Finnish "disco " at its worst and best part 3 - SUOMALAINEN DISKO PARHAIMMILLAAN JA PAHIMMILLAAN OSA 3

 No sweet talks this time around folks.

Njet spasibo.

Everything normal.

Just pump your headphones at maximum volume and enjoy the final part of the series.

East meets west inna Finland stylee. YES SELECTOR!

HERE WE GO:

AAVIKKO - EL CEBO (1997)

 

 

CLEANING WOMEN - RICEWESTERN (2001)



ALIMO & CONTROL - SUOMALAISET (2002)


 LIGHTMAN - TRUE STORY (2010)


 

FUTURE WARRIORS FEAT. PAPA ZAI - NAKU PAPATA (2022)


 

B.W.A. - QUICK FIX (2019)



PJVM - MEGA MIX BY IMATRAN VOIMA (2006)


IMATRAN VOIMA - TECHNO ROCK (2000)


OILING BOILING - CYCLOPS DANCE ( 1977)


SHIWA 2000 - I LOVE MY INDIA (2000)


There you go. To quote The late, great James Brown; A "future shock" for your mind!

Think about it...

PEACE.



FINNISH DISCO PART 2 - suomalaista diskoa osa kaksi

 Hi

Welcome back to another round of Finnish "Disco" Hits.

Be prepared as on the menu is a wide selection of Bangers, schlagers and

floor-fillers from a bygone era. A blast from the past, If you will.

Ladies and gentlemen and Lgbt´s,

Please behold, Finnish "Disco" part 2:

 


 LINDELLTRONICS - MAAN TAPA (1990)


SPACE BOOZING SOUNDTRACK - THE BOOZIN´BANG´N DANCE CREW (1989)


SALTZMANN - ÄHLÄM (1980)


 

PEDRO HIETANEN - ESTA NAVIDAD (1983)

 

OTTO DONNER - HEINÄHANKO TWIST (1964)


 


OTTO DONNER ELEMENT ALL STARS - HAKA BLUES (1968)

SOULSET - NYT ON TIE SULLE AVOIN (1968)


 WOODOO - TEEMA (1971)


 

ILPO SAASTAMOINEN - IHMISTEN JA LINTUJEN ILTAPÄIVÄ (1976)


JUKKA TOLONEN - SWEET MUSIC (1980)


KOJO - WHATUGONNADO - FEAT. BILLY CARSON (1983)


 

BIANCA MORALES - GET UP AND DANCE (1984)

RIKI SORSA - CAN´T STAND DANCING (1981)


 MATTI OILING - OILING BOILING (1970)


REFLEX BAND - SPEEDY DUCK (1981)

SEPPO RANNIKKO - CHICAGO (1977)


KARI JALKANEN - NISKAVUOREN NUORIMMAINEN (1972)


 

ESKO LINNAVALLI - A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL (1976) FEAT. DEXTER GORDON


 VESA-MATTI LOIRI - HYVÄÄ HYVÄÄ ILTAA (1972)

VESA-MATTI LOIRI - JERIKON MUURIT (1973)


 

BLACK MIKE´S WATERLOO - LAPINI (1972)


CHARLIES - FEELING THAT FEELING (1970)


 GENERAL NJASSA - I´M YOUNG, BEAUTIFUL AND NATURAL (1986)

 

JUSSI HALME - FUNNY FUNK (1983)

 

CARON BARNES - DANCING IN THE NIGHT (1986)


 CARON - LIES (1992)


 

KCD - SIMO GOES POING (1992)


 HI-Z - THE DANCEFLOOR VIRUS (1993)


 B-ROCK - MY MIND IS GOIN´ (1990)

MC NIKKE T - ROBOTTIEN LAKKO (1991)


 

 

APOCALYPTICA - BATTERY (1996)


 STONE - GET STONED (1988)


 KINGSTON WALL - I FEEL LOVE (1992)


So there you have it. A voyage through space and time with Finnish "disco" in the broadest 

sense of the word. Hope it was as Bon voyage for you as it was for me.

Hope I did not offend anyone.

Peace! 



 







 








 


FINNDISCO RETRO VIBES SIGHTS AND SOUNDS- suomi discon kulta-aika kuvin ja äänin

 Finland is a strange place, internationally known as the final frontier.

Between east and west, Finland is and has always been the center of international espionage 

and spying. Among other things. One things Finns have always loved is dancing and disco culture.

This has generated a peculiar genre of its own: FINNHITS. 

Western disco hits molded to fit the fenno-ugric taste. Sometimes the translations of the lyrics cross the border to the tasteless, but here we do not discriminate, rather just document the innocent times 

of a bygone era, when there was much less foreign influence in Finland. Still Finland wanted desperately a piece of the pie, The american dream, if you will.

Some of these tracks have stood the test of time and hold their own against the originals.

Some are just plain tacky and hilarious in an unintented way, especially if you understand the lyrics.

On this list there are plenty of cover versions of US and European songs as well as Finnish originals.

Please take note Redhill records does not encourage racism or foul language of any kind.

