Tags
1970's, Allan Arbus, Blaxploitation, Booker Bradshaw, Coffy, Jack Hill, Pam Grier, Robert DoQui, Sid Haig
Film Title
Coffy
Director
Jack Hill
Starring
- Pam Grier as Coffy
- Booker Bradshaw as Howard Brunswick
- Robert DoQui as King George
- Allan Arbus as Vitroni
- Sid Haig as Omar
A well-known blaxploitation film that bolstered the career of its star Pam Grier(who would become the reigning queen of the genre), Coffy is an exciting film that surprisingly still has some resonance today. Some of the parts don’t stand up, but the overall product is still a spectacle to behold.
Coffy is a nurse who has seen the bad effects of drugs on her community. It has really hit home as her younger sister has become a drug addict and is now in rehabilitation after taking a bad batch of heroin. Coffy is at the moment dating Howard Brunswick, a smooth talking and seemingly nice councilman who is running for a position in congress and the one who provides some support to her. Boiling with anger at the anguish that she sees for those who are close to her, Coffy vows to get even with the people involved in the drug trade. The ladder of corruption reaches very high and branches out in prostitution rings, plus cops that look the other way as they are on the pay roll of bad gangsters. Coffy is given more of an incentive to take justice into her own hands and seek vengeance when a good friend of hers, who refused to take a bribe is beaten into a coma. With her smarts and attitude, she infiltrates one such ring posing as glamorous hooker. She sets about with her body and brains up the corrupt drugs structure and the gangs within it that are in front of her, primarily hoping to reach the main men in pimp King George and perverted Mafia boss Vitroni. Yet while fighting for what’s right, Coffy may just discover that the issue and the horror may lie closer to home than she thinks.
Jack Hill writes and directs Coffy in an efficient and gripping fashion. His script has a snap and streetwise sound to it, while his confidence in direction with the action keeps the film going along. Some parts could have been embellished, but Hill’s direction is still marvellously constructed and packs a punch when needed. His quick pacing is a good asset in Coffy, and straight from the opening scene where our main character blows the head off a drug dealer and gives his accomplice a taste of his own medicine, the film never lets up on the entertainment score. And the tension is more than cranked up in the last act as Coffy fights the goons of the dealers and later on brings new meaning to the word ball busting. There is enough gratuitous nudity, bloodshed and profanity in Coffy, that one associates with the genre. Some parts of this don’t have the same impact as they once did, but the violence still stacks up it must be said. And the many ways that Coffy takes out the corrupt gangsters and dealers she comes across is immensely satisfying as you can see why she is doing it. She just wants to stop the drug trade that ruined her sister’s life and with no one to help, it falls upon her to take often violent control in this situation. Though people may take issue with the whole violence and vigilantism of Coffy, that is to also forget the message in it. The film is clearly one that is against drugs and never loses that moral standpoint, which is refreshing to see for a film of the time. And Coffy is not presented as some superhero, she is really an ordinary women glimpsing the horror and actually doing something about it. An irresistible funky soundtrack puts you right in the middle of everything and has that tone of the 70’s that you just can’t shake.
At the centre of the film is the forceful and feisty Pam Grier, who was born for this role of the sassy vigilante. With a tough attitude, depth and sex appeal, she portrays the eponymous Coffy as a woman who has seen enough and wants to get right back at those who ruined her sister. Grier boasts both an emotional and physical presence that is hard to tear your eyes away from and it is easy to see why she is seen as such an icon in the genre. You would seriously not want to tangle with the character of Coffy, as she has vengeance and anger boiling through her waiting to ignite. Booker Bradshaw plays her man, who may know more than he’s letting on behind that friendly demeanor and clean-cut image. Robert DoQui and Allan Arbus both register well as the pimp and slimy Mafia man who Coffy is trying to reach and eliminate before they ruin other lives, just like they have done to her sister. Sid Haig steals the show whenever he is present as the vicious hit man for Vitroni, genuinely emitting something quite uneasy and creepy about the largely laconic brute.
Despite the moments that become ludicrous, Coffy ratchets up the action in many ways and you can’t ask for a better person to play the title character with the grit and determination of Pam Grier. This blaxploitation movie is a blast in more ways than one.
keepsmealive said:
I am a simple man. I see Pam Grier, I click Like.
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vinnieh said:
Thank you for the like and the comment. She is a real force of nature in this movie.
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keepsmealive said:
She is a force of nature all the time!
When Mike and I were in Toronto last weekend, we saw a boxed set of her stuff. I said “hey Mike, look, that Pam Grier boxed set is called Fox In A Box!” To which he replied, “well, what else would you call it? It’s Pam Grier!”
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vinnieh said:
Great story there. Fox in a Box, sounds very appropriate. I want to see more of her movies now, I’ve only seen this and Jackie Brown.
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keepsmealive said:
Oooo she was great in Jackie Brown, too. I haven’t seen all of her movies, but what I have seen I really liked her.
