CLEOPATRA JONES (1973) (Warner Archive Blu-ray Review)

CLEOPATRA JONES (1973)

Label: Warner Archive 
Region Code: Region-FREE
Rating: PG
Duration: 89 Minutes
Audio: English DTS HD-MA Mono 2.0 with Optional English Subtitles 
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (2.40:1)
Director: Jack Starrett
Cast: Tamara Dobson, Bernie Casey, Shelley Winters, Antonio Fargas, Brenda Sykes

Blaxpoloitation meets 007 in Cleopatra Jones (1973) starring 6'2" model Tamara Dobson (Chained Heat) as the titular bad-ass federal drug agent, who at the start off the film is napalming a large swath of heroin producing poppy fields in Turkey. Jump cut to a scene of the film's baddie, a drug kingpin named Mommy (Shelley Winters, Poor Pretty Eddie), screaming about how that "black bitch" just destroyed thirty-million dollars worth of her dope. In retaliation Mommy has the corrupt LAPD cops that work for her bust the drug-rehab house Cleo's boyfriend operates, which brings the agent back to L.A.. Now Mommy's goons are out for her blood, but this bad-ass karate-kitten might be more than Mommy dearest bargained for! 

I don't remember loving this film all that much the first time I watched it years ago, but I think at the time I was too entrenched in my love of blaxploitation goddess Pam Grier (Coffy) to give it an honest appraisal, but watching it again ten-years or more later the action-packed has proven to more fruitful and rewarding. This viewing I was able to more appreciate Tamara Dobson, a goddess in her own right, her character's a bad-ass, kung-fu fighting mama with a sweet-looking '73 Corvette Stingray, and an ever changing array of stylish outfits throughout the film, all of which serve to separate her from the rest of the 70's black-action pack. 

The film co-stars Bernie Casey (Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde) as her lover, plus we have the rubber-faced antics of Antonio Fargas (Foxy Brown) as a drug dealer named Doodlebug Simpkins, with his girlfriend played by looker Brenda Sykes (Black Gunn). Shelley Winters is a ton of fun as the over-the-top baddie, regularly mistreating her crew of henchmen who repeatedly fail in their assignments to kill Cleopatra. Mommy is also attended to by a pair of attractive women who seem to there only to serve Mommy alcohol when she gets angry, also possibly hinting at the lesbian leanings of the kingpin. 

Directed by Jack Starrett (Race With The Devil) the film has some fun fight sequences and a killer car chase through the streets of L.A. and in the L.A. River, capping the film off with a finale that takes place in a junkyard, making this slice of blaxploitation cinema quite a bit of fun. While not on par with Coffy and Foxy Brown, the presence of the 6' 2'' Tamara Dobbs packs a solid punch, as does a great supporting cast, including the scenery-chewing Shelley Winters as Mommy! 

Audio/Video: Cleopatra Jones (1973) arrives on Blu-ray from Warner Archive with a brand new 2019 HD scan, presenting the film in 1080p HD widescreen 2.40:1. The presentation looks fantastic with a clean looking image free of dirt, debris and imperfection, aside from what looks to be one single moment of digital artifacting that shows up in the airport action sequence, a squarish grey patch that shows up on her pant leg mid kick, you check it out in the seventh screenshot in this review. That very small niggle aside, the grain levels are pleasing, the blacks are deep with colors looking quite nice when called upon, especially the yellows, reds and greens. The film is not visually stylish or particularly stunning but the presentation is quite filmic and natural looking. The vintage 70's decor, textures and wardrobe all have some great detail throughout, bringing this slice of 70's blaxploitation to life like never before on home video, I doubt it even looked this good on the first night it screened at the cinema on opening night. 

Audio comes by way of an English DTS-HD MA Mono 2.0 mix with optional (ALL CAPS) English subtitles, the source is not the most dynamic but it's clean and well-balanced throughout, the excellent score from J. J. Johnson (Willie Dynamite) also sounds great. 

The only extras on this one is an HD trailer for the film, to bad we couldn't at least get a new commentary for this one, there's probably a lot that could have been gleaned from a film historian about this action-packed film, it is too bad they couldn't get someone like Dr. Todd Boyd who did the commentary track for WAC's Super Fly, or Sergio Mim's who did one for Arrow's Willie Dynamite.

  
Special Features:
- Theatrical Trailer (HD)

Warner Archive come through with a stellar presentation of Cleopatra Jones (1973) on Blu-ray, here's hoping they follow-up soon with the sorely undervalued sequel Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975).  This excellent looking Blu-ray can be picked up for under $20 right now, if you're  fan of blaxploitation and 70's crime film this is a very easy recommend. 