This collection is just a realistic document of Finnish "Disco". We do nor endorse cancel culture,

or try to deny the past. It is what it is. If you feel offended, please contact us and we will remove the offending material. Please be reminded that this material is still being pushed by multinational corporations such as Warner, Universal music and the like.

So, without further ado, enjoy (with a pinch of salt) the best and worst of Finnish Disco of yesteryear. 


 

MARJA KOSKI - TAHDON MIEHEN (1984)



KAKE SINGERS - ME HALUTAAN OLLA N%%&%/=#Ä (1978)


LEA LAVEN - AFRIKKA (1983)



DANNY - KUUSAMO (1975)


 CASCADE - KORVISSA SOI (1976)


EIJA SINIKKA - IHAN N%%&%¤I (1981)


EASY - LIHAVA ON LÄMMIN (1979)



MARKKU SUOMINEN - REGGAE (1977)

KIRKA - TAAS NOUSEN JUNAAN (1975)


ANITA HIRVONEN - VIELÄ VAAN (1976)

FREDERIK - OLEN DRACULA (1977)


 ANETTE VALPAS - SOITA MULLE (1980)


STIINA - AUTOMAATTIRAKAS (1979)


 SLEEPY SLEEPERS - METSÄRATIO (1980)


JUHAMATTI -VOLGA (1980)



DANNY -SIELLÄ JOSSAKIN (1986)



VEERA TELENIUS - MILJOONA RUUSUA (1984)

 (fun fact: the last 2 tracks were composed by R.Pauls of Latvia)

That´s all for now.

I will continue the list later, if I get the chance.

I hope you like it, a Finnish Disco journey in time and space from the past to the future and from the west to the east. Please don´t be offended.

Let´s all laugh together. 

Let´s put the FUN back in the funk!

This is some funny. funny stuff.

Intentionally or unintentionally!

Peace!


This has been a

Monte rosso International

(c) 2025

Broadcast.



23.1.25 SHOP IS CLOSED - MYYMÄLÄ SULJETTU


 The shop is temporarily closed.

Myymälä on väliaikaisesti suljettu.


Sorry for the inconvenience.

Pahoittelut.


You can shop online normally.

Voit ostaa netin kautta normaalisti.



International Erotic vinyl album cover art of yesteryear

 Back in the days it seems to have been almost "the norm", to exploit young women in various stages of undress on album covers to sell records. Sometimes to promote musical material which otherwise would not have attracted any attention. Some cover art has stood the test of time. Done in good taste , a nude photograph can be a piece of art, whereas, in the worst case, we have tasteless stuff, looking dated and corny in a bad way.

Here we do not indifferentiate, rather just provide a candid peek into the bizarre , yet fascinating world of the "cheesecake", The "beefcake", and the generally explicit album cover art of yesteryear.

These days may never return, and in some cases its best that way.

I will let the pictures speak a thousand words, but occasionally I will comment , if I feel I must.

So , Without further ado, behold, the kinky, international world of erotic album cover art.

1. Finland

Satsanga records , Finland 1976

2. Sweden


 

 
Haparanda, 1971

 

3. Norway

 

Flora, 1971

4. Germany


Somerset, 1973

5. France


 

Philips, 1978

6. Great Britain

 Trojan, 1974

7. Italy


Durium,1979

8. Spain


Arlequin, 1974

9. Portugal

Orfeu, 1978

10. USA


 

Ovation records,1976

11. USA

 

Moby Dick, 1981

12. USA


 Embryo, 1971

 13.Nigeria


EMI,1973

The topless women pictured in the cover are all Fela´s wives.

 

14. Nigeria


 Soundworkshop records, 1975


To be continued...

---------

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 REDHILL RECORDS INSTAGRAM :

https://www.instagram.com/redhill_records/ 

REDHILL RECORDS YOU TUBE:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-EkC4BMTH29BaNHZXrTnEg

Estonia Funk

 This Blog post is about Estonian Funk.

A little known subject globally, but Estonia is a relatively small country anyway.

It used to be a part of Soviet union (CCCP). They gained independence in 1991 after the Soviet union collapsed.

Linguistically estonian is very close to finnish. So we are kind of relatives.

There lives a swedish-speaking minority in Estonia as well as russian-speaking minority, 

Estonia itself, even though tiny, has 3 languages, Estonian, Võro & Seto

 

Estonian people suffered under Stalin ethnic cleansing when a lot of "Intelligentsia" was forcibly 

moved to Siberia to do forced labour in prison camps (Gulags).

This did not stop the funk though. Estonians are a stubborn bunch , and they always found ways to squeeze into their music western influences. They could see Finnish TV and hear Finnish radio for example, but they have a groove of their own as well. I´ts not all about copying American styles.

 Some Estonian bands were not allowed to release records during the soviet-era and some were even banned from performing live. 

This led to some artists leaving the country and moving to Canada, Sweden, USA etc. to be able to express themselves freely.

