Blaxploitation cinema was a big deal in the ’70s, breaking down race barriers and building a huge audience that exists to this day. Mr. Power Man, Luke Cage himself, is a yellow-shirted example of the far-reaching fan influence of blaxploitation cinema. Icons were born in that decade that allowed Quentin Tarantino to make multiple references to in his own movies.
But there are no action figures of these icons.
Any top five list is going to leave out a lot. I can’t do an entire history of a cinematic movement. What I’ve tried to do is come up with the most toyetic and representationally iconic action figures from this film genre.
This list is in order, and I want to warn you, my fifth choice is not for the easily offended. But it is a real, genuine, and respected movie that was chosen for the cool factor of the potential toy, so you… you just calm down out there.
5. Boss N****r
Yes, this is a real movie, that is the real title, and I can’t do anything about it. The above poster is a truncated version for the DVD release, but the original title includes that one extra highly combustible word. I waffled on whether or not I should even include this movie, but then I thought no, dammit, leaving it off due to the possibility people may get offended would do a disservice to the entire genre. Or something. Waaaay before Django Unchained’s black western, Fred Williamson did his version of the Man With No Name, shooting bad guys and not taking any crap.
After the aforementioned Django Unchained action figures were pulled, there is probably no chance of figures from this movie getting made, which is a damn shame because there aren’t enough western action figures out there, and an even smaller amount (none, I’m guessing) of black western action figures. We don’t have an actual Man With No Name figure, but that’s a separate column entirely. As I said, the movie went by alternate names like “The Boss” and “Black Bounty Killer,” which may be a little more palatable, but truthfully it would take a pretty brave company to touch this property at all. Which is a shame, because it screams toyetic.
4. Foxy Brown
Pam Grier was the go-to female for blaxploitation movies, starring in Foxy Brown, Coffy, and even Scream Blacula Scream among others. While Coffy is arguably equally iconic, Foxy Brown is a powerful name — so much so that Tarantino swiped it for Grier’s Jackie Brown role — and a toy labeled “Foxy Brown” would probably have more shelf appeal.
Fun fact: Foxy Brown was initially going to be a sequel to Coffy, but that was altered along the way. So essentially what I’m saying here is there is no Blaxploitation line that could possibly be called complete without a Pam Grier figure.
3. Dolemite
I first heard a reference to Dolemite in a Snoop Dogg song. Rudy Ray Moore’s waaaaaay over-the-top character is an absolute must for any good Blaxploitation line. If there was a way to work in karate call-girls into this fictional line that could not possibly ever exist, then that has to happen.
More pimp action figures please, Dolemite.
2. Blacula
There is nothing more awesome than watching an actor portraying the actual Dracula cursing a man with everlasting life and dubbing him “Blacula” with a straight face. “Blacula” sounds like a punchline, but the movie and its sequel treated the character as straight as possible, and, to its credit, William Marshal gave Blacula considerable poise, charm, and presence, with a voice that could rival James Earl Jones for Vaderesque timber. Formerly an African Prince named Mamuwalde, Blacula spends a few hundred years in a coffin until he awakens in the ’70s and starts snacking on people.
The figure would have to come with two heads: regular, and fuzzier vamped-out-and-ready-to-bite head.
1. Shaft
The number one choice, without a doubt. Even if you’ve never seen the movie, even if you couldn’t pick out a Roundtree in a field of squares, you’ve heard the theme music. To put it plainly, there’s iconic, and then there’s cultural landmark, and Shaft fits that bill completely. Even if none of the other characters on this list stand a chance, Shaft is iconic enough that he deserves a figure. Hell, Sam Jackson’s updated version got a figure, so now it’s time for the original to get some super-articulated love.
Shut yo mouth!
