Foxy Brown
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.00 You Save: $11.98 (80%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.97 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Foxy Brown
Movie Review: Pam Grier is hott
Summary: 5 Stars
The first time I saw her was in Jackie Brown, and, she still looks good. But, shes way hott in this. Definitely worth seeing.Movie Review: Pam Grier, that one chick hit squad who creamed you in Coffy, is back!
Summary: 4 Stars
Following the success of her film Coffy (1973), Pam Grier appeared in this film, titled Foxy Brown (1974), which was originally intended to be a sequel to Coffy titled "Burn, Coffy, Burn!", but was changed for some unknown reason by those at American International Pictures prior to filming to be a stand alone film, featuring a different, yet similar character. Written and directed by Jack Hill (Spider Baby, The Big Doll House, Switchblade Sisters), the film includes Antonio `Huggy Bear' Fargas (Cleopatra Jones, "Starsky and Hutch"), Terry Carter (Abby, "Battlestar Galactica"), Kathryn Loder (The Big Doll House), Sid Haig (Spider Baby, The Big Doll House), Juanita Brown (Caged Heat), and Peter Brown (Kitten with a Whip), who looks a lot like Bryan Cranston, the actor that played the father on the show "Malcolm in the Middle".
After an opening credit sequence obviously influenced by the works of Maurice Binder (Binder is probably best known for his opening credit sequences on many of the James Bond films) we see a character named Link Brown (Vargas)...he'll always be Huggy Bear to me...walking down the city street at night, being tailed by two hoodlum types in a car. During a slight reprieve he phones his sister, namely one Foxy Brown (Grier) for help, providing our first shot of Ms. Grier's naughty pillows. Just as Huggy, er...I mean Link is about to get a beat down of momentous proportions, Foxy shows up to save the day by running down the two muthas with her car. Seems Link, a low level pusher among other things, has gotten into a local criminal organization for a whole lot of bread (twenty G's, to be exact), and now they're looking for payment...with his life! Anyway, Link, being the sniveling, opportunistic worm he is decides to rat out Foxy's boyfriend Dalton (Carter), an undercover narcotics detective whose just had plastic surgery, to the gang in exchange for his skin, which results in Dalton, now known as Michael, ending up with a terminal case of lead poisoning. After a vengeful Foxy beats the crud out of Link, she decides to infiltrate the gang, which is led by a woman named Catherine (Loder) and her pretty boy toy Steve (Brown). Posing as a call girl, which the gang uses to appease local public officials (judges and what not) into looking the other way with regards to the criminal activities of those in their organization, Foxy soon finds herself a target of the gang, as they catch up with her after a brawl in a butch bar, and she's sent to an out of the way ranch where the gang processes their drugs. While there Foxy suffers some serious abuse (and we get another showing of Pam's amazing boobage), to which she eventually gets her revenge via some coat hangers and gasoline (you'll have to see the movie if you want more), and continues her vendetta against the gang, enlisting the aide of some Black Panther types from the neighborhood, all leading up to one heck of a finale that includes someone losing a particularly vital appendage...
While I thought this film not as tight as Coffy, it's still a lot of fun and provides a good example why Ms. Grier deserves the crown of Queen of the Blaxpoiltation genre, a title she may, or may not, bear with some amount of pride. As I mentioned earlier this film was originally meant to be a sequel to Coffy, but the powers that be at AIP decided not to go that route, and, as a result there are some weaknesses in terms of proper character development but that seems a fairly moot point as few went into this film looking for that kind of thing, even if it was present in Grier's earlier film. Grier doesn't seem to have the intensity here as displayed in Coffy, but even at half speed she's still a lot of fun to watch...and the fact she didn't seem shy about showing off her voluptuous figure didn't hurt, either (the sequences here were good, but those in Coffy were better). There's a number of memorable lines throughout the film, but the one that sticks out in my mind occurs when Foxy, posing as an escort, accompanies another woman to a gathering where they're supposed to provided entertainment for a sleazy judge. As the old man corrals the girls into a separate room one of the Judge's friends yells out the following...
"That's an awful lot of chocolate for one man, Fred!"
Nice...I did learn a number of things throughout the course of this film, including the following...
1. Pam Grier's got a gargantuan rack.
2. Jumping into the sunroof of a speeding car probably isn't the best way to catch a ride.
3. Modeling agencies can sometimes be a front for escort services.
4. Old Caucasian men in positions of power are particularly piggish and skeevy.
5. Someone owns a pair of boxer shorts festooned with giant, red hearts and actually wears them.
6. The darker the meat the sweeter the berry, or so I've heard.
7. A barstool upside the head beats a black belt around the waist every time.
8. Lesbians like Coors Beer.
9. Pam Grier is very talented with her tongue, enough so she can use it to pick up a razor blade left on a nightstand while tied to a bed.