Only recently have some recordings been found from the vaults of Estonian radio and

personal archives and released to the general public. Some stuff was already released on the Soviet ministry of culture Melodiya - label back in the day.

Here is a sampling of some of my personal favourites. Please check them out and plunge headfirst into the fascinating world of funky Estonia!

 

COLLAGE - BOSSANOVA HING (1970)

 

 

JAAN KUMAN - HEI POISID, PINGUTAGE (1976) 

UKU KUUT- FUNKY DUCK (1992)


RADAR - TROFEE (1985)


HELMUT ANIKO - PIKK INGLISKA (1990)


RENE UFER & LILIAN TREIBERG - KAJAKAD (1977)


TONU & RAIVO - SINISILMNE UNISTUS (1980)


LAINE - LOPULAUL (1980)


VELLY JOONAS - STOPP SEISKU AEG (1983)


ELEKTRA - MEID KAASA MUUSIKA VIIB (1981)

TORNAADO - TORNAADO (1979)


MOBILE - KVARTETT (1984)


VITAMIIN - TÄHELEND (1980)


SVEN GRÜNBERG / MESS - HUKKUNUD ALPINISTI TANTS (1979)

MARJU KUUT & UNO LOOP - SA TANTSI SAMBAT (1971)


VALTER OJAKÄÄR - RASKED VEOSED (1976)



APELSIN - IGATSUS (1978)


LEMBIT SAARSALU KVARTETT - RINGTANTS (1980)

KASEKE - ELEVANT (1983)

 

JAAK JOALA - TANTSULAUL (1974)


SVEN GRÜNBERG - KLAABU KOSMOSES (1981)


PSYCHO - NOMINA SUNT ODIOSA (1978)


T.KÖRVITS - NAERULAUL (1976)

IN SPE - TYPEWRITER CONCERTO IN D (1984)

EESTI RAADIO ESTRAADIORKESTER - MA OOTAN SIND (1979)


 

VÄNTOREL - VÄSIMUS (1971)


GUNNAR GRAPS MAGNETIC BAND - ODÜSSEUSE EKSIRANNAKUD (1982)


 
TONIS MÄGI & MUSIC SAFE - SA HAARA KINNI MU KÄEST" (1982)

So, there was a small sample of Estonian Funk in sound and picture.

Hope you liked it.

Here is a few good resources if you want to know more:

 

FROTEE 

http://www.frotee.net/en/records

 

Estonian record label issuing lot of lost gems from the archives of Estonian TV and Radio,

among other things.


PSÜHHOTEEK 

https://www.psuhhoteek.ee/

 

Estonian vintage record store. They also arrange happenings, and live concerts.

The owner, Ahto, is working in many fields of culture and is very active, both researching and arranging international conferences and symposiums. The shop is located in Tartu , a lively university town with an international vibe.

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Tallin, you should visit Tartu, you will be pleasantly surprised. It is a bit more relaxed, but far from boring. Especially at summertime it seemed like a non-stop party with about 30 celsius plus on the thermometer, night and day.

The bus drive is only about 2 hours on the well-maintained highway. On the road you can watch scenic countryside views with fields and huge stork nests on old country-houses chimneys.

 

BIIT ME

https://biit.me

 

Tallinn record store with new and old records. Lot of electronic & 12"s. I never left there empty-handed.

I understand they moved to a new location recently. 

International selection but Estonian music is also available.


TALLIN OLD TOWN RECORDS

 https://www.instagram.com/tallinnoldtownrecords

 

Used record store In Tallinn with plenty of Estonian records. 

I have not visited in a few years unfortunately, but I used to go there every time I visited Tallinn,

along with "Raamatukoi", a bookstore.


ESTONIAN FUNK EMBASSY

https://funkembassy.eu

The name says it all!

Check out the "Groove of ESSR" vinyl releases, primo stuff!

.....................................................................................................

Some recommended Estonian movies and documentaries:

 

HUKKUNUD ALPINISTI HOTELL (1979)

Weird artistic Sci-fi Movie with soundtrack by Sven Grünberg / Mess.


 

SOVIET HIPPIES (2017)

(Nõukogude hipid)


 

Estonian documentary about  Hippie movement during Soviet times.

Essential watching. 


HARRY EGIPT REKLAAMIFILMID

WORLD FAMOUS TV COMMERCIALS BY HARRY EGIPT (2008)

 

84 Soviet-era TV commercials directed by Estonian Harry Egipt.

Must see DVD. 

A clip (Ice cream commercial) was used in BORAT the famous Hollywood movie.

 

THE GOLD SPINNERS (2013) 

 

The Gold Spinners is a story about the birth, glory, and disappearance of a peculiar, invisible, and mighty business empire, the film studio Eesti Reklaamfilm, the only company producing commercials in the Soviet Union.

 

DISCO AND ATOMIC WAR (2009) 

Documentary.

 

 A story about growing up in the Soviet Union. The film tells the story of a strange kind of information war, where a totalitarian regime stands face to face with the heroes of popular culture. And loses. 

