Best Early 70s
The Spook Who Sat by the Door is a 1973 political thriller directed by Ivan Dixon and based on the novel by Sam Greenlee. The narrative follows the first Black CIA officer, who resigns from his position and utilizes his specialized government training to organize a guerrilla revolution in urban Amer...
"Wattstax" is a 1973 American documentary film directed by Mel Stuart that chronicles the Wattstax music festival held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1972. The event commemorated the seventh anniversary of the Watts riots and featured performances by prominent Stax Records artists such as I...
"Shaft" is a 1971 American action film directed by Gordon Parks and based on the novel by Ernest Tidyman. The plot follows John Shaft, a private detective working in New York City's Harlem neighborhood, as he navigates the criminal underworld to locate a kidnapped mobster's daughter. Starring Richar...
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song is a 1971 independent film written, directed, produced by, and starring Melvin Van Peebles. It follows a Black sex performer who flees after killing two police officers who were attacking a young Black Panther. The film was self-financed and distributed independentl...
Across 110th Street is a 1972 American crime thriller directed by Barry Shear, starring Anthony Quinn, Yaphet Kotto, and Antonio Fargas. The narrative depicts a violent, multi-sided conflict involving the Mafia, local Harlem criminals, and the police following a lucrative bank robbery. It is widely...
Super Fly is a 1972 American blaxploitation crime film directed by Gordon Parks Jr. The plot centers on Youngblood Priest, a Harlem cocaine dealer attempting to secure one final deal to leave the illicit drug trade. The film is widely recognized for its stylish visual aesthetic and its highly influe...
"The Mack" is a 1973 American crime drama directed by Michael Campus, starring Max Julien as "Goldie," a recently released convict who pursues dominance as a successful pimp in Oakland, California. The film explores his conflicts with rival pimps, corrupt police officers, and his own revolutionary b...
Directed by Jack Hill, this 1973 film stars Pam Grier as a nurse who turns vigilante to avenge her sister's drug addiction, making Grier an iconic leading lady in action cinema.
Directed by Larry Cohen, this 1973 crime film stars Fred Williamson as a shoeshine boy who rises to become a ruthless Harlem mob boss, featuring a James Brown soundtrack.
This 1973 American comedy film diverges from typical violent blaxploitation tropes, focusing instead on family dynamics during an impending wedding.
Starring Robert Hooks, this 1972 film follows a suave fixer in Los Angeles who gets framed for murder, noted for its celebrated Motown soundtrack produced by Marvin Gaye.
Starring Sidney Poitier, this 1970 police procedural follows detective Virgil Tibbs investigating a murder in San Francisco and serves as a sequel to In the Heat of the Night.
Based on Chester Himes's novel, this 1970 film follows two Harlem detectives investigating a scam and is considered a crucial forerunner to the blaxploitation genre.
Starring William Marshall, this 1972 horror film reimagines the Dracula mythos with an African prince turned vampire, notable for blending gothic horror with blaxploitation.
Directed by Melvin Van Peebles, this 1970 satire features a racist white insurance salesman who wakes up Black, offering a sharp critique of American racial prejudice.
Directed by Arthur Marks, this 1973 crime thriller pairs a Black detective with a white colleague to solve a high-profile jewelry heist, notable for its gritty urban realism.
Starring Tamara Dobson, this 1973 action film features a stylish secret agent battling a drug lord, noted for its strong female lead and becoming a major box office success.
Starring William Marshall and Pam Grier, this 1973 horror sequel follows the resurrected African prince Mamuwalde as he becomes obsessed with a voodoo princess in Los Angeles.
Starring Godfrey Cambridge and Raymond St. Jacques, this 1972 crime comedy follows Harlem detectives Gravedigger Jones and Coffin Ed investigating a series of gangland murders.
Directed by Gordon Parks, this 1972 sequel sees private detective John Shaft investigating the murder of his friend and uncovering a massive Mafia-linked smuggling ring.
Starring Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor, this 1973 American crime thriller features a federal agent forming a hit squad to avenge his daughter.
Directed by Larry Cohen, this 1973 sequel to Black Caesar follows mobster Tommy Gibbs as he attempts to reclaim his criminal empire from corrupt cops and rival gangsters.
Directed by John Guillermin, this 1973 film sees detective John Shaft travel to Ethiopia to dismantle a modern-day slave trading ring, concluding the original Shaft trilogy.
Starring Bernie Casey, this 1972 blaxploitation film is a loose remake of the 1967 film Point Blank, following a former football player seeking revenge for his brother's death.
Directed by Raymond C. St. Jacques in 1973, this American crime drama details a numbers racket operation within the Black community of the 1930s.
Starring Jim Brown, this 1972 action film features a former Green Beret seeking vengeance against the mobsters who killed his parents, spawning a successful cinematic franchise.
Based on Iceberg Slim's novel, this 1972 crime film follows a biracial con artist and his mentor as they swindle wealthy targets, offering a gritty look at street hustles.
Directed by Ossie Davis in 1973, this American action film follows a group of Vietnam veterans who wage war on drug dealers in Harlem.
Starring Pam Grier and Margaret Markov, this 1973 film follows two chained female inmates who escape custody in the Philippines, heavily inspired by the plot of The Defiant Ones.
Directed by Barry Pollack, this 1972 heist film is a loose remake of The Asphalt Jungle, featuring a group of Black thieves attempting to steal millions in jewelry.
