BaadAsssss Cinema

2002 "A bold look at 70's blaxploitation films."
6.9| 0h58m| en
Details

With archive film clips and interviews, this brief look at a frequently overlooked historical period of filmmaking acts as an introduction rather than a complete record. It features interviews with some of the genre's biggest stars, like Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, and Richard Roundtree. Director Melvin Van Peebles discusses the historical importance of his landmark film Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song. For a contemporary perspective, the excitable Quentin Tarantino offers his spirited commentary and author/critic bell hooks provides some scholarly social analysis.

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Reviews

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.
Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional
Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.
Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.
Dalbert Pringle ("BaadAssss Cinema" movie-quote) - "Don't jive me, you lousy, black mother-fukker!!" For the most part - This 60-minute documentary was a pretty entertaining look back at the movie genre known as "Blaxploitation" which came into its own in the USA during the early-to-mid 1970s (and, then, like disco, it faded away into obscurity).Believe me - It was really quite a hoot looking back at the hilarious, bad-boy/bad-girl fashion trends that prevailed amongst blacks during those turbulent days in pop culture. It was all platform shoes, big "Afro" hairdos, and skintight outfits, non-stop.Through a continual parade of blaxploitation film clips, along with interviews from actors, film historians, and directors - The viewer gets a golden opportunity to enjoy a real slice of bad-ass cinema at its absolute baddest.*Final note* - I think that Quentin Tarantino (and his limp-wristed hand contortions) should be christened "The Countess of Flatulence". He really should.
Michael_Elliott Baadasssss Cinema (2002) *** 1/2 (out of 4)Quentin Tarantino, Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Melvin Van Peebles, Fred Williamson and critic Elvis Mitchell are among the people interviewed for this entertaining documentary that takes a look at the blaxploitation movies of the 1970's. At just under a hour there's no question that this doesn't contain the greatest details but it at least has many of the stars that were in the movies as well as people like Tarantino who has kept the genre alive for new fans to discover. The best thing about this movie is that we get some very good discussions about race relations at the time and how these movies were fresh and original and especially in how these movies helped give black crowds a different type of hero.The documentary covers not only the popularity of these films but also the controversy that haunted them. Both subjects are discussed in great detail and we also get some wonderful clips from various movies. There's also a great interview with Grier who of course was one of the best actresses from this era and certainly one of the most beautiful women to ever grace the screen.
AfroPixFlix Cold-blooded balance of entertainment and academic perspectives on the so-called blaxploitation urban films of the seventies. This is not only useful as a seminal film rundown, but also for its educative industry participant interviews. Two, of Pam Grier and Quentin Tarrantino, are respectively honest and energetic. Others, of Fred Williamson and Gloria Hendry, reek of bitter, unfounded entitlement. BAADASSSS also delves into the debates on the responsibilities, or lack thereof, this genre had to the broader socio-political context. Here, reviewer Elvis Mitchell provides especially introspective guidance. AfroPixFlix throws down 9 sho-nuff greasy cake-cutters for this Isaac Julien reel deel.
Artemis-9 Even I, who have seen Melvin van Peebles' Sweet Sweetback's Baaddasssss Song, loved every minute of this revealing documentary. Richly documented with inserts from the films that are being discussed on camera, or that merely give extra power to the narration; also, a number of newspaper clips with headers that made history, or highlighted the political change trends in the late 1970s. The number of people interviewed, and the important messages they deliver now - is a unique upraisal of their work of a quarter of a century ago. For me at least, it was also marvellous to see how Pam Grier, and Gloria Hendry, have gained weight, but are beautiful, sexy women even now. For the young generation, this documentary is also a good introduction to white/black relationships in the USA in the late 1960s - and a big incentive to discover nice, little action and nudity films of the 1970s now (unfortunately) mostly relegated to video warehouses.

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