 

VIRU, VABASUDE SAATKOND (2013)

VIRU, EMBASSY OF FREEDOM 


 

 



Essential Documentary about the Finnish-built landmark Viru Hotel in Tallinn, and the strange goings-on there. Black market, Alcohol, Erotic cabaret, top live jazz music. KGB kept an eye on the hotel guests, with microphones in 60 rooms and even some of the restaurant tables. KGB left the hotel 1991 but the secret KGB surveillance room in 23rd floor was only found in 1994 and is nowadays a museum.

The Hotel opened 1972 and is still open.


Sex and music

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_roll

"The phrase "rocking and rolling" originally described the movement of a ship on the ocean,but by the early 20th century was used both to describe the spiritual fervor of black church rituals and as a sexual analogy. A retired Welsh seaman named William Fender can be heard singing the phrase "rock and roll" when describing a sexual encounter in his performance of the traditional song "The Baffled Knight" to the folklorist James Madison Carpenter in the early 1930s, which he would have learned at sea in the 1800s; the recording can be heard on the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library website"

Plenty of artists have used sexuality as a part of their act. Whether in the subject matter of their song lyrics, double entendres and suggestive titles or in their image on stage and in photographs.

The half-naked ( or nude) woman on an album cover is one of the oldest tricks in the book of any smart ad-agency.
Usually these sexy sirens, buxom babes and voluptous vixens have little to do with whats actually inside the sleeve.
(This subject deserves a blog text of its own and we will skip the subject matter for now.)

In this blog text we shall focus on 60´s,70's and 80´s funky MUSIC and it's erotic undercurrents.

To include Rock, pop etc. would be too huge an endeavor to tackle in a single blog post. It is enough to remind the reader of the gyrating pelvis of Elvis, the on stage penis-flashing antics of Jim Morrison of The Doors and the huffing and panting of allegedly masturbating-in-the-studio Donna Summer on her first hit record "Love to love you baby". Not to mention Samantha Fox, Sabrina Salerno & Danuta Lato and the rest of the 80's titty-queen pop-stars.

Madonna hit it big with "Like a Virgin", "Erotica","Justify my love" and released the explicit "Sex" photo-book featuring the singer in various stages of undress with other celebrities and models.
George Michael sang " I want your sex", later he was busted for having gay sex in a toilet.
Kiss had a hit song called " Lick it Up" while the heavy metal group WASP sang " Animal (Fuck like a beast)" and shocked concerned parents and christian organisations.
The singer Blackie Lawless has recently found Jesus and is now a born-again christian.
Lil Louis had a huge hit in 1989 with " French kiss", featuring a female voice vocally simulating intercourse on top of a house music backing track, slowing down and speeding up , as an emulation of a extended orgasm.

If you look at today's pop stars, they blatantly use sex to sell their music.
Flashing their scantily-clad booties in videos and singing about all kinds of perverted acts. It has become a cliché, almost, with botox-filled prostitutes posing as musicians and horny teenagers swallowing the bait, hook, line & sinker. Not realizing they have fallen victim to another genious marketing plan of the evil multinational corporations dominating the music production of today.
At least for me there is nothing essentially erotic about this. The music is over-produced and emotionally cold. The artists, like cheap prostitutes high on crack, not unlike mechanical dolls or strung-out dancers in a strip club. Empty shells unable to feel or project any genuine human warmth.

Shock rocker Marilyn Manson continually exposed himself as well as having gay sex on stage and self-admittedly sexually tortured groupies in the back room. No musical talent but still want to be a famous rock star? No problem! Just cause a scandal and the papers will write about it!
He is now facing charges for multiple counts of rape. Not very sexy.
Other groups accused of abusing their fans sexually are Scooter and Rammstein of Germany.

But, there are some genuinely sexy records.
For this we have to delve in to the archives of past decades and dig the funky vinyl crates of yesteryear. Behold as I reveal to you, the Sexiest records of all time!

The most erotic, titillating, stimulating,
suggestive, throbbing music has to be Funk.

These famous sexy funk hits ;
James Brown " Sex machine", Marvin Gaye " Lets Get it on" & "Sexual healing", Labelle " Lady Marmelade", Prince " Sexy MF" are just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface we find a motherlode of less known erotic funk masterpieces, potent musical aphrodisiacs that excite the mind and make your body climax on the dancefloor.

Here is a selected list of some of the best erotically-themed, sexually arousing and straight up
"porn-funk" records out there.


