That's Blaxploitation!: Roots of the Baadasssss 'Tude (Rated X by an All-Whyte Jury)

by Darius James

Looks at the history of blaxploitation films, especially those featuring Melvin Van Peebles, Richard Roundtree, Jim Brown, Jim Kelly, Pam Grier, and Tamara Dobson.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312131925
• ISBN13: 9780312131920
• Release Date: November 1995
• Publisher: Griffin
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 7.0" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Good book but dont let your mama read it !

I'm into the whole 70's thing so I get this book thinking it would be good to check out those old movies my friends and I grew up on. So anyway , we're all sitting around reading and looking at the cool pictures when we get to the chapter containing the graphic details of a girl who has sex with a dog and gets the crap beat out of her! Eventough it was obvious the story was fiction ,it was so nasty I thought for a minute I brought a porn magazine! I almost let my mom(a saint) read it before me, I'm so glad I did'nt! It's a good book, just remember to keep it at the bottom of your underwear and sock drawer where the kids won't find it!

i dug it

the book was funky & frank.straight to the chase.i really enjoyed the style of writting.the book held my complete attention and i hope there is a part two.

A good start in studying this genre, but needs to go deeper.

Darius James' "That's Blaxploitation!" gives a decent account of the genre of American film that dominated the Black Box-Office in the 1970's; however, it doesn't reach the depths of what caused the rise of such films. It's humor is raw and raucus, but his obvious personal biases get in the way.

Getting the Shaft

Darius James' combination of humor and criticism made this a very enjoyable book to read. I am very intrigued by the genre and have been for years. I liked the interviews with the stars although I still wanted to know more about them. Perhaps a sequel book containing interviews with Max Julien, Ron O'Neal, Tamara Dobson, Jim Kelly (why did these actors drop off the face of the earth?) should be forthcoming. I also would have liked more comprehensive reviews of the movies. Some of the reviews were a bit too flippant. I'm a big Shaft fan and Mr. James was very harsh on all three movies, so I disagreed with him on those (although I hated those Burger King ads with a passion). I guess I've been pretty critical of the book considering that I gave it a "9" but that's only because I wanted more of it. The research that Mr. James did for this book was very extensive and very interesting. I still pick up the book every now and then and glance through it. As the owner of well over 40 blaxploitation films, I am more than just an avid fan of the genre. My friends and family have suggested therapy. All my criticism aside, this book is great fun for anyone (not kids), whether or not you are a movie freak.