Blaxploitation's Back!


August 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17
at Pacific Film Archive

Twenty years on, Hollywood's blaxploitation films showcase great soundtracks, wild fashions and the talents of fine African-American actors and filmmakers. Included in our series (guest curated by Doris Worsham, the University Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive's Community Liaison and a respected journalist and film critic) are some classics of the genre, including Cotton Comes to Harlem, directed by Ossie Davis and based on Chester Himes's novel; a sparkling new 35mm print of Super Fly; Jim Brown, Fred Williamson and Jim Kelly in Gordon Parks, Jr.'s Three the Hard Way; Trouble Man, which was directed by Ivan Dixon and features a wonderful score by Marvin Gaye; The Mack, offering an early appearance by Richard Pryor in a drama filmed in Oakland; Max Julien and Vonetta McGee in the Western/comedy Thomasine and Bushrod, Isaac Hayes as composer of the music for Shaft, and actor in Truck Turner, and Pam Grier in Foxy Brown and Friday Foster.

Presented in cooperation with the Red Vic Theater in San Francisco.