MARVIN HOLMES & JUSTICE - "GIMME SOME TONIGHT"

USA 1973


CHAKAKAS - "JUNGLE FEVER"

BELGIUM 1972

ROD MCKUEN -  "EASY IN" 

USA 1977

BERNARD PURDIE - "LIALEH" 

USA 1973


SUPER EROTICA - "SUPER EROTICA"

BRAZIL 1970


RITA - "EROTICA"

FRANCE 1969


TOM ZACHARIAS - SLICKA MIN CLITTA

SWEDEN - 1975


BOOBIE KNIGHT & THE UNIVERSAL LADY - "THE LOVOMANIACS"

USA 1974


 BETTY DAVIS - "HE WAS A BIG FREAK"

USA 1974


BLOWFLY - "ARIES"

USA 1975


ROB - "MAKE IT FAST MAKE IT SLOW"

GHANA 1978


JIMMY SMITH - "GIVE UP THE BOOTY"

USA 1977



PARLIAMENT - "I´VE BEEN WATCHING YOU (MOVE YOUR SEXY BODY)

USA 1976


 PRINCE CHARLES - "BIG CHESTED GIRLS"

USA 1982

POUSSEZ - "COME ON AND DO IT"

USA 1979

TEMPEST TRIO - "DO YOU LIKE THE WAY THAT IT FEELS"

USA 1979


BAR-KAYS - "WHITEHOUSEORGY"

USA 1976


TRINITY - "WILD CAT"

NETHERLANDS 1973



ABACO DREAM - " CAT WOMAN"

USA 1969


MILLIE JACKSON - "LOGS AND THANGS"

USA 1978


CANDIDO - "THOUSAND FINGER MAN"

USA 1970


CERRONE - "STRIPTEASE"

FRANCE 1978

 

 

SEEBACH BAND - BUBBLE SEX  

DENMARK 1978


 

 

That was it for this blog post. If you are not turned on by now, I maybe cant help you!

Talk to a professional!

I will now go and "funk" myself!

Funk you very much!



Colin Curtis 19-12-20 World Wide FM - featuring two Kuja Orchestra tracks!


 

  https://www.mixcloud.com/worldwidefm/colin-curtis-19-12-20/

Thank you Colin Curtis, awesome show!

(Kuja Orchestra tracks are at about 1:59 & 2:22)

Dainis Porgants - "Depresija" (1991) Latvian Movie

 I first found out about this Latvian movie after buying the soundtrack album.

Mūzika Kinofilmai "Depresija"

The Front cover struck my eye, and having heard and liked Raimonds Pauls´ previous

soundtrack and musical work, such as "Double Trap", "Šerloks Holmss" and " Sister Carrie",

I decided to give it a try. The Movie (and soundtrack) is from 1991, around the time when Soviet Union collapsed.

Latvia used to be part of Soviet Union, and there was a record pressing factory in Riga.

So this LP is not on the Soviet state run Melodiya-label of the ministry of culture, like Raimonds Pauls´ previous output.

Instead it was released on the new Latvian Ritonis -label. The music is quite interesting. Drum machines and synths are there, with a updated 90´s sound, even though I would not call it a masterpiece, it´s still worth owning for the sheer obscurity and weirdness of it.

On the front cover you can see a erotic cabaret dancer, or a stripper / prostitute.

In front of her on the floor are syringes, a drop of blood and a mirror.

I started wondering, how in the world can the movie be like?

After some years of having the LP, I finally found the Film on You Tube!

I believe it is the first (and only) Latvian movie I have ever seen. 

No one in Finland is Importing Films from east-europe, and they are never shown on TV either.

Anyway...

I checked it out and...It is very interesting. Unfortunately there is no subtitles, and it is age-restricted, so you have to sign in to see it. It´s very very long as well (in two parts).

Is it a Movie or a TV-Series? I do not know.

"Kinofilmai" sounds like a movie to me.

As much as I could understand (I dont speak Latvian), the Film is taking place in Latvian underworld, with strippers, or erotic cabaret dancers

dancing in a club / Hotel and people dying from overdose of Intravenous drugs. 

Maybe one day we can see a legitimate release of this Film for western audiences?

I would not hold my breath, though.

You never know, though. Check this 2004 CD re-issue of  "Šerloks Holmss" on Mikrofona Ieraksti-label, somehow sponsored by the Finnish hardware store chain K-Rauta!


 


 

I did not even know they had K-Rauta in Latvia!

I picked that CD up when I visited the country, I thought it was just so bizarre.

Anyway...

Im sharing the link(s) here, Please do not judge me for copyright infringement.

Instead If you own this and want this blog post removed, drop me a message and I will do it.

DEPRESIJA PART 1

DEPRESIJA PART 2

 



 

 "Blaxploitation" Films & Soundtracks

 


 


Blaxploitation is a term which means 70´s Movies featuring afro-american actors,

and aimed at that market. It is a combination of the words Black and exploitation.

These films often feature a funky musical score, sometimes far superior to the film itself.


Even though the original target audience must have been afro-american movie-goers,

some Blaxploitation films were imported to Finland as well.

"Shaft" and "Let´s Do It again" were shown in theatres back in the day,

while others had a VHS-video release for example "Human Tornado" and "Black Gestapo".

.

There are also Sexploitation films, which exploit the promise of sex in the title and

promotion of the film. I guess thats where the name of the Blaxploitation-genre originates from.

Sometimes the two genres overlap. Then we have exploitation of black sexuality.

 

Blaxploitation itself has subgenres, there are dramas, horror films, action films, westerns,

X-rated films, comedies etc.


 I will write about these films from a white guys point of view.

I will also comment on the music as it is a central part of these films.

