Just because she's beautiful and buxomed doesn't mean that she doesn't have a heart, and in fact, having heart is what this is all about. Coffy (Pam Grier) is a nurse, truly upset that her sister has become a victim of local drug pushers and sets out to take down everybody in the organization. Yes, this is exploitation, the epitome of what made blaxploitation in the 1970's great. In fact, if you mention blaxploitation to any film student, chances are that this will be one of five films that they mention. You know that she is one tough cookie the minute she pulls out her sawed off shotgun and literally blows the head off of a pusher, then frames one of his henchmen for the killing in a most unique way. She then manipulates her way into an organized prostitution ring so she can get to the big boss. One thing you can say for Coffy, she is determined.
I was familiar with the famous party fight scene where she arranges for one of the other working girls to pull on her hair with not so surprising results. What I didn't realize was actually how full of integrity that Grier's character is, risking her life not only to settle the score but to get evil dealers off the street and destroy the big main man.
Unlike Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson the same year), Coffy isn't dealing with a clown like Shelley Winters. The men are cutthroat and prepare to deal with any barricade to their business. They are not buffoons like Shelley's boys. So that removes the camp element but there are definitely moments that are very funny. Coffy is also a character much respected in her real profession so that makes her more identifiable. Her character is desired by white men who genuinely love her as well as black men.
Why then is this considered blaxploitation? Simply because that genre advanced black characters in cinema and gave black actors the opportunity to be the heroes while exposing the powerful white men in charge of these mob like organizations. Black and white characters with the same goals and ethics are not segregated in these films either so that gives them a much more realistic view of society which showed a more well-rounded side of these friendships. It's just that characters like Coffy, Cleopatra Jones, Shaft and others get to show that they are just as formidable, ethical and loyal, and when they go up against the bad guy, it doesn't matter what color they are. You may go into this looking forward to see Grier bare her breasts, but you will come out of this seeing her as a real woman who is commanding and thus worthy of knowing and deserving of respect.
I was familiar with the famous party fight scene where she arranges for one of the other working girls to pull on her hair with not so surprising results. What I didn't realize was actually how full of integrity that Grier's character is, risking her life not only to settle the score but to get evil dealers off the street and destroy the big main man.
Unlike Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson the same year), Coffy isn't dealing with a clown like Shelley Winters. The men are cutthroat and prepare to deal with any barricade to their business. They are not buffoons like Shelley's boys. So that removes the camp element but there are definitely moments that are very funny. Coffy is also a character much respected in her real profession so that makes her more identifiable. Her character is desired by white men who genuinely love her as well as black men.
Why then is this considered blaxploitation? Simply because that genre advanced black characters in cinema and gave black actors the opportunity to be the heroes while exposing the powerful white men in charge of these mob like organizations. Black and white characters with the same goals and ethics are not segregated in these films either so that gives them a much more realistic view of society which showed a more well-rounded side of these friendships. It's just that characters like Coffy, Cleopatra Jones, Shaft and others get to show that they are just as formidable, ethical and loyal, and when they go up against the bad guy, it doesn't matter what color they are. You may go into this looking forward to see Grier bare her breasts, but you will come out of this seeing her as a real woman who is commanding and thus worthy of knowing and deserving of respect.