Foxy Brown 1974
This classic revenge flick not only helped popularize the Blaxploitation genre but turned Pam Grier into one of the biggest sex symbols of the 1970s. Grier stars as the titular character whose boyfriend has undergone facial surgery to hide from the gangsters who are after him.
When Foxe’s brother, who is trying to become a pusher, needs money, he rats out the boyfriend, getting him killed and sending Foxy on a bloody path. She is put up against a powerful couple who deal most of the dope and prostitutes in the city. In order to take them down, Foxy has to go undercover as a prostitute, leading to a series of very violent encounters.
In many ways, the film was very innovative to the genre. It went the trend of most of the other Blaxploitation films by portraying the pimps and drug dealers as scum instead of with sympathy. It also borrows a lot more from the exploitation movies of filmmakers like Russ Meyer, which often featuring large breasted women in action roles.
While the script is not exceptional and the plot is rehashed from many similar films, Grier transformed the otherwise forgettable film into an instant classic. The film inspired several future projects as well, most notably Quentin Tarnation’s Jackie Brown, also starring Grier.
Thank you so much for joining me on this trip down memory lane. I hope this brought back some good memories, and hopefully a smile.
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