MORE SCREENSHOTS FROM THE BLU-RAY 

FOXY BROWN (1974) (Olive Films Blu-ray Review)

FOXY BROWN (1974)

Label: Olive Films
Region Code: A
Rating: R
Duration: 92 Minutes
Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 with Optional English SDH Subtitles
Video: 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1)
Cast: Pam Grier, Antonio Fargas, Sid Haig, Antonio Fargas, Peter Brown, Kathryn Loder
Director: Jack Hill

I must confess that pre-Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown (1997) I knew very little about the 70's Blaxploitation era of cinema, having only the most vague knowledge of Richard Roundtree's Shaft (1971) film and very little else. I had not even heard of the director Jack Hill at that point. However, after taking in Pam Grier's return to prominence starring role in Jackie Brown and the many Tarantino interviews that accompanied the film I went straight to Foxy Brown (1974) to see what this '70's exploitation classic was all about, and it was a pretty fantastic watch from the get-go, definitely a slice of some bad ass soul cinema.

In reality director Jack Hill initially set out to film a sequel to the successful Pam Grier vehicle Coffy (1973), also on Blu-ray from Olive Films on June 9th, but when distributor American International Pictures opted not to go the sequel route he re-purposed the ebony revenger and gave us Grier as the smoking-hot, street-smart Foxy Brown who kicks major amounts of corrupt white ass when her DEA boyfriend is gunned down by an heroin dealing escort service run by the villainous Steve Elias (Peter Brown) and the deliciously evil Miss Katherine (Kathryn Loder, The Big Doll House).

Foxy's fuck-up brother Link (TVs Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas) is a coke dealing delinquent and when his debt with Miss Katherine comes due he wins her favor by revealing the whereabouts of Foxy's DEA boyfriend resulting in his murder. Double-crossed Link ends up dead at the business end of a shotgun while his coked-up girlfriend gets her throat slit. The murder of both her lover and fuck-up brother sends Foxy off the deep end and into full-on revenge mode. Foxy sets out to infiltrate the whorehouse as would-be whore decked out in a few sweet seventies styles that are tight in all the right places, Grier is a stunning woman and those skintight outfits are very complimentary to her ass arsenal of kicking curves. Link at one point says Foxy is a "whole lotta woman" and he ain't lying, she's definitely an eyeful!

Foxy enlists the help of a vigilante group to reap her revenge but when they shake things up for the whore mongering heroin dealers get wise to Foxy's true identity and she winds up tied to a bed with heroin needle jabbed in her arm. Miss Katherine's diabolical scheme is to get Foxy hooked on smack and then pimp her out before sending her off to a slave-farm in Haiti - but you just know Foxy Brown ain't going out like that.

Jack Hill regular Sid Haig (The Big Bird Cage) arrives on scene as a pervy pilot in the service of the drug cartel, it's great to see him with Grier onscreen, there's an undeniable chemistry and they're quite a duo, even if the couplings short lived. Foxy Brown has a fun cast of seedy characters, including Antonio Fargas as Foxy's wise-cracking brother who cannot stay out of trouble, every one of his scenes is a winner, he cracked me up. Kathryn Loder's is fantastic as the villainous baddie plays well and Brown's portrayal of Elias is perfect, love it when he gets his comeuppance, a dong-slicing shocker that is long overdue.

Foxy Brown is an entertaining actioner chock full of 70's kitsch, black on white revenge, memorable bad ass dialogue and a sweet villainous duo, definitely one of my favorite of the 70's Blaxploitation movies, though admittedly there's a lot I have yet to see. If you dig the seventies exploitation films and you're not familiar with director Jack Hill's Coffy (1973) or his string of Filipino exploitation women-in-prison films you need to check 'em out right away.

Audio/Video: Foxy Brown (1974) makes it's American HD debut on Blu-ray from Olive Films, the 1080p widescreen (1.85;1) transfer is quite nice, sourced from a print in fantastic condition, the colors are vivid, contrast is sharp and there's a nice layer of film grain. The English surround sound audio is good, the dialogue, effects and the sweet 70's score are crisp, clean and free of any distortion. Willie Hutch's funk-soul score benefits the most from the HD audio upgrade, though I do which they offered the original mono audio as an option for the purists.

Unfortunately there are zero extras on the disc, if you crave commentaries and interviews you should check out the Region B Blu-ray from Arrow Video in the UK which is stuffed with goodies including a commentary from director Jack Hill and interviews with Sid Haid, Fred Williamson, Austin Stoker and Rosanne Katon. If you just want the film straight-up with no frills this Olive Films disc has a solid AV presentation that should suit your needs.

