Coffy *** (1973, Pam Grier, Booker Bradshaw, Robert DoQui) Classic Movie Review 9420

Writer-director Jack Hill’s 1973 Coffy stars Pam Grier as sexy nurse ‘Coffy’ Coffin, who goes on the vengeance trail as a hooker with a great right hook after her sister is brain damaged by heroin, tracking down the inner-city drug pushers who destroyed her.

This violent, dodgy but dogged and exciting early Seventies blaxploitation pic deservedly brought the admirable young Grier to the forefront. Also notably in support, Allan Arbus plays Arturo Vitroni and Sid Haig plays Omar.

Also in the cast are Booker Bradshaw, Robert DoQui, William Elliott, Allan Arbus, Sid Haig, Barry Cahill, Lee de Broux, Ruben Moreno, Lisa Farringer, Carol Locatell [Carol Lawson], Linda Haynes, John Perak, Mwako Cumbuka, Morris Buchanan and Peaches Jones.

Jack Hill’s Foxy Brown with Pam Grier followed in 1974. Hill wrote it as a sequel to his Coffy, but AIP decided not to do it as a sequel at the last minute.

Coffy is directed by Jack Hill, runs 90 minutes, is made by American International Pictures (AIP) and Papazian-Hirsch Entertainment International, is released by American International Pictures (AIP) (1973) (US) and Focus Films (1974) (UK), is written by Jack Hill, is shot by Paul Lohmann, is produced by Samuel Z Arkoff and Robert A Papazian, scored by Roy Ayers and designed by Perry Ferguson II.

The BBFC rejected it for UK cinema release but passed it six months later with minimal cuts (to the stabbing of Omar). All later releases are uncut.

The tall, bald and usually bearded character actor and horror movie icon Sid Haig died at 80 on 21 September 2019.

Vitroni’s home belonged to Roy Rogers.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9420

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