Walker, Raucsh, and Watson use interviews as the basis for their book exploring the intersecting lives of the actors, directors, and producers involved in making films during the Blaxploitation era. They interviewed twenty individuals for their book project, some of whom are lesser known actors and directors. Initially, the authors’ debate on which was the start of the blaxploitation film era. Was the beginning of the movement Melvin Van Peeble’s groundbreaking, independent film Sweet SweetBack’s Baadassss Song or was it the MGM, larger-budget backed Shaft staring Richard Roundtree? Despite the debate, these two works lay the groundwork for all blaxploitaiton films to follow during the over a decade long period of the 1970s and early 1980’s.
There are insightful and well organized interviews given in the book. Not only are there interviews from white directors and producers (such as Ralph Bakhski and Steven Carver), but the book also includes the stars of the film (such notable actors include as Antonio Fargas, Fred Williamson, and Ron O’Neal.) The interviews make sure to talk in depth about the socio-political climate in which the films were being made, any conflicts the actors or directors may have felt with the roles they play or thee films they produced. The book also includes a comprehensive index of almost every single Blaxploitation film that was every produced which is something I am sure most avid film enthusiasts such as myself can use as a valuable resource.
However, where the book lacks tremendously is included the perspectives of African American women. There is only one interview with an African-American Woman, Gloria Hendry, a former model who was the first black “Bond Girl” and co-stared in several notable blaxploitaiton films (Black Caesar, Across 110th Street, Black Belt Jones). The chapter that includes Hendry’s interview is short and seems rather incomplete. There is no discussion on the various roles she played or how she felt about those roles, instead, there is much discussion on her acting in a Bond film and making Black Caesar and the difference between the to films budget wise. Furthermore, there was only a small discussion regarding a very infamous “rape” scene between husband and wife in Black Caesar. Does Hendry feel that the scene was extraneous or unnecessary? Did she feel it was exploited sexually in her roles? They do not address these issues in the interview. She simply states that “that type of scene had never been done before” (98) and feels that blaxploitation has such a negative connotation and instead it was a “Black [film] Renaissance” (100).
These authors would have benefited to interview more notable women of blaxploitation such as Pam Grier, Tamara Dobson, or Vonetta McGee. Nevertheless, this works serves as a basis for discussion of the genre as a whole as well as racial perceptions and stereotypes.
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