Foxy Brown (1974) is an essential slice of 70's soul cinema starring Pam Grier as the stunning and lethal Foxy Brown. It make for an entertaining Afro-centric actioner that's loaded with vintage fashions and gritty urban action, fun stuff and a definite recommend. 

Blu-ray Review: FOXY BROWN (1974)

FOXY BROWN (1974)

Label: Arrow Video

Region Code: B

Rating: 18 Certificate 

Duration: 91 Minutes 

Audio: English LPCM with Optional English SDH Subtitles

Video: 1080p Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Cast: Pam Grier, Antonio Fargas, Sid Haig, Antonio Fargas, Peter Brown, Kathryn Loder
Director: Jack Hill
Tagline: She's the meanest chick in town!

I must confess that pre-Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown (1997) I knew very little about the 70's Blaxploitation era of cinema, having only the most vague knowledge of Richard Roundtree's Shaft (1971) film and it's sequels I had not even heard of director Jack Hill at that point.  However, after taking in Pam Grier's return to prominence starring role in Jackie Brown and the many Tarantino interviews that accompanied the film I went straight to Foxy Brown (1974) to see what this Jack Hill 70's exploitation classic was all about, and it was a pretty fantastic watch from the get-go. 

In reality director Jack Hill initially set out to film a sequel to the successful Pam Grier vehicle Coffy (1973) but when distributor American International Pictures opted not to go the sequel route re-purposed the ebony revenger and gave us Grier as the smoking-hot, street-smart Foxy Brown who kicks  major amounts of corrupt white ass when her DEA boyfriend is gunned down by an heroin dealing escort service run by villainous lovers Steve Elias (Peter Brown) and Miss Katherine (Kathryn Loder, The Big Doll House). 

Street Smart and Lethal!

It turns out that Foxy's very own dip shit brother Link (TV's Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas) is a coke dealing delinquent and when his debt with Miss Katherine comes due he wins her favor by revealing the whereabouts of Foxy's DEA boyfriend resulting in his murder. Double-crossed Link ends up dead at the business end of a shotgun at the hands of Elias, while his coked-up girlfriend gets her throat slit. The murder of both her lover and fuck-up brother sends Foxy off the deep end and into full-on revenge mode. Foxy sets out to infiltrate the whores-den as a prostitute decked out in some super sweet 70's outfits that are tight in all the right places if you know what I mean - WOW - Grier is a stunning women here with a knockout physique and those skintight outfits are superbly revealing. Link at one point says Foxy is a "whole lotta woman" and he ain't lying, she's definitely an eyeful! 

Oh, Foxy Foxy! 

Foxy enlists the help of a vigilante group to reap her revenge but when they successfully start to shake things up for the whore mongering heroin dealers they get smart and catch onto Foxy's true identity. Now captured Foxy winds up tied to a bed with heroin needle jabbed in her arm.  Miss Katherine's diabolical scheme is to get Foxy hooked on smack and then pimp her out before sending her off to a slave-farm in Haiti - but you just know Foxy Brown ain't going out like that, not a chance!

Jack Hill regular Sid Haig (The Big Bird Cage) arrives on scene as a pervy pilot in the service of the drug cartel, it's great to see him with Grier onscreen, there's an undeniable chemistry and they make for quite a duo, even if the couplings short lived. The casting of the film is awesome, Antonio Fargas of TV's Starsky and Hutch as Foxy's wise-cracking brother is quite entertaining. Kathryn Loder's weird, sexed-up baddie plays well and Brown's Elias is perfect, love his comeuppance, a dong-slicing shocker and the way it's carried through is quite wonderful.

Foxy Brown is an entertaining actioner chock full of 70's kitsch, black on white revenge, memorable dialogue and a sweet villainous duo, definitely one of my favorite of the 70's Blaxploitation classics, though admittedly there's a lot I have yet to see. If you're not familiar with director Jack Hill's Spider Baby! (1968), Coffy (1973) or his Filipino exploitation women-in-prison films you need to check 'em out! 
    

Main Menu

Blu-ray: Jack Hill's Foxy Brown (1974) makes it's hi-def debut on Blu-ray from the UK's Arrow Video, it's region-b locked so if you have not gone region-FREE yet you definitely should, if not you are missing out on some great edition of beloved genre favorites from Arrow, Second Sight, Umbrella Entertainment and Shameless Screen Entertainment! The 1080p widescreen (1.85;1) transfer is wonderful, sourced from a very fine print the colors are vivid, contrast is sharp and there's a nice layer of film grain intact - there's nothing to complain about here, it's a solid image with some nice fine detail, a very nice remastering of the film and an attractive visual presentation. 

