Films Of Pam Grier.
"Foxy Brown"/"Friday Foster"/"Black Mama, White Mama"
"FOXY BROWN"
(1974)
Staring: Pam Grier, Antonio Fargas, Juanita Brown, Terry Carter, Peter Brown and Katheryn Loder
Directed by: Jack Hill
DVD Information:
MGM Entertainment - 16 x 9 Enhanced of aspect ratio 1:85.1 - Dolby Digital Mono - Audio Commentary with Director Jack Hill - Theatrical Trailer.
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"She's brown sugar and spice...and if you don't watch it, she'll put you on ice!"
"Foxy Brown" was originally penned as a sequel to Hill's mega hit "Coffy". The studio AIP (American International Pictures) had Hill change his script around to make a new character since the studio didn't believe a sequel would do well with audiences. "Foxy Brown" was a big hit but not as much as "Coffy". Through the years Pam Grier's character "Foxy Brown" has become one of the most admired and known 70's icon of this genre.
Beautiful yet deadly Foxy Brown takes to the streets seeking revenge for her boyfriend who is an undercover federal narcotics agent. When he is brutally murdered Foxy steps into high gear to seek justice on the drug lord who is responsible.
When Foxy discovers that it was her brother who tipped off these criminals she goes after him with gun in hand and warns him to leave town. Foxy then learns from her brother the name of the drug lord who had killed her lover. She then goes undercover posing as a call girl to settle the score.
With her raw energy Foxy hits the streets fighting the only way this heroine knows how. Backed by her sex appeal and street smarts this superwoman fights mean and dirty. In one of my favorite scenes Foxy enters a lesbian bar looking for her friend. When the girls give Foxy trouble, a bar brawl begins. After being threatened by one of the girls who claims to have a black belt in Karate. Foxy smashes the girl over the head with a bar stool then replies with, "And I got my black belt in Bar Stools". Foxy and her friend then take on these women one by one. Foxy is then captured by the drug lords men and she is taken to a shack where she is rapped and beaten. Not to fear because Foxy has a few tricks up her sleeve. She torches the shack along with the men and makes her escape. When she is released she discovers that the drug lord had now killed her brother as well. Foxy now wants justice. She goes and sees a group of black men known as the neighborhood committee. Now the war is on, face to face she stands with the drug lord and hitmen who had killed her man and brother.
This is an enjoyable 70's film with some flaws like not knowing who Foxy Brown is or what she actually does. But it is still very fun and entertaining at the same time. As the film opens we are treated to a colorful credit sequence that borrows from the "James Bond 007" films. From the trademark 70's ketch music to the old 70's hair and clothes Foxy Brown remains to be one of the best in Blaxsploitation films from this era.
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As part of MGM's "Soul Cinema" collection line this DVD rocks with a beautiful film 16 x 9 anamorphic transfer with no distracting film grain. I wasn't expecting the picture to look this good since the film is nearly 30 years old.
The monaural soundtrack was very sharp and clear with it's fidelity sounding almost stereophonic.
As for extra's on this DVD, we get the films original trailer which is fun to watch and an audio commentary with the director Jack Hill. This commentary was one of the best that I've heard in a long time. It was very entertaining and informative to the making of the film. Throughout the film Hill shows us that he's very passionate of his work and actors. He shares the fact that he didn't care for this film as much as "Coffy" and of the pressures that occurred with the studios control. The director explans how he was rushed in completting the script for "Foxy", while with "Coffy" he had more time. The only thing missing from this commentary is Pam Grier.
Overall this is a very good DVD. Great commentary, beautiful film transfer and a very enjoyable film itself.
A great job by MGM.
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"FRIDAY FOSTER"
(1975)
Starring: Pam Grier, Yaphet Kotto, Carl Weathers, Scatman Crothers, Ted
Lange, Jim Backus, Godfrey Cambridge and Eartha Kitt as Madame Renee.
Directed by Arthur Marks
DVD Information:
MGM Entertainment - aspect ratio 1:85.1 - Dolby Digital Mono - Theatrical Trailer.
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Pam Grier stars in one of her best performances as Friday Foster. Leading an all star cast with such known names as Yaphet Kotto, Carl Weathers, Ted Lang, Scatman Crothers and the delicious Eartha Kitt as Madame Renne. Friday is a photographer working for a magazine and is assigned to photograph Blake Tarr, the richest black man in america. When she arrives at the airport to snap his pictures an assignation attempt by three men lead by Yarbro (Carl Weathers) transpires. Friday keeps her camera shooting as the men begin shooting at Blake Tarr. Friday takes off with her pictures in hand and heads back to her magazine. The boss is impressed at what Friday had done but is also worried she may be in over her head.
