Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

What up, my brothas! Welcome to my Black Christmas (and I don't mean Q'Uanz'hah, or whatever the hell it is) write off. Come celebrate the best and worst of hard hitting, hard lovin', two fisted, no nonsense blaxploitation flicks ever offered by Hollywood (and of course from outside the studio system, too). The sleazy, the exploitative, the classics, the forgotten and the crap - all examined over the 12 days of Christmas. However, with this comes a disclaimer:

WARNING! Absolutely no one under 18 admitted to this review!

No, seriously. While I do try and keep in mind that epinions is an all-ages site and do try to mind my manners appropriately, there's no point in being polite when discussing movies like these. Salty language may and will creep in from time to time.

And with that, on to SUPERFLY! Can you dig it?

Meet Youngblood Priest (played to note perfect perfection by the late, great Ron O'Neal). Priest is an up and coming cocaine dealer in Harlem. He's got a swank apartment, a closet full of fly clothes, and more bitches comin' by to please his booty than Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain. And yet, Priest is getting tired of his life. He dreams of one last big score, the one that will net him half a million bucks and propel him away from the cocaine, the pushers and the dangers of the street and into The Good Life.

But with a big score comes the big dangers. Priest's partner Eddie (played to even better perfection by the late Carl Lee) is lured in by the dreams of a constant stream of really BIG money. Priest's connections further up the dope chain don’t want to lose a promising young up-and coming dealer, and Priest's mentor just wants to get the hell out of the business and be left alone. Add in some corrupt white cops (there are ALWAYS corrupt white cops), and faster than you can say "Pimpmobile", Priest finds himself doging far more than just mid-town traffic if he wants to get out with his jive talkin', mack daddy skin in on piece.

Ok, let me get this right out of the way - this thing rocks. Seriously, this thing is a contender with Shaft in Africa and Blacula as the best blaxploitation flicks I've seen thus far.

Ok, I'll admit that it's a relic of its time - but it's easy to see why it had such an impact when first released. The late Curtis Mayfield provides what is easily the best scores ever committed to this genre (straight out beating Isaac Hayes and Shaft - damn right), laying down funky tunes that perfectly punctuate the characters and action. Or, perhaps it was Gordon Parks, Jr and his tight, gritty direction style and unconventional camera work. Or perhaps it was classically-trained Shakespearian actor Ron O'Neal, turning in a silky smooth performance as the lead (backed up by a fantastic supporting cast, perfect to the man). Or it just might be the immensely satisfying way that a brother finds a way to beat The Man at his own game by using his street smarts.

Oh sure it's got huge afros, bellbottoms, slang that hasn’t been used in 30 years, huge land yachts that are blinged to the nines, and a seventies sensibility that would put the Village People to shame, but Superfly has an authentic look to it that carries the day. From the fancy mid-town Manhattan luxury love pads to the run down, rat infested slums of Harlem tenements - Parks manages to infuse the film with a real feel about it. Add in good acting on all fronts and some pretty sharp writing, and you've got the makings of a film that would inspire the Tarantinos of the world for years to come.

RUDY RAY MOORE OR PAM GRIER? No
BREASTS ON DISPLAY: 4
A BRUTHA GETS SOME: 1 time
MUSICAL NUMBERS: 1
EXPLOSIONS: 0
ROUNDS FIRED: 0
HANDRAIL DEATHS: 0
CAR CHASES: 0
AFROS: 3
F BOMBS DROPPED: 45
WHITEYS THAT GET IT: 1
BEST LINE: You gonna give all this up? Eight track stereo, color TV in every room, and can snort half a piece of dope every day. That's the American dream, nigga.
SEVENTIES FASHION SENSIBILITIES: 78%
SOUL POWER 87%

THE DVD -
The film gets an anamorphic wide screen presentation. The problem is that the print they used looks like it was dragged behind the car on the way to the mastering house. While the scratches and dust on the print add to the "42nd street theater" feel of the film, it may be off-putting to those with kick ass home theater setups wanting to work out their rigs. (But then again, what the hell are you doing using THIS to showcase your equipment?). The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono in both English and French soundtracks (which is just damn weird in its own way)

While far from perfect, this is probably as good as Superfly is ever going to look.

THE EXTRAS -
I'm used to low budget offerings from MGM and their soul cinema line, where you get a trailer and nothing more. Surprisingly, we get a pretty good package here - starting with an entertaining commentary Doctor Todd Boyd, a USC professor of cinema and television. You know you're in for hell of a ride when the commentator introduces himself as "Internationally known, nationally recognized, and locally accepted. And like Ron O'Neil in 'Superfly,' I always have some Superfly shit." We get a half hour long documentary with cast members and crew, sporting some insight into the film's cultural impact. Following that is a short vintage interview with Ron O'Neal, and a brief audio interview with Curtis Mayfield. Lastly we get a short on the clothes in the film, the theatrical trailer and an Easter egg of an interview with the man who designed Priests' custom car.

No, it's not a cornucopia of extras, but WAY more than we usually get. Consider me happy.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Superfly may not be the crowning achievement of the genre, but it's pretty darned entertaining. Word!

ON THE TWELVE DAYS OF BLACK CHRISTMAS, MY SOUL BRUTHAS GAVE TO ME. . . .
12) BLACULA
11) JACKIE BROWN
10) THE FINAL COMEDOWN
09) SHAFT IN AFRICA
08) UNDERCOVER BROTHER
07) DOLEMITE
06) BLACK MAMA, WHITE MAMA
05) MEAN JOHHNY BARROWS
04) TROUBLE MAN
03) SUPERFLY
02) THE MACK
And a LADY COCOA in a pear tree. . . .



Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age