10. Never stand in front of the propeller of a moving plane (especially when an African American woman with a grudge is driving).
11. Frisking Pam Grier for weapons is probably the biggest perk that henchmen ever got..
12. A giant Afro makes a great place to hide a gun.
Director Hill keeps things moving along with lots of action, including some pretty graphic violence, although the worst bits aren't shown (Foxy's defilement at the ranch, Steve's fate) but rather left to the viewer's imagination. There's also a good deal of racial slurs tossed about, primarily by the often overly sadistic, antagonistic elements in the film (all of whom happen to be Caucasian), followed up those issuing said remarks getting their just comeuppance. While Foxy Brown may not be the best in the genre, it's still better than a lot of the features cranked out at the time, particularly due to Hill's capabilities and willingness to get downright nasty, for lack of a better term.
The picture, presented in widescreen (1.85:1), enhanced for 16X9 TVs, looks very clean and the Dolby Digital mono audio comes through clearly. Extras include an audio commentary track with writer/director Jack Hill, an original theatrical trailer, and subtitles in both French and Spanish (no English). It would have been nice if they could have gotten Ms. Grier involved on the commentary, but oh well...
Cookieman108
By the way, there are a couple of boxed DVD sets out there with Pam Grier's films (one's called `Fox in a Box' and the other is called `The Best of Soul Cinema DVD Collection', both released by MGM), so if you're interested in buying this film, you might want to check out the availability on those sets as it might save you some green rather than buying the films individually.
Movie Review: Grier does it again
Summary: 4 Stars
I continue to marvel at the DVD revolution. When I first learned about DVD several years ago, I rightly figured that it would change the way we watch movies. What I didn't figure on was how much. Thanks to the acquisition of a relatively cheap player and a cheaper subscription to a rental service, I can sit in front of the television set EVERY NIGHT and watch cult, exploitation, horror, action, and other films in dozens of genres that were next to impossible to find a few years ago. And if you could find a beat up VHS copy of a low budget classic, for example, you would pay top dollar for the privilege because you had to buy, not rent, the film. Video stores out where I live long ago quit carrying the sorts of films I longed to see. Heck, the last time I considered myself lucky at the local movie store was when I found an uncut version of Joe D'Amato's "Buio Omega," under the name "Buried Alive," at a major retailer well known for not carrying such cinematic treasures. And that was probably fifteen years ago! Yep, DVD is not only here to stay but also keeps growing by leaps and bounds. No film is too outrageous for rerelease on DVD, which is where Jack Hill's blaxploitation epics enter the picture.
First Hill gave us Pam Grier in the over the top "Coffy." The following year he gave us an eyeful of Pam again in "Foxy Brown." The latter film is a real hoot, a film that contains lots of sleazy scenes done with a style that only the 1970s could bring us. Grier stars as, not surprisingly, Foxy Brown, a woman just trying to do the right things in life. When her narcotics agent boyfriend Michael Anderson (Terry Carter) perishes at the hands of thugs in the employ of the notorious drug kingpin Katherine Wall (Kathryn Loder), it's time to kick some serious you know what! Foxy goes on her own undercover mission to bring down Wall and her vicious sidekick Steve Elias (Peter Brown), and she uses every asset she can to accomplish her task. Her job is made more difficult thanks to her no good drug dealing brother Link (Antonio Fargas), whose debts to Wall's operation virtually insure that he will do something that his sister finds morally reprehensible. Her brother initially turns to his sister for help when Wall's heavies turn up the heat, but it's all over when he learns about Foxy's boyfriend and how much his employers want this guy. Foxy must now turn against her own flesh and blood if she wants to seek revenge.
By posing as the voluptuous Misty Cotton, Foxy infiltrates Wall's personal harem in an effort to gather evidence against those responsible for her personal tragedy. What Brown discovers is an operation involved in all sorts of illicit activities, oftentimes activities that prey on the black community. In fact, Foxy will eventually enlist the assistance of a local Black Panther type group dedicated to the eradication of drugs in the community. In the process of righting wrongs, she makes friends with another working girl, discovers that corruption runs high up in the city's power structure, and narrowly survives a dangerous abduction. Foxy punches, stabs, shoots, kicks, and even sets fire to anyone who stands in her way. She's not above stashing weapons in her Afro, either. And she does it all while wearing the funkiest fashions these eyes have seen since Grier donned even more outrageous clothes in "Coffy." The conclusion to "Foxy Brown" ranks as one of the most jaw dropping denouements in cinematic history--at least in B movie history. It's sleazy and seedy, and completely fitting considering the film deals with a strong woman asserting herself.