Meanwhile, Friday receives a phone call from her friend who is a fashion model and states that she needs to see her immediately.
Friday in the mist of uncovering the assassination attempt tells her friend that she cannot make it but will see her the next day. When friday arrives the next day she is shocked to find that her friend is murdered via a knife in her back during a fashion show. Eartha Kitt then arrives making an unfortunate short appearance as Madame Renne who is a fashion designer. At her friends funeral friday glances around and finds Yarbro, once again at the cemetery. She instantly begins snapping his pictures. When she turns around he is gone. He takes off in high speed and Friday spots a hearse and smiles. Off she goes in high gear and the chase has begun. Backed by some cool 70's music the high speed chase takes place. Friday follows him to an abandoned warehouse. The two struggle and the police arrive taking Friday into custody. She begs and pleas with them as our killer makes his escape.
As the story thickens Friday uncovers a plot to knock off all of the country's top black leaders. Friday along side her friend Hawkins (Yaphet Kotto) goes on an action packed mission to stop this attempt. This is Pam Grier at one of her finest acting performances I have seen. Though the film plays more like a t.v movie of the week and delivers with weak results. Even though it has it's moments, in the end I found it to be a little uneven. This film doesn't run the same pace as "Foxy Brown" and seems to be a bit slow at points. The actors performances were very good though somewhat wasted in this blaxploitation piece.
Part of MGM's Soul Cinema collection the picture shines with a beautiful non-anamorphic 1:85.1 transfer, as with "Foxy Brown" it looks too good for a film of it's age. The mono audio track was also very crisp and clear.
As for extras on this DVD, MGM only includes the original trailer on this one. Overall this DVD will please all Pam Grier fans.
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"BLACK MAMA, WHITE MAMA"
(1973)
Starring: Pam Grier, Margaret Markov, Sid Haig, Lynn Borden, Zaldy Zshornack and Laurie Burton.
Directed By: Eddie Romero
*Note- Story was also co-written by Jonathan Demme.
DVD Information:
MGM Entertainment - 16 x 9 enhanced aspect ratio 1:85.1 - Dolby Digital Mono - Theatrical Trailer.
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What begins as a great women in prison movie turns out to be a lifeless dull film. A prostitute named Lee Daniels (Pam Grier) and a revolutionist (Margaret Markov) who are bitter rivals are chained together as they make their escape from their prison camp. The beginning of the film which I found to be most enjoyable has the two woman entering prison. When the bus arrives we meet the warden played by Lynn Borden who is a lesbian and has her eye set on Lee (Grier). The girls frolic around nude in the shower having a good ole time. I don't know about you but if I was sent to prison I would not be having a great ole time like these girls. Anyway, the warden becomes aroused. She sneaks into a hidden room with a peep hole and begins masturbating at the sight of these playful women.
On her first night in the prison what appears to be a little slumber party with some pot smoking, Lee is summoned to the wardens room. There the warden has let down her hair and makes her moves on Lee. When Lee refuses the warden becomes irate. She then threatens Lee that she could make life in prison nice for her or she could make it a living hell. Lee declines her offer and the warden is left with rage for this girl.
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Having more fun via a food fight in the cafeteria
the warden takes Lee and Karen (Margaret Markov) to the hot box where the two naked girls are put into isolation. Upon their release of the hot box the two are informed that they are going to be transferred to a maximum security prison. The two are then chained together and transported on a bus in the middle of the island.
On their journey Karens guerilla friends stage a coup. The bus is surrounded and then the shooting begins. In the mist of the attack the two girls take their chains and strangle the warden to death. They then make their escape into the wilderness bound together. It is from this point on the story seems to loose the fun pace it has had in the beginning. Lee wants to go and get her hidden money while Karen wants to go find her revolutionary friends.Meanwhile, Lees pimp is after her for the 40,000 dollars she stole while Karens friends are looking for her. A few fun cat fights along the way but not much action here.
The film seemed to drag from here on. The ending is dull and boring. Pam Grier to me looked like she did not even want to be in this film. All in all it's a B film, nothing to take seriously and with not enough camp to make it worth while.
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Part of MGM's Soul Cinema, and again MGM provides a beautiful enhanced 16 X 9 1:85.1 film transfer and Dolby Digital mono track. Colors are vibrant and sharp with hardly no visible film wear. MGM includes one of the films original trailers.
Any fan of this movie will be very pleased with this MGM release.
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