Even some otherwise very bad movies often contain a nightclub scene with some amazing

band playing killer soul-funk and mostly these were never released on vinyl.

The incidental background music is often very funky as well.

So the only way to hear some of these obscure, but super funky tracks is to see the films.

 

I try not to get too deep about the political / racial reasons why these films exist.

Obviously some films are more exploitative than others, made just to rip people off

of their ticket money, while others are more sincere efforts,

and actually carry a message of black empowerment.

 

These are my personal opinions, and while some of these films are considered classics,

To Me, they are not entertaining or good movies, and I take the liberty of saying so.

They may have cultural and historical significance, but that is not the main subject of this blog text.


The best thing to do is see these films for yourself and form your own opinion.

I merely report what I have seen and heard, to help other movie enthusiasts to find good films 

and avoid bad ones. So here we go, in no particular order.


Superfly (1972)

Directed by Gordon Parks Jr.

The son of the director of "Shaft".

Super Funky classic soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield.

Genre-defining movie but...

Personally I did not like it. I find it slow-paced and boring

 

Superfly TNT (1973) 

Dynamite soundtrack by the afro-funk band Osibisa.

The movie left a lot to be desired. 

It has its moments but overall not a classic in my book.

 

Shaft (1971).

Directed by the multi-talented Gordon Parks.

Maybe the most famous Blaxploitation film, but...

actually quite boring.

Super Funky and famous soundtrack by Isaac Hayes.

 

Shaft In Africa (1973) 

Super funky soundtrack by Joihnny Pate.

Better than the original, but not exceptionally entertaining.

 

Shafts Big Score (1972)

The soundtrack by Gordon Parks, the director of the film, is amazing. Killer Funk

Can not remember anything of this movie, so it cant be very good.

 

Gordons War (1973) 

Super funky soundtrack.

Good movie worth checking out.

 

Black Belt Jones (1974) 

Fun "karate" movie. Worth the price of admission for the opening sequence alone.

Not a great movie but a good one. With Jim Kelly Of  Bruce Lee fame.

Soundtrack by Dennis Coffey is super funky.

 

Dolemite ( 1975) 

Great Rudy Ray Moore Comedy.

Great funky soundtrack as well.

 

The Human Tornado (1976) 

Dolemite part 2. Super funny movie.

Super funky music as well, Not released on LP as far as I know.

 

Disco Godfather (1979) 

Another killer from Rudy Ray Moore.

This time battling evil PCP dealers in a disco setting.

Recommended watching.


Petey Wheatstraw (1977)

"The Devil´s son-in-law"

Its OK, but not Rudy Ray Moores Best.

Same goes for the soundtrack.

For Completists only.

 

Together Brothers (1974) 

A good little thriller about a bunch of kids who witness a murder.

Amazing soundtrack By Barry White in a Dramatic instrumental mode.

Theres some vocal tracks as well. Recommended.

 

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)

Melvin Van Peebles directs and stars in this what some call the first

"Blaxploitation" movie. Music by Earth, Wind and Fire is

far better than the movie itself. Enjoys cult status among enthusiasts, though.

 

Space Is The Place (1974) 

Sun Ra movie. Absolutely amazing. Super movie.

Rumour has it that the film originally contained X-rated sequences,

removed at the last minute by Sun Ra. Space visuals, cosmic jazz,

social commentary, spiritual wisdom, humour. Recommended. 


Tongue (?)

This is an X-rated Movie from the 70´s.

It features a guy with a extra long tongue, so he can really please the ladies.

It is like a male / black version of "Deep Throat".

He also has a pet frog. 

In one scene cocaine is put in a vagina prior to intercourse.

Sick and quite disgusting movie obviously made by junkies.

Great Funky soundtrack Though, I have only seen the re-issue from 1998.

Maybe it was not commercially released originally.

 

Lialeh (1974) 

Another Black Porn film.

Soundtrack by the famous session drummer Pretty Purdie is quite funky and soulful.

The going price for the original soundtrack LP is about 2000-3000 dollars.

I was horrified when I saw the movie.

OK, The opening sequence is quite nice with Purdie playing drums and a stripper dancing. 

But in essence,

Its extreme low budget crap. In one scene a hot dog is inserted into a womans vagina, while she is being called "bitch". That about sums it up. Get The soundtrack, forget about the movie.

 

The Final Comedown (1972) 

A low-budget masterpiece and a forgotten classic about a black panther caught in a shoot-out

with the pigs. The story unfolds in flashbacks as the brother reminisces how he got in 

the situation, all the while battling the 5-0.

Soundtrack LP on Blue Note by Grant Green is essential. Dark and moody funk.

Recommended.

 

Blackenstein (1973) 

Not a good movie.

 

Blacula (1972) 

Soundtrack By Gene Page is absolutely amazing.

The movie is not.


Scream Blacula Scream (1973)

Bad movie. Do not waste your time, even though it has

Pam Grier on it.

 

Putney Swope (1969) 

Real good movie with a message.

One of a kind. A real gem.


