Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970)

Generally recognized as the initiator of the Blaxpoitaton genre, without a doubt one of the best, this movie has tremendous energy and pizzaz. While certainly a product of its social context and unmistakibly 70s in the aesthetics, it is fascinating in its quirks and it aged pretty decently - even if the direction has a lot of sloppiness in the action sequences and continuity. The pace is ridicolously fast without feeling forced, and it has a theatrical flair to it that is surprising (a few key moments who could end up in tragedy are defused by histrionic antics, and the final climax happens on stage with a truly impressive and even poignant 'self destructive' twist) and trascends the narrow context of 70s Harlem. All the black secondary characters are really good and manage to deliver noteworthy perfomances (with a fun Redd Foxx little appearance that is bound to make you think of Fred Sanford), and the leads just ooze charisma. I am overrating this movie: after all it is fairly exploitative and crass (lots of T&A, chicken and watermelon to the blacks, even "your momma" jokes and a pie to the face moment!) and just cringey for some amateur moments in editing, but it's an historically significant movie, and it's just bound to make you smile. Memorable and fun.

Sammo ★