The English LPCM  audio track is very solid as well. Dialogue, effects and score sound come through clean and free of snap, crackle and pops while Willie Hutch's score probably benefits the most, it's a nice score if not super remarkable, it's pretty standard for the genre in my opinion, not anywhere near Curtis Mayfield's iconic scoring of Gordon Parks Jr.'s Super Fy (1972). 

On to the bonus content we have the audio commentary by director Jack Hill from the previous DVD edition, he's very honest in his appreciation of the film, stating his distaste for the 007-esque title sequence and his belief that Coffy (1973) was a superior film. We have three excellent featurettes from High Rising Productions beginning with From Black and White to Blaxploitation (19:52) featuring actor Sid Haig speaking at length about friendship with Jack Hill beginning with working on his short-subject student film The Host and his first feature length project, the cult-classic Spider Baby! (1968), the Filipino exploitation stuff, being enamored with Grier from the start and some fun anecdotes. Haig is always an entertaining figure, I could listen to him for hours, for more of him on-camera I recommend Arrow's Spider-Baby Blu-ray which features some great extras with Haig including a commentary and Mark Hartley's Machete Maidens Unleashed! (2010), fantastic watches. 

Reversible Artwork

Up next is Back to Black (25:06) featuring interviews with legendary actors Fred “The Hammer” Williamson (Black Caesar) and Austin Stoker (Sheba Baby, Assault on Precinct 13), alongside Rosanne Katon (Ebony, Ivory, and Jade) and film scholar Howard S. Berger whom each speak about the beginning of and the legacy of  genre. Williamson is great as always, quite a presence and the discussion from all are quite thoughtful and introspective. 

The last of the featurettes is A Not So Minor Influence (18:57) with Bob Minor, the first African-American member of the Stuntman’s Association, whom played a member of the Black Panther-esque vigilante group named "Oscar" in the film. He speaks about breaking into the business, being hired by Jack Hill to help make Grier into an "action queen", the various stunts in the film, Grier's stunt double Jadie David and his favorite scene. 

Also on the disc are an image gallery and a Jack Hill Trailer Reel featuring Spider Baby! (1968), Pit Stop (1969), The Big Doll House (1971), The Big Bird Cage (1972), Coffy (1973), Foxy Brown (1974), The Swinging Cheerleaders (1974), Switchblade Sisters (1975) and Sorceress (1982). This is a fantastic edition from Arrow Video, good to see the UK love for Jack Hill with Blu-rays of this film and Spider Baby, hope to see more Arrow Blaxploitation titles very soon. 

Limited Edition Steelbook Edition

I was sent a screener sans packaging so I cannot comment on the non-disc extras but should you purchase the retail version, and I highly recommend you do, there's a reversible sleeve of artwork featuring newly commissioned artwork by The Red Dress and a collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Josiah Howard, author of Blaxploitation Cinema: The Essential Reference Guide, a new interview with Pam Grier by Jack Hill biographer Calum Waddell, illustrated with original archive stills and posters. Also available is a limited edition steelbook version of the film with the same features, this is a very sweet edition with over-an-hour of new featurettes, it's been a great year from Arrow Video and outstanding special edition releases.



Blu-ray Special Features:
- Audio commentary with director Jack Hill
- From Black and White to Blaxploitation – Actor Sid Haig speaks about his long and influential friendship with Jack Hill (19:52)
- A Not So Minor Influence – An Interview with Bob Minor, the first African-American member of the Stuntman’s Association, and co-star of Foxy Brown (18:57)
- Back to Black – Legendary actors Fred “The Hammer” Williamson (Black Caesar) and Austin Stoker (Sheba Baby, Assault on Precinct 13), alongside Rosanne Katon (Ebony, Ivory, and Jade) and film scholar Howard S. Berger speak about the enduring popularity of the Blaxploitation film (25:06)
- Photo gallery of behind-the-scenes and publicity images
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Trailer Reel – Trailers for all the major works by Jack Hill including Foxy Brown, Coffy and Switchblade Sisters

Verdict: Foxy Brown (1974) is an essential slice of seedy 70's cinema. Pam Grier's stunning and her street smart and lethal alter ego Foxy Brown make for an entertaining Afro-centric actioner that's loaded with kitschy 70's fashions and gritty urban action, fun stuff and a definite recommend. 3.5 Outta 5