Super Spook (1974)

A real weird one. I dont know if these people were completely sober when they made this film.

Very low budget. Has its moments though.


Welcome home brother Charles (1975)

AKA "Soul Vegneance"

Another weird one, this time about a guy with a huge penis.

He uses it to strangle his enemies (white folks).

Low budget, and very strange ( in a bad way) film.

 

Black Mama, White Mama (1973) 

Pam Grier Women In Prison flick.

Very similar to "The Big Bird Cage".

It is a Sexploitation / Blaxploitation film targeted at a male audience.

Nothing to write home about but Pam Grier is always a pleasure to watch.

 

Coffy (1973)  

Maybe the best Pam Grier film.

Gritty and violent. Not for kids.

Roy Ayers soundtrack is a killer.


Foxy Brown (1974)

Pam Grier at her best. Kicking butt, both male and female.

Classic. Willie Hutch handles the soundtrack. Funky.

 

Sheba, Baby (1975) 

Pam Grier as a private eye.

Forgettable movie. Soundtrack by Monk Higgins is quite funky though.


Truck Turner (1974)

Not a good movie.

Soundtrack by Isaac Hayes is Killer though.

 

Tough Guys (1974) 

I believe I have seen this movie, but I can not remember any of it.

It usually means the movie was not that good.

The Isaac Hayes soundtrack is an absolute classic. Super funky stuff.


Wille Dynamite (1974)

This Movie is very good.

The soundtrack is good as well. Recommended.

 

 The Big Bird Cage (1972)

Pam Grier escapes from a womens prison camp in the jungle.

Low budget and very generic of the genre.

Blaxploitation / sexploitation.

Not very interesting unless you are a Pam Grier completist.

 

Abar (1977) 

AKA "Abar, the black superman"

This movie is super low budget, idiotic script, amateurish execution.

I wonder why this film was made.

In one scene "Abar" stops graffiti vandals with his psychic super powers

and makes them clean up instead. 

 

Abby (1974) 

A black version of the Excorcist.

Very low budget. Not a good movie.


Car Wash (1976)

Actually a decent feel-good comedy.

The soundtrack by Norman Whitfield was a huge hit.

Many Good funky tracks  here.


TNT Jackson (1974)

Dont Waste your time.

Some of the worst "Kung-Fu" fights ever in a movie.

 

Cool Breeze (1972)  

The Soundtrack LP by Solomon Burke is excellent.

Many Funky Instrumentals.

The movie itself is hard to come by, and I have to admit I have not seen it.


Let´s Do It Again (1975)

A comedy about a skinny guy being hypnotized to believe he is the greatest boxer

in the world. Quite Funny.

Excellent soundtrack By Curtis Mayfield and The Staple singers.

 

Cleopatra Jones (1973)  

A strong black female character kicks butt.

as brainless entertainment Its OK. 

Strong, Funky soundtrack by Joe Simon, Millie Jackson and others.

 

Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975)

Beautiful Tamara Dobson kicks more butt in part 2, this time in Hong Kong.

Not a masterpiece, but still worth checking out as an introduction to the genre.

According to IMDB this movie was banned in Finland.

Luckily we got a VHS release years later!

The soundtrack was not released at the time but is available on CD.

 

The Thing With Two Heads (1972)

This film is about a medical experiment where they stitch a black guys head

onto a white guys body, so he has 2 heads.

I havent been able to see it (only the trailer).

The soundtrack album has good funky tracks, but it seems to be at least partially a compilation,

not an original score, since it has tracks from the Bongo Rock LP by The Incredible Bongo Band.

Still worth purchasing as it is not very expensive. The movie itself is quite hard to find.

 

The Black Gestapo (1975)

AKA "Ghetto Warriors"

 This is a B- movie that has to be seen to be believed.

A bunch of Black Militants take it a notch too far and form a Nazi-style black army.

This is a genre-defining film. It is not artistic in any way or very high in production values, but it

shocks and surprises you for sure. Worth checking out.

It even features (white) Voluptous vixen Uschi Digart of Russ Meyer-films fame.

 

 Black Fist (1975)

AKA "Bogard"

Good, if somewhat downbeat movie about a boxer whose family gets killed

in the beginning of the film. He then goes on to become a fighter in illegal boxing,

while hunting for the bad guys. Quite Nasty and violent film.

Great soundtrack LP by Paul Humphrey and others. 


Slaughter (1972)

Boring Blaxploitation from major studio.

I can not remember anything of it.

It probably had a chase scene and lot of fist fights.

 

Slaughter´s big Rip-Off (1973)

The title says it all. A rip-off.

Dont waste your time on this.

James Brown was asked to do the soundtrack, he was going to give them some old recordings,

but his arranger at the time Fred Wesley insisted on writing some original music for the movie.

The soundtrack thus became a stone cold funk classic.

 

Melinda (1972)  

A mediocore film at best.

The soundtrack LP by Jerry Butler is a Classic. Funky and soulful.