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vinnieh said:
Do you remember any of the titles of other movies she has been in?
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keepsmealive said:
A couple, but Wiki knows the whole list! 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pam_Grier#Filmography
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vinnieh said:
Cheers for that link man.
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keepsmealive said:
No problem! Always happy to send people towards the work of this fine actress.
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vinnieh said:
I’m making it a mission of mine to see more of her movies. She has a great presence on the screen, you can’t take your eyes off her!
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keepsmealive said:
She knew she had it and used it to great advantage! She’s fantastic stuff. Enjoy!
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vinnieh said:
I love how strong she is on screen, very commanding.
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keepsmealive said:
AND gorgeous! Have fun looking up her other work!
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vinnieh said:
She is a very beautiful woman. Love her look and style. Plus she has he acting talent too.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
I know of Pam Grier, but I’ve never watched one of her movies. Are you going to try any of her others Vinnie?
And, are you still feeling better?💁🏻
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vinnieh said:
She was in Jackie Brown, which I have seen. I may try and check some more of her stuff out. I want to watch some horror in the last few days of October though. I am feeling a bit better, not yet tip top but getting there. Thank you for asking.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
🤗
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Dude the cleaner said:
Nice review. I saw that on the recommendation of Quentin Tarantino who loved the film. I totally fell in love with it. Plus it has Pam Grier . Totally Awesome film.
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vinnieh said:
I too heard Tarantino talking about this film and I’m glad I saw it now. Grier kicks ass. I am actually just looking on your blog on what you said about it.
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Paul S said:
If you see only one blaxploitation flick in your life, this has to be it. Great review brother!
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vinnieh said:
It was a pretty amazing movie. Any other films from the genre I should check out?
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Paul S said:
Off the top of my head I’d recommend, The Mack, Shaft and Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song!
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vinnieh said:
All of them are noted. I think I’ve seen Shaft a few years back as I remember the theme song.
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ronbrownx said:
Pam is the Queen of my adolescence!
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vinnieh said:
She is phenomenal. I want to check out more of her movies, any suggestions?
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ronbrownx said:
I think her “best” work was in the 1970s. “Foxy Brown”, ,”Sheba Baby”, and, “Black Mama, White Mama” are just a few, there are several me that feartured “her majesty”. To me she was the black , Raquel Welch.
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vinnieh said:
Thank you for listing those titles, I hope to seek them out and view. Cheers for commenting on my review, I did my best to capture the feeling of the film and my opinion.
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beetleypete said:
I haven’t seen this one mate, but always enjoy Pam Grier’s style. That afro looks like one of my oak trees!
Cheers, Pete.
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vinnieh said:
I am looking into more movies of the genre after watching this. She has a real presence on screen, just wow. I’ve got some good recommendations from others, any suggestions from you?
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beetleypete said:
I’m not a big fan of ‘Blaxploitation’ myself, though of course I saw the more mainstream ‘Shaft’, which has a great soundtrack, and ‘Superfly’, which has an even better soundtrack!
I recall seeing ‘Cleopatra Jones’ and not thinking much of it, likewise ‘Blacula’, with a black Dracula.
For a better mix of the genres there is the excellent ‘Across 110th Street’ of course.
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vinnieh said:
I have a feeling I saw Shaft years ago but can’t be sure. Superfly sounds really cool and I’m always up for a good soundtrack Pete.
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beetleypete said:
Curtis Mayfield. The Master…Works great in the film.
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vinnieh said:
I’m listening to it now, now that is funky.
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ninvoid99 said:
I haven’t seen this film as I’m waiting for it to be on TV again along with Foxy Brown. After all, it’s Pam Grier…. she is a bad mamma-jamma!!!!
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vinnieh said:
I am planning to see Foxy Brown very soon. Enjoy that double bill.
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fragglerocking said:
Have only seen her in Jackie Brown, and she was brilliant. Cool review V~man, glad you’re feeling a little better.
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vinnieh said:
It has been years since I last saw Jackie Brown, though I remember liking it a lot. Many thanks for the wishes of good health.
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SLIP/THROUGH - Dan said:
Another good review of another classic exploitation flick. Pam Grier is a boss! I love this too, for all its grimy, greasy, gruesome b-movie charm. I hope you continue to expand your horizons. Check out my Weekly SLIP when you get the chance for some more inspiration on what to watch this week (based on what I watched last week hehehe). I just discovered another area of 60s / 70s cult cinema – Hammer Films and stylish Italian virtuoso Mario Bava – both were digging into… um, ya dig 😉
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vinnieh said:
Pam Grier radiates such bad ass qualities and effortless sex appeal, hard to look away. I will be over to your blog when I find time to read your recommendations.
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SLIP/THROUGH - Dan said:
* “were worth digging into” * dur, typos 🙂
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vinnieh said:
Don’t worry, typos happen to the best of us.
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