Product Details

• Actors: Hari Rhodes, Alex Rocco, Vonetta McGee, Ella Edwards, Scatman Crothers
• Directors: Arthur Marks
• Writers: Orville H. Hampton
• Producers: Arthur Marks, Charles Stroud, Don Gottlieb, Junius Griffin, William B. Silberkleit
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Walt Disney Video
• VHS Release Date: July 18, 2000
• Run Time: 106 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305306141
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #44,227 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This snappy, cynical cop thriller was marketed as a "blaxploitation" film when released in 1973, but it's really a mixed-cast godson of The French Connection and The Seven Ups set in the racially volatile cauldron of 1970s Detroit. Alex Rocco (Moe Green from The Godfather) stars as a veteran detective on the Detroit police force, a sinus-infected loner who's bitter from constantly being passed over for promotion. Assigned to a political powder keg--the high-profile heist of a black gubernatorial candidate's big money fundraiser--he's paired up with an educated, smart-dressing black hotshot (Hari Rhodes), a fast-rising star in the department. These guys are no Lethal Weapon act; they may earn a grudging mutual respect but never really like or trust one another. The climactic 25-minute chase is edgy and lean and very violent, spiced with big bloody gunshot wounds and victims writhing in tortured death spasms, and the film concludes on an unusually satisfying note of ambiguity and cynicism. Marks went on to direct Friday Foster and J.D.'s Revenge. The title, by the way, refers to the police code for "officer in trouble." Virtually unseen since its premiere, it was rescued by Quentin Tarantino's Rolling Thunder label for a brief theatrical revival and subsequent video release. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars IN A WORD..........SOLID!, August 23, 2000

By	T. Henderson "filmphan" (The Sands Hotel) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is classic Blacksploitation! I am such a huge fan of the genre, that when I heard a soundbite from Detroit 9000 on the Jackie Brown soundtrack, I knew that I had to see the movie. And, even better, it had Quentin Tarantino's stamp of approval. More than enough for me!

A gritty, tell it like it is white cop is assigned to find the men who robbed the fundraiser for the first black man to run for Govenor of the state of Michigan. When he realizes that he can't do it alone, he reluctantly agrees to let a young black cop, who happens to be an up-and-comer, help him out. What follows is a mess of gun fights, funky music, and dead pimps. All culminating in probably one of the biggest shootouts/chase scenes in film history! My jaw was dropped and my eyes were open in amazement as Detroit cops and the robbers chased each other all over town whilst expending thousands of rounds of ammo. The ending came as quite a surprise, and nothing that I had seen coming. This film is a very good movie, especially for blacksploitation, and it is a total blast. I watched this on a Friday night with some friends, made some remarks(ala Mystery Science Theater 3000), and totally had a great time. If you like blackploitation, see this. If you like action films, with millions of bullets, and bloody gunfights, see this. And if you like cop movies with great chase scenes, see this! I would love it if Tarantino remade this film, and put Sam Jackson in it. A lot of fun, and worth your time. Hey, if you took the trouble to look it up, do yourself a favor and see it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-See for Motown, March 2, 2000

By	Rob Yagley (Brooklyn, no longer in Motown) - See all my reviews

This is the only non-documentary film that I know of to capture anything of the life in Detroit experience. It is a must-see film for anyone who's spent any serious time in Motown. There are classic Detroit scenes such the drive up the Cobo Hall ramp, a dialogue scene in the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame inside Cobo, the old Top Hat Coney off Grand Circus Park, a functioning Book-Cadillac Hotel, a skyline before the RenCen, and even a B.C./Marathon sticker and Detroit Tigers "Bill Freehan in action" calendar! This film has early-70s Detroit written all over it. Yet, this film also goes beyond its local setting as well. Its no wonder Tarantino has a special regard for this film. It shows the racial hypocrisy of institutions and the establishment. There is racial opportunism and strife among the politicians and police chiefs. So it is no mistake that the criminals in this film are the only ones racially mixed working in cohesion. The final chase scene is not actually a chase but a slaughter akin to the S.W.A.T./Patty Hearst scene. All the establishment figures are out for themselves, yet they lie continually about racial harmony to hide their ambitions. The thieves are out for themselves yet they're together and have put aside their racial differences. This is a unique film. Too bad the acting wasn't better. Also the editing is a bit staid. Once you get behind these rough spots you'll see a film with a very compelling story line.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRILLIANT, September 30, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Nurnberg, Germany(American)) - See all my reviews

This movie would have never caught my eye if it wasn't for Tarantino. I'm a huge fan of Tarantino, but I can't honestly see what Tarantino did to make it better, except put his name on it to get people to buy this classic film. The pure acting of Scatman Crothers and Alex Rocco make this movie flow. It has a wonderful plot and dealt with racial and other real issues. I think it wasn't that big of a hit when it was first released because people just didn't want to see films like that then. Today on the other hand, as Tarantino realized, people love films such as Detroit 9000. Absolutely brilliant!