Coffy (1973)

Over the course of my cinematic love affair, I have really enjoyed the few films I have seen, either starring Pam Grier, one of my favourite B-movie American actresses, or that were directed by Jack Hill. I can't get enough of especially the films of which they collaborated, 'Foxy Brown' and this, both of which I consider up there with the 'Shaft' trilogy and 'Super Fly' as masterpieces of the 'urban action' genre of the 70's. She, just 24 when she made this, certainly was one of the most beautiful and exciting women ever put on celluloid, and while I also love both Hill's short film 'The Host' and 'Switchblade Sisters' (viewed on one DVD as part of Quentin Tarantino's 'Rolling Thunder' reissue series), here his pacing and filming are on an entirely different level altogether. It's a shame for us cinephiles that he chose at such an early age, 42 and clearly in his filmmaking prime, to retire from the business to both write novels as well as explore meditation with his wife, but I'm thankful for the films he made. The soundtrack (and most particularly the killer title song) by one of my favourite jazz/funk singer/musicians of the period, Roy Ayers, is up there with Curtis Mayfield's for 'Super Fly' as essential listening for lovers of such music. Say what you want about him as a filmmaker, but I for one am glad that Tarantino has revived interest in both the actress (casting her as the star of 'Jackie Brown') and the director (through his aforementioned reissue series). It is an under-recognized way that Tarantino has significantly contributed to contemporary American cinema of all sorts, and has helped these unsung heroes from prior generations, who would otherwise be neglected and ignored unjustly from contemporary cinephilic attention.