow, lack of economic gain, the War on Drugs, labeling, blaxploitation in the modern day, the successful celebrity outliers (Oprah and Barack Obama), and the silence we have seen amongst the once vocal civil rights activists. I realized... ... middle of paper ... ... selfish, dangerous black man in their heads
been altered and transformed — change is inevitable. African American fashion was heavily influenced by political movements such as the harlem renaissance and the civil rights era, music including funk and hip-hop throughout the 70s, as well as blaxploitation films that represented the black experience. The Harlem Renaissance was an extremely significant moment when African Americans decidedly promoted themselves as equals and relevant to the American culture. This era marked the historical movement
“I 've pretty much learned I can let that [being black] hinder me if I want to ... or I can fight for different kinds of roles.” This is a quote from one of the most well-known African American actresses in the film industry, Halle Berry (Halle Berry Quotes, Sucessstories.com). Most people aren’t aware of the rut African-Americans in the film and television are in when it comes to the roles they play. Have you noticed that most are placed as comedic or oppressed characters? There should be more diverse
By situating American film within specific genres and cycles, and assessing the modifications such narratives have undergone, a greater understanding of the way in which films have adapted presentations of black sex and gender roles, especially as a way of building and maintaining spectatorship, and constructing racial meaning becomes visible. Theorist Thomas Cripps argues that taking a genre approach to film study creates a dynamic exchange between the film, the film industry, and the film audience