Displaying items by tag: Blaxploitation

Morning everyone!

Today is a holiday here in the States, so we’re giving the team a break. But we do have a bunch of new reviews that we’ve posted recently, including...

Tim’s look at Thomas Schlamme’s So I Married an Axe Murderer (1993) in 4K Ultra HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Dennis’ reviews of Alvin Rakoff’s Crossplot (1969) on Blu-ray from Imprint Films and Via Vision, and Harmony Korine’s Mister Lonely (2007) on Blu-ray from IFC Films and Vinegar Syndrome.

Sam’s thoughts on Vera Drew’s The People’s Joker (2022) on Blu-ray from Altered Innocence.

And finally, Stuart’s look at Philip Kaufman’s The White Dawn (1974) on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics and Luchino Visconti’s L’Innocente (1976) on Blu-ray from Vinegar Syndrome.

Meanwhile, in announcement news today, Kino Lorber Studio Classics has set a pair of much-loved Universal live action films for release on 4K Ultra HD, including Chris Noonan’s Babe (1995) and George Miller’s Babe: Pig in the City (1998). Both are “coming soon” to the format, with details TBA. [Read on here...]

“It really was Shaft that proved the true value of the Black dollar. Up until then Hollywood hadn’t seriously considered the breadth, scope and power of the Black moviegoing audience.” – Josiah Howard, author of Blaxploitation Cinema: The Essential Reference Guide

“With Shaft, an underrepresented audience finally got the representation they were thirsty for.” – Chris Utley, Shaft fan

“While the Blaxploitation genre lasted less than a decade before burning out, I always thought the Shaft franchise could have endured indefinitely, as the Bond films did.” – Lee Pfeiffer, Cinema Retro

The Digital Bits and History, Legacy & Showmanship are pleased to present this multi-page retrospective commemorating the golden anniversary of the release of Shaft, the groundbreaking, franchise-inspiring, crime thriller directed by Gordon Parks (The Learning Tree) and starring then-newcomer Richard Roundtree as the titular character.

Shaft, also starring Moses Gunn (Roots, Ragtime) and featuring Isaac Hayes’ memorable and award-winning music, was released to theaters fifty years ago this month. For the occasion The Bits features a package of statistics and box-office data that places the movie’s performance in context, along with passages from some of its film reviews, a reference/historical listing of its original theatrical engagements, and, finally, a roundtable interview segment with a trio of film historians and Shaft authorities who reflect on the movie (and franchise) five decades after its debut. [Read on here...]