Blu-ray Review: Coffy (Arrow Video)

For many filmgoers, their first encounter with Pam Grier came with Quentin Tarantino's 'Jackie Brown'. Here she plays a woman at the crossroads in her life, in what I still consider to be QT's finest film to date. It's a superb performance from Grier, and I hope it inspired thousands of people to seek out her previous work.
In 'Coffy' (1973) - directed by Jack Hill - Grier takes the role of nurse named Coffin who serves her community conscientiously, caring for the sick and injured. Coffy's younger sister Lubelle is hospitalized after taking contaminated smack aged 11, and we see her when Coffy takes her cop friend Carter (William Elliot) to visit. Carter has strong feelings for Coffy, who is currently dating Howard Brunswick (Booker Bradshaw); a a runner for congress who as departed from the straight and narrow, becoming a villain you really will love to hate.

Throw in the outrageous 'King George' - an archetypal pimp played by Robert Doqui - and the loathsome Vitroni (Alan Arbus) and you have more than enough baddies to light the fuse in this solidly entertaining revenge movie.
Coffy embarks on a one woman crusade against the greed and human misery of the drugs trade, which has claimed and ruined countless lives. A blast to the face with a shotgun; cat fights with jealous bitches during an undercover stint and a final encounter with Brunswick combine to show Coffy to be a multi-layered character.She's a classic beauty, not afraid to use her looks and her body as a means to an end, very smart and when the chips are down, prepared to fight dirty against those who have always fought that way. She's no trained assassin either, using her street experience and improvisational skills to wage war on the industry that preyed on her little sister.

A word, too, for Sid Haig. His presence in a Jack Hill movie is always something to behold. Here, he plays Omar; a henchman who is always prepared to go above and beyond the call of duty while exhibiting a sadistic glee as he goes about his work.
There are actions scenes a plenty here, one on one combat sequences and some eminently quotable dialogue, with Roy Ayres score tearing it up in the background. There's also a certain charm to this picture and other Blaxploitation gems, as referred to by Jack Hill in his interview (more on that later).
The likes of 'Coffy', Foxy Brown' and 'Shaft' amongst others belong to a golden age of cinema revered by old school fans, from a generation where exploitation filmmaking was (almost) a respectable profession.

Arrow Video's Blu-ray presentation is a solid transfer with daylight scenes looking particularly strong. Interior scenes do vary but it's a good organic reproduction overall and impressive, considering it's a dated master.
Fans of this film will be delighted by the inclusion of a Jack Hill commentary track

Here, the director explains how Larry Gordon pitched the idea for 'Coffy' as revenge for losing the 'Cleopatra Jones' gig, and declares the titular character was written specifically for Pam Grier. Jack goes on to talk about racism inside and outside the industry; the fight to get his film an 'R' rating; why working a low budget tight production schedule can be a benefit and how a scene from 'Richard III' inspired the memorable finale in 'Coffy'. Jack is very generous in his praise for the actors, explaining how they helped him capture certain lifestyles to add to the knowledge he'd gained during his time as a musician working the clubs, and remains justifiably proud of his film which certainly delivers straight down the line.

'A Taste Of Coffy' (18m 49s) is a Jack Hill interview. It does contain some overlap with the commentary track, but it's good to actually see him telling some of those stories, which include his battles with AIP; a frightening audience reaction at a screening he attended and the way 'Coffy' connected with both black and white audiences.

'Pam Grier: The Baddest Chick In Town' is a 17m 38s interview with the great lady, where she reveals that certain aspcts of Coffy reminded her of her mother.

She remains proud of portraying a woman helping the community (in more ways than one), and has some nice memories of the film and also of a particularly painful onset accident.

'Blaxploitation' is a 28m 56s video essay from author Mikel J Koven that charts the history and development of the genre. Mikel explores the five early stereotypes of black characters; talks about social change, the Black Panther Party and political assassinations. There are clips from the revolutionary 'Sweet Sweetback's Badass Song', together with footage from 'Coffy'and 'Foxy Brown', and the role of music in these films is also discussed, with praise for artists who include Bobby Womack and Curtis Mayfield.
The decline of the genre, with safe films shifting the movement from 'R' to 'PG' is also examined. It's an excellent essay, and takes us nicely into a theatrical trailer and image gallery.
Arrow also includes a booklet featuring writing from Cullen Gallagher and Yvonne D. Sims.
Cullen's essay - 'Coffy' - takes a look at American International Pictures; changing conciousness in America; the dangerous women of film noir, and studies Grier's character, making some excellent observations.
Yvonne's essay - 'Pam Grier' - takes us through Pam's early years; her career in film and her television work, giving us many titles for further appreciation of this legend.
Arrow's Blu-ray is locked to Region B, mand availabel to buy now.

