Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A trio of fun exploitation flicks from the Queen of the genre, November 27, 2005
This could be subtitled "Pam in a Jam". These three black exploitation films from the 70's feature Pam Grier in top form and probably provided erotic dreams and inspiration for Quentin Tarrantino. The first of the set "Coffy" features Grier as kind of a superhero without the costume. She's an a nurse during the day time but at night turns puts people into the hospital. When Coffy discovers that her sister has been fed drugs by a local drug pusher, Coffy goes in for revenge only starting with the pusher. Ultimately she plans on going to the top and taking out the guy that heads the drug syndicate himself! Coffy quickly discovers that enemies are interchangeable with friends in this fun and often funny action adventure flick.
"Foxy Brown" was originally conceived as a sequel to "Coffy" but when the director/writer Jack Hill realized he couldn't get the funds for a sequel he rewrote the film changing minor elements of the plot and characters names. Once again Grier stars (she could be playing Coffy instead of Foxy in this film and it wouldn't matter). Foxy (Grier) thinks she's found the man of her dreams when she falls in love with an undercover narcotics cop. When he's murdered she goes out for justice and swears she'll take down the crime syndicate that assassinated him. Foxy goes undercover playing the role of a high priced call girl to find out who was behind the murder of her boyfriend and exact revenge!
"Sheba Baby" features Grier as the title character Sheba Shayne a private eye who runs to aid her father. It seems he's being muscled by the mob and they are trying to take over his loan business. When the mob try and take her out with a car bomb, Sheba is out for mob blood. Packing a colorful array of guns, she takes them out one by one. The mob though has plans of their own for Sheba and she may go down before she finishes exacting her revenge! It doesn't quite hold up as well as "Coffy" or even "Foxy Brown" but it's an enjoyable guilty pleasure.
These three Pam Grier classics have been available from MGM before. These editions appear to be gussied up editions for this boxed set. The print used is extremely clean and while there is grain during some of the dark sequences, it's probably due to the film source itself and not due to the digital transfer. The mono sound track comes across with nice clarity and the music although occasionally a bit compressed sounding has nice presence. Overall, the sound track for all three films sound quite good.
"Coffy" and "Foxy Brown" feature a extremely good informative commentary from director Jack Hill. In "Foxy Brown" Hill discusses how he originally had intended that movie to be sequel to "Coffy" but couldn't get the financing. Hill also discusses his involvement in writing and directing a number of blaxploitation films and some of the issues they ran into in making these action/adventure flicks. There's a bonus disc featuring interviews with rappers, etc. that is tied into VIBE Magazine. It's not bad just not essential. Why additional extras for these fine exploitation flicks was not included is beyond me.
A nice collection which features enough action and Pam Grier to entice fans to buy it, "Fox in a Box" is an inexpensive way to pick up three classic B movies in one package. The commentary tracks are quite a bit of fun providing quite a bit of background on the production of each film. So if you're a fan cozy up with Pam in front of a fire and let her do her thing!
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
at least the price is right, November 30, 2005
Well the best part about this set is that you can get Coffy and Foxy Brown cheaper than buying the single DVDs. Sheba Baby isn't that great of a film. It's a shame they didn't include Bucktown which while Pam is a supporting actor (as The Hammer's love interest), it's a great film. Or even complete the Pam on MGM DVDs with Friday Foster. What's wrong with giving the complete Fox in the box?
The bonus DVD is pretty forgettable. It doesn't include Pam talking about her early days. Just modern rappers doing a VH1 bit of jabbering.
But if you're curious about Pam and you want a deal, this box is for you.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Grier Box Set A Paradox, December 20, 2007
Pam Grier was one of the most beautiful women to appear on the big screen, but the fact that she didn't establish mainstream appeal until she was nearly fifty illustyrates the hardships faced by black actresses--particularly those who labored during the 70's so-calleed blaxploitation silms.
The films here show Grier in all of her gun-toting and "Super Mama" glory, and in her birthday suit, as she was never bashful about flaunting some of the most eye-popping full frontal nudity in film history.
Blaxplotation films were formulaic statements in the era of the "Black Power" movement. These low-burget cash cows followed the story line of black person wronged by "the man," black relies on ineffective (white) police to do their jobs, and when that fails--or the cops show a lack of enthusiasm in solving the case--black victim becomes black superhero and takes things into his/her own hands. That's when the bullets begin flying.
All three films in this set, "Sheba, Baby," "Foxy Brown," and "Coffy" follow this same formula with ever so slight variation.
While Grier is both fun and alluring, her presence in these films is a celluloid tragedy, as it appears obvious that had she been given the chance, she would have been one of the all-time greats.
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