History Main / Blaxploitation

* ''[[Film/AcrossOneHundredAndTenthStreet Across 110th Street]]'': A no-nonsense black NYPD cop and his older white partner investigate a deadly botched bank robbery and find themselves caught in the middle of a war between the black Harlem mob and TheMafia. Famous for its extensive location shooting in Harlem during the height of the BigRottenApple era.

The pivotal point of this genre is that the main character's most significant attribute is the color of his (or [[SassyBlackWoman her]]) skin, as well as [[ValuesDissonance stereotypical attributes associated with it at the time]], such as [[ScaryBlackMan intimidating appearance]], being "naturally predisposed" towards independence, [[CowboyCop lack of respect for authority]], [[PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes utter disregard of manners and formalism]], [[AngryBlackManStereotype preference for violent solutions over diplomacy]] and unquestionable badassery.

* ''VideoGame/MafiaIII'' is out and proud about trying to replicate the feel of old Blaxploitation flicks. Against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, you play a black Vietnam veteran out to avenge the death of his family at the Mob's hands (and the Mob's subsequent saturation of his home neighborhood with heroin). On the way, you get to take down TheKlan, evil hillbillies, and many an AngryWhiteMan. The "Faster, Baby!" DLC is even more so, with an AfroAsskicker helping you take down a corrupt racist sheriff.[[/index]]

** ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'': "Next, on Exploitation Theatre... ''Film/{{Blacula}}'', followed by ''[[Film/{{Frankenstein 1931}} Blackenstein]]'', and ''[[Franchise/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame The Blunchblack of Blotre Blame]]''!" - "Ooh, funky!"

* ''VideoGame/MafiaIII'' is out and proud about trying to replicate the feel of old Blaxploitation flicks. Against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, you play a black Vietnam veteran out to avenge the death of his family at the Mob's hands (and the Mob's subsequent saturation of his home neighborhood with heroin). On the way, you get to take down TheKlan, evil hillbillies, and many an AngryWhiteMan. The "Faster, Baby!" DLC is even more so, with an AfroAsskicker helping you take down a corrupt racist sheriff.
* The album ''Mack Avenue Skullgame'' by funk rock band Big Chief is presented as though it's the soundtrack to a nonexistent blaxploitation movie of the same name: Since blaxploitation movies often have a CultSoundtrack, sometimes to the point of eclipsing the film, they just skipped making the movie altogether. The music is mostly instrumental, but one can piece together a basic plot through song titles like "Cop Kisser (Mack Fucks up the Scene at the Freezer)", and through the few tracks that do have lyrics (which include "themes" for antihero Mack, his love interest Sonica, and antagonist Doc).

[[/index]]

The pivotal point of this genre is that the main character's most significant attribute is the color of his (or [[SassyBlackWoman her]]) skin, as well as [[ValuesDissonance stereotypical attributes associated with it at the time]], such as [[ScaryBlackMan intimidating appearance]], being "naturally predisposed" towards independence, [[CowboyCop lack of respect for authority]], [[PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes utter disregard of manners and formalism]], [[AngryBlackMan preference for violent solutions over diplomacy]] and unquestionable badassery.

* ''Film/BlackSamson'': A not-so-AngryBlackMan who runs a local club has to deal with multiple attempts by a white mobster to muscle in on his territory -- and soil it with drugs.

* ''VideoGame/MafiaIII'' is out and proud about trying to replicate the feel of old Blaxploitation flicks. Against the backdrop of the civil rights movement, you play a black Vietnam veteran out to avenge the death of his family at the Mob's hands (and the Mob's subsequent saturation of his home neighborhood with heroin). On the way, you get to take down TheKlan, {{Corrupt Hick}}s, and many an AngryWhiteMan. The "Faster, Baby!" DLC is even more so, with an AfroAsskicker helping you take down a corrupt racist sheriff.

The term ''Blaxploitation'' refers to a film genre, [[CyclicNationalFascination quite popular]] in TheSeventies and early [[TheEighties '80s]], in which the hero or heroes are black, and they have to fight some sort of battle, engage some enemy or otherwise solve some problem in ways involving violence, intimidation, or extreme action skills. It was [[https://harvardmagazine.com/2003/01/the-blaxploitation-era coined]] by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) when it was criticizing the genre for what it considered to be a negative image for African-Americans.

