Blaxploitation films were a revolution in the 1970s, built around strong Black leads, funky soundtracks, and pure attitude. These movies blended action, crime, sex, and humor with a heavy dose of social commentary. While the genre later became controversial for its stereotypes, it remains an iconic and influential era in film history. Here are 10 Blaxploitation classics you need to see.
1. Shaft (1971) – The OG of Blaxploitation
If there’s one film that brought Blaxploitation into the mainstream, it’s Shaft.
Richard Roundtree plays John Shaft, a badass private detective in Harlem. He’s cool, charming, always in control, and takes on corrupt cops and gangsters alike.
With its iconic Isaac Hayes soundtrack, tough one-liners, and a gritty visual portrait of New York, Shaft became a cultural phenomenon that spawned sequels and remakes.
2. Super Fly (1972) – Drugs, money, and style
Shaft was cool, but Priest in Super Fly is next-level cool.
The film follows a cocaine dealer trying to get out of the drug game, only to find that his own success has trapped him. With extravagant fashion, fast cars, and Curtis Mayfield’s legendary soundtrack, Super Fly is a stylish, hard-hitting look at the ’70s crime world.
3. Coffy (1973) – Pam Grier’s explosive revenge flick
Pam Grier became the queen of Blaxploitation with Coffy, and rightfully so.
She plays a nurse who turns into a relentless vigilante by night, hunting down the dealers and crooked cops who got her sister hooked on drugs.
Grier is sexy, fierce, and blows everyone away—literally. With her badass attitude and sharp action, Coffy is a must-see for cult film fans.
4. Foxy Brown (1974) – Pam Grier at her most dangerous
After Coffy, Pam Grier became the ultimate Blaxploitation heroine, and in Foxy Brown, she took it even further.
When her boyfriend is murdered by a crime syndicate, she infiltrates the organization to take ruthless revenge. From explosive fights to epic one-liners, Foxy Brown is Blaxploitation at its finest.
5. Black Caesar (1973) – The Black Godfather
What if The Godfather were a Blaxploitation film? You’d get Black Caesar.
Fred Williamson plays Tommy Gibbs, a young criminal who rises to the top of Harlem’s mafia. But once you’re on top, enemies come from all sides.
With an epic James Brown soundtrack, gritty action, and political undertones, Black Caesar is one of the best gangster films of the Blaxploitation era.
6. Dolemite (1975) – Kung fu, comedy, and pure attitude
Rudy Ray Moore is the king of low-budget Blaxploitation, and Dolemite is his ultimate masterpiece.
Moore plays a pimp and ex-con out for revenge on the crooked cops and criminals who set him up. With ridiculous fight scenes, cheesy dialogue, and over-the-top action, it’s genius cult cinema.
Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name starring Eddie Murphy tells the wild story behind the making of this film.
7. Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971) – The film that started it all
This low-budget, radical film by Melvin Van Peebles is often credited as the first true Blaxploitation film.
It follows Sweetback, a Black man on the run from police after killing two corrupt officers. He punches, shoots, and sexes his way through the movie, with the whole production exuding revolution and rebellion.
Shaft made Blaxploitation popular, but Sweet Sweetback was the film that shook Hollywood awake.
8. Ganja & Hess (1973) – The Blaxploitation vampire film
Not all Blaxploitation films were about action and crime—Ganja & Hess brought the genre into the horror world.
In this unique, atmospheric film, a scientist becomes infected with a vampiric virus and begins a bloodthirsty, spiritual journey.
With dreamy cinematography and a hypnotic tone, this is one of the most artistic and distinctive Blaxploitation films ever made.
9. The Mack (1973) – The ultimate pimp film
If you liked Super Fly, you need to watch The Mack.
Goldie, an ex-con, rises through the underworld as a flamboyant and charismatic pimp, battling corrupt cops and rival gangs along the way.
With sharp dialogue, iconic style, and biting social commentary, The Mack became one of the most influential Blaxploitation films ever.
10. JD’s Revenge (1976) – Blaxploitation meets supernatural revenge
This film blends Blaxploitation with supernatural horror and is pulp at its finest.
A young student becomes possessed by the spirit of a 1940s gangster who uses him to seek revenge on those who betrayed him.
With a mix of horror, thriller, and Blaxploitation style, JD’s Revenge is a unique cult classic.
Conclusion: Blaxploitation lives on as a cultural phenomenon
Although Blaxploitation faded in the late 1970s, it remains one of the most influential film movements ever. It inspired modern filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Spike Lee, and Jordan Peele, and films like Black Dynamite and Jackie Brown are pure love letters to the genre.