Blu-ray Review: Pit Stop

Shot on a $75,000 budget, Jack Hill's 'Pit Stop' was originally titled 'The Winner', only to be changed due to a Universal title starring Paul Newman that was slated for release around the same time.
In 'Pit Stop', Dick Davalos takes the role of Rick Bowman, a headstrong driver who escapes jail when ex-Marine Grant Willard (Brian Donlevy) puts up his jail bond and persuades him to become involved in the hazardous world of Figure 8 racing. Bowman raced against and beat a Chevy belonging to Willard in an introductory race, and his talent behind the wheel has 'winner' stamped all over it. Although unimpressed by his first view of this chaotic racing genre (the track intersects itself), Bowman agrees to take part; a decision that puts him up against Hawk Sidney (Sid Haig), whose dangerous, hell-for-leather technique makes him an unpopular winner and a real menace to everyone on the track.

With gum-chewing girlfriend Jolene (Beverly Washburn) in tow, Sidney has all the dash and swagger of a cult anti-hero, and his apparent invincibility is underlined when he sees off Bowman in his first two races. After talking to an ex-driver willing to pass on a few tricks of the trade, Bowman beats Sidney in the very next race, only to fall victim to a very sore loser in a violent off-track assault. Undeterred, Bowman gets back in the saddle and is enlisted to drive as backup to hotshot Ed McCleod (George Washburn) who forms a double-act with his wife Ellen,played by Ellen Mcrae who is much better known as Ellen Burstyn.

Jack Hill responded to Roger Corman's request for a racing picture by suggesting an art racing film, and 'Pit Stop' emerged as a winning combination of the two,utilising the monochrome film stock to produce some spectacular night-time footage, packed with thrills and tension, while boasting a cast that deliver straight down the line. You can go through the performers one by one, and there's hardly a likeable character amongst them yet their personalties and situations command rapt attention: Bowman's arrogant, self-serving race ace; Sidney's violent rage at losing a race; Willard's view of drivers as an expendable commodity en route to the next in a line of victors... even the leading ladies cheat on their partners, lured by the adrenalin and sweet smell of success, only to discover that coming first dispels the better angels of human nature.

Arrow Video's 2013 release of Jack Hill's 'Spider Baby' turned out to be one of last year's finest home video releases. A 24 carat cult classic, presented via a stunning transfer and an array of valuable extras. It's pleasing to report Arrow have followed suit with a 'Pit Stop' special edition that will delight Jack's supporters and newcomers alike. While it was simply not possible to remove every ounce of print damage and debris, 'Pit Stop' looks in fine fettle here,with nice grain textures and deep blacks. The film comes with the option of listening to a Jack Hill commentary track, moderated by Calum Waddell, who wrote a book on Hill which has sebsequently jumped to the top of my must-read list. The result is a steady stream of information and anecdotes, revealing Jack enjoyed viewing Japanese, Italian and French films, which influenced his perception of cinema; that 'Pit Stop' saw him in control 100%; why he left filmmaking behind in the '80s, and his experiences working with Boris Karloff. It's a thoroughly engaging chat that also takes in Sid Haig, 'Track Of The Vampire', his brief experiences with Hollywood, Ellen Burstyn, the wonderful Beverly Washburn and much more.

The commentary is followed by a 15 minute feature, 'Crash And Burn: Jack Hill On The Making Of Pit Stop'. This is another success story for the High Rising Productions team of Calum Waddell and Naomi Holwill. Here, Jack recalls Roger Corman viewing 'Mondo Keyhole' and suggesting a racing film where the 'hero' wins the race and loses his soul. We also hear how Peter Bogdanovich saw Ellen Burstyn in 'Pit Stop'; Sid Haig's solid contributions and how Jack dreamed about folks in other countries one day seeing his film and witnessing America at its nuttiest.

Next up is 'Drive Hard: Sid Haig Remembers Pit Stop'(16m 48s). Another High Rising Productions gem, and Sid is an absolute pleasure to listen to as well. Sid tells of the special bond between Jack and himself, and what makes him such a good director, and reveals no stock footage was used for any of the scenes. He also has a lovely story to tell about Quentin Tarantino, and calls 'Pit Stop' "Guerilla filmmaking at its best". 'Pit Stop' features a top-notch performance from Sid, and his reaction at the end of the film brings humanity to his character and compels the viewer to see him in a different light.

'Roger Corman On The Genesis Of Pit Stop' is another High Rising Productions feature, being 11 min 36s of Roger Corman talking about AIP, New World, 'Dementia 13' and his admiration for Jack's work. It's always a joy to listen to Roger and a nice way to (almost) end this batch of extras.
There is one more feature to tell you about, which is a 3m 53s look at 'Restoring Pit Stop'. Here, Arrow's James White talks over a video demonstrating the restoration process. It's exciting news indeed that James recently joined the Arrow team on a full-time basis, and bodes well for the future. A theatrical trailer for 'Pit Stop' rounds off this special release.

'Pit Stop' is available to buy now and is highly recommended. The racing footage reminded my wife of attending evening race meetings during her life in America, and fans from all over the world can enjoy this film's depiction of those high adrenalin events because this release is Region Free.

As a sidebar to this review, I'll soon be posting a short piece on proposed changes to government legislation regarding 'extras'content on Blu-ray/DVD to be classified. As the BBFC charges to classify material, this would make life very hard for labels to produce the in-depth extras we enjoy so much. The UK has some of the finest 'boutique' labels in the world, and we value highly the work they do. I hope you will read my piece, click on the link and sign the petition against this proposal. Thank you.