* ''Film/GreasedLightning'' slightly different tale, starring [[/index]]Creator/RichardPryor, [[Film/BlazingSaddles Cleavon Little]], and Creator/PamGrier, about an African American moonshiner and early NASCAR driver.[[index]]

The term ''Blaxploitation'' refers to a film genre, quite popular in the 1970s and early 1980s, in which the hero or heroes are black, and they have to fight some sort of battle, engage some enemy or otherwise solve some problem in ways involving violence, intimidation, or extreme action skills. It was [[https://harvardmagazine.com/2003/01/the-blaxploitation-era coined]] by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) when it was criticizing the genre for what it considered to be a negative image for African-Americans.

Typically the main character is a good guy such as the title character in ''Film/{{Shaft}}'', but in some cases he or she is an AntiHero, such as Priest, the drug dealer in ''Film/{{SuperFly}}'' who wants to do one more deal and retire.

The term ''Blaxploitation'' refers to a film genre, quite popular in the 1970s and early 1980s, in which the hero or heroes are black, and they have to fight some sort of battle, engage some enemy or otherwise solve some problem in ways involving violence, intimidation, or extreme action skills. It was [[https://harvardmagazine.com/2003/01/the-blaxploitation-era coined]] by the NAACP when it was criticizing the genre for what it considered to be a negative image for African-Americans.

* ''Film/TheCandyTangerineMan'': A pimp has to deal with TheMafia trying to force it's way into his business.

* If not TheMafia or TheMan, then the antagonists will usually be some other group / organization of bigoted white guys.

* ''Film/FoxyBrown'': A black woman (played by Creator/PamGrier) seeks revenge for her boyfriend who was shot down by TheMan. SpiritualSuccessor to, and originally intended as a sequel to, ''Film/{{Coffy}}''.

* ''Film/UndercoverBrother'' is basically an ''Film/AustinPowers''-esque parody of the genre, with the main character being a 70's blaxsploitation protagonist [[DiscoStu in modern times]] trying to stop TheMan from mind controlling black America with a chain of fried chicken restaurants.

* ''Film/TheHebrewHammer'' [[AffectionateParody lovingly borrows]] many of the tropes seen in these films and throws them in a pot with [[ANiceJewishIndex literally every Jewish stereotype ever]] to serve up the first ever "Jewsploitation" film. In it, our titular hero, a "Certified circumcised [[DoubleEntendre dick]]," is out to stop Santa Claus's evil, antisemitic son from destroying Hanukkah. Accompanying him is his TokenBlackFriend, Muhammed Ali Paula Abdul Raheem, of the Kwanzaa Liberation Front who more or less acts as an excuse to play blaxploitation tropes comically straight.

* ''Film/{{Blacula}}'': An 18th-century African prince gets turned by a racist {{Dracula}} and [[SealedEvilInACan imprisoned]] until the modern day. Spawned a sequel and many [[FollowTheLeader imitators]], including ''Film/{{Blackenstein}}'', ''[[Film/DrJekyllAndMrBlack Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Black]]'', ''Film/SugarHill'' and ''Film/PossessMySoul''. Interestingly, the original film had little of the Blaxploitation tropes, save the name.

* ''Film/SugarHill'' - After her fiance is killed by racist gangsters, Diana "Sugar" Hill enlists the help of her local [[/index]][[HollywoodVoodoo Voodoo priestess]], [[BoisterousBruiser Baron]] [[PhysicalGod Samedi]], and a gang of ZombieMooks in getting revenge.[[index]]

* ''Film/{{Shaft}}'': A black private detective in New York City has to find the kidnappers of the daughter of a negro crime boss; based off the novels by Ernest Tidyman. Spawned two little-remembered sequels and a TV series shortly thereafter, a similarly forgettable [[Film/{{Shaft 2000}} 2000 sequel]] starring Creator/SamuelLJackson as the original John Shaft's nephew, and a very poorly-received [[Film/Shaft2019 attempt at a reboot]] with all three generations of Shaft. One of the genre's biggest critical and commercial successes, though mostly known nowadays for its [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic theme song]].

Typically the main character was a good guy such as the title character in ''Film/{{Shaft}}'', but in some cases he was an AntiHero, such as Priest, the drug dealer in ''Film/{{SuperFly}}'' who wants to do one more deal and retire.

* ''Film/DiscoGodfather'': The unholy alliance of two hallmarks of the 70's; [[/index]]Blaxploitation and {{Disco}}. Rudy Ray Moore stars as a retired cop who runs a disco nightclub. He starts fighting against the local drug trade after his nephew gets "whacked out" on PCP and nearly dies inside of his club. Notable only for being the first film Creator/KeithDavid ever appeared in, [[OldShame which he probably regrets]], in which he appears uncredited as a patron of the club.