Three The Hard Way (1974)

Evil White supremacists plan to poison the water supply with a chemical

lethal to black people only. A trio of bad-ass black guys goes on to stop them by any means necessary.

Sounds great on paper, but Superfly director Gordon Parks Jr. manages somehow to make it a boring and cliched movie.

The soundtrack LP by the Impressions is great, more soul than funk but still great 

 

Coonskin (1974)

Animator Ralph Bakshi of Fritz the Cat and Wizards-fame made this cartoon-movie.

about life in the ghetto. Worth checking out if you can find it.

Featuring the voice of Barry White.

 

Black Caesar (1973) 

A good movie. Well Worth seeing.

Amazing Soundtrack LP by James Brown.

 

Hell Up In Harlem (1973)

 Have not seen the movie. (at least I cant remember it!)

Soundtrack by Edwin Starr is pretty Alright, not 10/10 but still funky.


The Mack (1973)

This is a very good movie. See it.

The Soundtrack By Willie Hutch is very good as well.Soulful and melancholic.

There is another soundtrack LP from 1983 with totally different music.

This soundtrack is more uptempo and funky.

The 1983 reissue of the movie contained this alternate score added by the distributors. 

This score was composed by Alan Silvestri. 

 

 The Spook Who Sat By The Door (1973)

A significant film about the first afro-american CIA agent, who

is actually a militant Black Panther under cover.

Music produced by Herbie Hancock.

 

The Black Six (1973) 

A Black motorcycle gang takes revenge on a white

gang. Worth seeing.


Lady Cocoa (1975)

AKA "Pop Goes The Weasel"

Not a very good film.

See it at your own risk.

 

Trouble man (1972)

I had high exceptations, as the soundtrack by Marvin Gaye is an all-time classic.

The film was not very good and I found it cliched and boring. 

 

Sugar Hill (1974)

Voodoo, Zombies, Mobsters and a sexy leading lady with a huge afro.

Sound great on paper, doesnt it!

 

Cotton comes to Harlem (1970) 

Major Studio Blaxploitation film about 2 black cops.

Not a good movie, the soundtrack by Galt Mc Dermot is only slightly better.

United Artists seem to have spent more money on the poster (really nice) than the movie. 


Get Christie Love! (1974)

A made for TV movie about a black female cop.

Spawned a short lived TV-series.

Not a great movie, quite forgettable.

 

Darktown Strutters (1975)

AKA "Get Down And Boogie"

A real strange Movie. The plot was hard to follow, and my overall impression was

not a good one.  You might want to give it a try if you are into super obscure movies.

 "Super sisters on cycles - better move your butt when these ladies strut!"


Bone (1972)

AKA "Housewife"

Directed by Larry Cohen.

A rough and tough movie about a black guy who does a home invasion on a rich white couples home.

I liked the movie. It is very different from any other movie I have ever seen.

 

Youngblood (1978)

This movie is all right. Nothing wrong with it.

Soundtrack LP by War is funky and worth getting.

 

Friday Foster (1975)  

Another Pam Grier vehicle. Unfortunately not a memorable one. It is truly a shame that she ended up in a bunch of crappy B-movies because she really has super star potential as an actress. Coffy and Foxy Brown are like the only good films she did. (I did not like her comeback film Jackie Brown by Quentin Tarantino, even though she still looks great in it at 47 years old)

 

Savage Sisters (1974)

AKA "Ebony, Ivory and Jade"

Three karate chicks kick ass. One blonde, one brunette, one Black.

Good mindless B-movie entertainment with the beautiful Gloria Hendry.

 

Bucktown (1975)

Another wasted opportunity for Pam Grier.

She is seriously the only memorable thing about this very mediocore film.

Of course if you think fistfights and such are super cool entertainment then go ahead and have a blast.

 

The Brother from Another Planet (1984)

A late entry in the Blaxploitation genre, most people probably dont even consider it Blaxploitation.

This comedy is real great and worth a watch.

Soundtrack is nice as well with Lee Scratch Perry and others.

 

Countryman (1982)

A white american couple crash lands in Jamaica.

They are rescued by a bush-doctor who teaches the to smoke weed and survive in the jungle.

Good movie and a good soundtrack.

 

The harder they come (1972) 

Jimmy Cliff movie about Jamaican rudeboys.

First feature film produced in Jamaica.

Not a great movie but worth seeing anyway,

Classic soundtrack LP as well.

 

The Deadly Art of Survival (1979)

I found this VHS for 1 dollar at a Salvation Army Thrift Store in New York.

I did not know about this movie before.

Directed by Charlie Ahearn of "Wild Style" - fame.

Its a Extremely low budget Karate flick taking place in the ghetto.

Recommended.

 

So, that was it, a ride thru Blaxploitation classics, a few more obscure items and a bunch of 

Films from the outer fringes of the genre.

I know I have seen more, but some I have forgotten even the names of.

I know I have not seen them all, so Looking forward to finding new gems.

Keep your eyes (and your mind) open. You never know what you might find! 

Maybe next I will watch

Top Of The Heap (1972)

???

 

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

 



 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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