"Foxy Brown" isn't quite as good as "Coffy," but it's darn close. I missed the excellent cat fighting sequences found in the first film, the razorblades in the Afro trick, and Grier's Jamaican accent. While there is a chick fight in a bar here, it isn't as well choreographed and isn't as much fun. The violence her also doesn't quite live up to Hill and Grier's earlier collaboration. "Coffy" had a nifty exploding head scene and a nasty sequence involving a guy being dragged by a car. "Foxy Brown" can't really compete with these outrageous scenes--aside from it's ending, of course--but it doesn't really matter. The film is still a blast as Grier does what she does best: kill the bad guys and look good doing it. Sid Haig even shows up in a small role as a fast talking pilot who falls under Foxy's charms and soon regrets his decision. There's even an unintentionally hilarious part at the end of the film when we hear a voice over say "Superbaaaaad!" as Grier gets in a car. Oh man, I laughed so hard my sides hurt when I heard that gem. But further reflection proves the veracity of that statement--Foxy is superbad, and in a great way that continues to entertain viewers who weren't even born when this film first arrived on the scene.
The extras on the disc include a very nice transfer of the film, a trailer, and another monotonous commentary from Jack Hill. While the guy made some great exploitation films, both blaxploitation and women in prison flicks, listening to his commentaries is often an excruciating experience. I still recommend giving them a quick pass through, however, since Hill always throws out a few intriguing comments about surviving the low budget filmmaking process. If you're just starting out with the blaxploitation genre, start with "Coffy" and then move on to this one. You'll like it.
Movie Review: Hidden Treasure
Summary: 4 Stars
Both at the time of it's 1974 release--and today, this movie has received harsh criticism from critics too eager to consign it to history's trash heap. This is rather unfortunate because the low-budget screenplay has much to offer American society.
Yes, there is a large amount of violence and sexual scenes throughout Pam Grier's star vehicle, but "blaxploitation" movies were not designed to show the world as pristine and sweet. Instead, the gritty plot (and ironically, the retrospective filming tecniques) remind the audience that the world isn't always safe and there are people who do have a "rough life" but can and do hold their own in that world. On top of that, the protagonists actively dedicate themselves to stopping the injustice without appology or compromise.
For the cultural studies or social scientist, the film also shines by allowing us to see race, socioecconomic status and gender issues continously explored throughout the release. Even if wardrobe and props look severely dated, the screen play's plot (and subsequently raised "food for thought") has kept it's relevancy.
When Foxy goes undercover in Ms. Katherine's harem, she finds the clients are white male politicians, a commentary on power exploitation that ironically resurfaced with Anita Hill's treatment before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee many years later. Indeed, when Foxy is fighting men, the antagonist is usally white, ecconomically poweful, and sexually lecherous.
At the same time, both a reference to people with disabilities as "cripple" (disability rights had not yet permeated the nation in 1974)and caricature of most lesbians (sans a sympathetic bystander in the bar)as 'evil and sadistic' virtually guarantee this movie cannot ever be classified as a "politically correct" production. Individuals watching this feature need to take the above scenes with a grain of salt.
Still, despite portions of the screen play, and over the top 70's fashion, it is a cut far above such white "camp" as the 60's Batman feature film or the 1992 introduction to Buffy. If you want strong women, get a hold of this movie.
Movie Review: "I've got My black belt in barstools!"
Summary: 4 Stars
After seeing Jackie Brown a couple of weeks ago and loving it, I decided to see the other films Pam Grier had done in the past. `Foxy Brown' is the second blaxploitation classic that I saw of her (first being White Mama, Black Mama), and it just blew me away. Though the script is flawed, and has some unrealistic characters, this only adds to the fun, campy nature of the film. The opening sequence rivals those of the James Bond films.
`Foxy Brown' features a brilliant lead performance from the hypnotically attractive Pam Grier, whose federal agent boyfriend is gunned down, and who sets out to fight for revenge and justice where the System has failed her and at the same time is matched at every turn by Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas as her no-good younger brother. The rest of the performances are variable, and the budgets of these things did tend to preclude brilliant method actors! Jack Hill's direction keeps things ticking over nicely and the screenplay swings wildly between shock-horror tactics, tongue-in-cheek theatricality and even the occasional stab at gut-level farce.
In short, it's all very entertaining stuff. Fans of `The Hills Have Eyes' will be interested to see a small supporting role for Russ Grieve (Bob Carter in the aforementioned Wes Craven classic) as a corrupt high-up with a naked redhead on his knee, and Bob Minor turns in a sympathetic performance as the Black Panthers-styled vigilante that is light years away from his banal turn in `Carnel Madness' as the stereotypical sex-crazed vaudeville black. The funky score is another bonus that doesn't hurt a bit.
Foxy Brown is a definite must-see. The camera is certainly in love with her. Definitely one of the best, and most enjoyable blaxploitation films I've seen thus far.