* The album ''Mack Avenue Skullgame'' by funk rock band Big Chief is presented as though it's the soundtrack to a nonexistent blaxploitation movie of the same name: Since blaxploitation movies often have a CultSoundtrack, sometimes to the point of eclipsing the film, they just skipped making the movie altogether. The music is mostly instrumental, but one can piece together a basic blaxploitation plot through song titles like "Cop Kisser (Mack Fucks up the Scene at the Freezer)", and through the few tracks that do have lyrics (which include "themes" for antihero Mack, his love interest Sonica, and antagonist Doc).

* The album ''Mack Avenue Skullgame'' by funk rock band Big Chief is presented as though it's the soundtrack to a nonexistent blaxploitation movie of the same name. The music is mostly instrumental, but one can piece together a basic blaxploitation plot through song titles like "Cop Kisser (Mack Fucks up the Scene at the Freezer)", and through the few tracks that do have lyrics (which include "themes" for antihero Mack, his love interest Sonica, and antagonist Doc).

* The album ''Mack Avenue Skullgame'' by funk rock band Big Chief is presented as though it's the soundtrack to a nonexistent blaxploitation movie of the same name. The music is mostly instrumental, but one can piece together a basic blaxploitation plot through song titles and through the few tracks that do have lyrics (which include "themes" for antihero Mack, his love interest Sonica, and antagonist Doc).

* ''Film/{{Blacula}}'': An 18th-century African prince gets turned by a racist {{Dracula}} and [[SealedEvilInACan imprisoned]] until the modern day. Spawned a sequel and many [[FollowTheLeader imitators]], including ''Film/{{Blackenstein}}'', ''[[Film/DrJekyllAndMrBlack Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Black]]'', ''Film/SugarHill'' and ''Film/PossessMySoul''

The term ''Blaxploitation'' refers to a film genre, quite popular in the 1970s and early 1980s, in which the hero or heroes are black, and they have to fight some sort of battle, engage some enemy or otherwise solve some problem in ways involving violence, intimidation, or extreme action skills. It was [[https://harvardmagazine.com/2003/01/the-blaxploitation-era coined]] by the NAACP when it was criticizing it for what it they considered it be a negative image for African-Americans.

The pivotal point of this genre is that the main character's most significant attribute is the color of his (or [[SassyBlackWoman her]]) skin, as well as [[ValuesDissonance stereotypical attributes associated with it at the time]], such as [[ScaryBlackMan intimidating appearance]], being "naturally predisposed" towards independence, [[CowboyCop lack of respect for authority]], [[PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes utter disregard of manners and formalism]], [[AngryBlackMan preference for violent solutions over diplomacy]] and unquestionable feats.

The term ''Blaxploitation'' refers to a film genre, quite popular in the 1970s and early 1980s, in which the hero or heroes are black, and they have to fight some sort of battle, engage some enemy or otherwise solve some problem in ways involving violence, intimidation, or extreme action skills. It was [[https://harvardmagazine.com/2003/01/the-blaxploitation-era coined]] by the NAACP when it was denouncing it for what it considered a negative image for African-Americans.

The pivotal point of this genre is that the main character's most significant attribute is the color of his (or [[SassyBlackWoman her]]) skin, as well as [[ValuesDissonance stereotypical attributes associated with it at the time]], such as [[ScaryBlackMan intimidating appearance]], being "naturally predisposed" towards independence, [[CowboyCop lack of respect for authority]], [[PoliteVillainsRudeHeroes utter disregard of manners and formalism]], [[AngryBlackMan preference for violent solutions over diplomacy]] and unquestionable badassery.

The TropeMaker[=/=]UrExample of this genre is either ''Film/SweetSweetbacksBaadasssssSong'' (1971) or ''The Black Klansman'' (1966). Note that unless indicated, if a movie is mentioned below, it's referring to the original 1970s/1980s version, and not to any subsequent remake under the same name. The Blaxploitation genre fell out of favor roughly around 1976, mainly due to the aforementioned [[UnfortunateImplications concerns from African American]] [[ValuesDissonance civil rights groups]].

The TropeMaker[=/=]UrExample of this genre is either ''Film/SweetSweetbacksBaadasssssSong'' (1971) or ''Film/TheBlackKlansman'' (1966). Note that unless indicated, if a movie is mentioned below, it's referring to the original 1970s/1980s version, and not to any subsequent remake under the same name. The Blaxploitation genre fell out of favor roughly around 1976, mainly due to the aforementioned [[UnfortunateImplications concerns from African American]] [[ValuesDissonance civil rights groups]].

* Occasional NwordPrivileges whether from the characters or from the film itself.