The Returns of “Cleopatra Jones"

Brody, Jennifer DeVere. 1999 The Returns of “Cleopatra Jones".  Signs:  Journal of Women in Culture and Society 25 (1): 91-121

Brody takes a queer and feminist theory approach in her assessment of the blaxploitation films Cleopatra Jones and Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold starring Tamara Dobson.  In her critical analysis, Brody tries to explain the appeal of Dobson’s iconic role to hip-hop (“Generation X”) women as a model of feminism as well as analyzes the film Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold in terms of queer  properties. Brody compares the character of Cleopatra Jones (played by the 6’2” Dobson) through a queer lens in stark contrast to other female driven Blaxploitation films such as Coffy and Friday Foster (both starring Pam Grier). These films, all produced by white studios with white directors, were exploitive but showed women who were independent, courageous, and strong (95). But unlike her counterparts, Dobson’s portrayal of Cleopatra Jones is distinctly working within the male action hero formula. From assessment of the dialogue to the costuming, Brody recontextualizes Cleopatra Jones and Tamara Dobson’s portrayal working in several parameters: female, masculine, queer, and finally black (with a theoretical assesment via both queer and black feminist lenses)

This article, I found, was most helpful as the basis of my research project. First, it was only one of a few articles that explicitly spoke about a blaxploitation film with a female lead (and it is the film I plan on showing for my qualitative survey assessment/film viewing).  It was not merely the queer lens that Brody is operating from, but her thorough assessment of Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson) as a woman who was different from other  female leads of the blaxploitation era, who is distinctly masculine and feminine, gendered yet not conforming to gender roles. The ideas of spectatorship are distinctly important to my research project. How do outsiders view issues of race and gender? How do insiders (those of the targeted audience of black women) view race and gender? For my project, I plan on working within the parameter of “insider” feedback and spectatorship. Although I do not plan to use the “queer” lens as Brody has, I found her specific narrowing of an advocacy worldview helpful in trying to identify the scope of my own research.

The Ruse of Engagement: Black Masculinity and the Cinema of Policing

Sexton, Jared. 2009. The Ruse of Engagement: Black Masculinity and the Cinema of Policing. American Quarterly. 61 (1): 39-63

Sexton’s article addresses the intersection of black masculinity within films that deal with elements of “policing” and crime in the film industry. He uses director Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day starring Denzel Washington as a case study (although I argue that this is an accurate description of his analyses and methodology) in the discussion of perceptions of black “maleness” within the realms of cinema. In his assessment, Sexton analyzes past films with strong male leads, especially those starring Sidney Poitier made during the height of blaxploitation film making. Specifically, Sexton analyzes films in which black men are in positions of authority (i.e. police, detectives, investigators, etc) and how this was in stark contrast of society’s view of African-American men as subservient, threatening, unauthorized and unarmed (43). Comparatively, Sexton aligns the film making of Fuqua to those early blaxploitation film makers and discusses several ways in which modern films (particularly those with elements of policing/crime./authority) address similar issues of race, gender and sexuality.

I was particularly interested in several issues this article raises with respect to my own research interest.  The article raises issues of gender and sexuality with regard to African-American men in roles of “policing” yet there is no discussion of African-American women in those same roles. A good strategy in talking about  black masculinity in film is to juxtapose it against the display of “masculinity” in female roles of authority and policing.  There is only a cursory (albeit obligatory) mention of African-American women actors, specifically Halle Berry, and the message her role in Monster’s Ball may have sent with regards to gender and sexuality. The article is good in its assessment of masculinity in black cinema but fails in comparatively analyzing both male and female roles. It would have made the argument of black masculinity being subverted a lot stronger if  the subject was compared with similar female roles.

Women of Blaxploitation: How the Black Action Film Heroine Changed American Popular Culture

Sims, Yvonne D.  2006.  Women of Blaxploitation: How the Black Action Film Heroine Changed American Popular Culture.  Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Company

Although written a few years before Stephane Dunn’s book, Yvonne Sims also tackles the subject of black women in blaxploitaiton film from a feminist film theory lens. However, she also gives critical analysis on their impact on popular American culture as a whole and not relegating it to simply the African-American experience. Her argument is that by reshaping notions of African-American femininity and gender blaxploitation films allowed for all women to be seen in less marginalized ways in mainstream action films. There is a comprehensive history of early race films and their use of stereotypical tropes such as Aunt Jemima, Mammy and other domesticated roles. She also employs the sociological and cultural lenses of Patricia Hills Collins, Bell Hooks, and other noteworthy African-American feminist critics as the basis for her analysis of women in blaxploitation.

Other than the introduction, Sims’s book is less narrative and is a strictly critical, qualitative analysis of blaxploitaiton films. Sims does a thorough job of analyzing roles played by Pam Grier and Tamara Dobson as well as their high sexualized, yet power-centered roles’ impact on mainstream action heroines (such as Sigourney Weaver in Alien). The chapter on Pam Grier as the “queen of blaxploitation” (71) is particularly interesting and critical of her oversexualized portrayals of African-American women, yet Sims praises her as a trailblazer in being the most bankable African-American actress of the 1970s and as an unconventional, empowering super-heroine.   Tamara Dobson is analyzed as the antithesis of many of Grier’s characters, not using blatant, irrelevant nudity and sexual overtones to sell the image of strength, femininity, empowerment, and social consciousness (94). The only weakness of the book is that there isn’t a clear correlation between the end of blaxploitation films and the rise of mainstream films (perhaps other than lack of interest and white directors employing blaxploitaiton themes to more mainstream films with mainstream actresses). Again, much of that is inferred from the text and not explicit.

“Baad Bitches” and Sassy Supermamas: Black Power Action Film

Dunn, Stephane. 2008. “Baad Bitches” and Sassy Supermamas: Black Power Action Films  Chicago:  University of Illinois Press

Morehouse College assistant professor of English Stephane Dunn blends personal narrative with critical theory in her book- a comprehensive assessment via feminist theory, racial and political commentary and literary analysis of blaxploitation films. Moreover, the films that Dunn chooses to critically analyze are those that feature African-American women in lead roles (i.e. Coffy, Foxy Brown, Cleopatra Jones) as well as films that deliberately have African-American women in the peripheral. These films, and the early blaxploitation actresses, according to Dunn, lay the foundation of modern portrayals of African-American woman in film as well as the hip-hop, “Generation X” women who readily identify with the strong, powerful, “badass” stereotypes that are often glorified.  Furthermore, Dunn calls for a critical examination of these films beyond their status of “cult classics” as well as their impact on the modern African-American woman with regards to issues or race, gender, class and power/empowerment.

This book works extremely well by dealing with the intricate issues of race, sexuality, politics and gender within blaxploitation by applying historical analysis (i.e. reinforcing slave narratives in various films) in combination with modern interpretations and impacts of the genre on entertainment and society. Furthermore, issues specific to women (gender roles, rape, marginalization) are dealt with comprehensively. I believe because Dunn is of “Generation X” and has a familiarity with the genre and its impact; her personal tone and anecdotes work well as “openings” to her highly detailed, critical analysis chapters. The only negative is that Dunn tries to cover too many areas and often times certain passages lose their overall focus. Nevertheless, this is an extremely helpful resource written with a scholarly audience in mind.