Were Blaxploitation Films Exploitative or Empowering?

Blaxploitation films are known for their Black stars, gritty material, and funk music. When they caught on in the early 1970s, these movies had a ton of style and iconic characters. At the time of their release, they were celebrated for their depictions of Black empowerment but also criticized for perpetuating stereotypes and caricatures of Black culture. The Boston Globe’s chief film critic, Odie Henderson, has a new book about the history of the genre called “Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras: A History of Blaxploitation Cinema.” He talks to Shirley about revisiting these movies as an adult and the evolving representation of Blackness on screen. Email us at saymore@globe.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.