QUICK SCHLOCK: A Jim Brown Six-Shooter
Rest in peace, Jim Brown. He was famous for his athletic achievements and civil rights activism - and he also found time to become an iconic presence in the world of acting. Starting with the tough western Rio Conchos in 1964, he racked up over fifty credits in films and on television. He could carry his weight in the ensemble of all-star guys' flicks like The Dirty Dozen or Ice Station Zebra and when blaxploitation became a saleable trend, he carved out a niche as a solo star.
His career stretched on into the 21st century, including everything from villains (a terrifying performance in Fingers) to playful self-satire (I'm Gonna Git You Sucka). The following is by no means a retrospective - check out all the titles mentioned thus far in this piece to see a lot of key highlights - but the following six reviews offer a nice cross-section of Brown's glory days, including two titles from his late '60s ensemble work and four distinctive entries from his blaxploitation leading man era.
DARK OF THE SUN (1968): "It's got a bleak take on machismo that fits its late '60s vintage perfectly as it navigates warfare and robbery" https://boxd.it/PigQn
100 RIFLES (1969): "Gries' direction wisely keeps the large-scale action setpieces rolling out steadily, all effectively backed up a rousing, mariachi-tinged Goldsmith score." https://boxd.it/21e6Yf
BLACK GUNN (1972): "This potboiler from Brown's blaxploitation era might be formula stuff but damn, it's fun." https://boxd.it/IcwKl
SLAUGHTER (1972): "...Brown handles dangerous scenarios by barreling through them like the Schlitz Malt Liquor bull." https://boxd.it/16ROpN
I ESCAPED FROM DEVIL'S ISLAND (1973): "...breathless pacing and delivers all the requisite violence and sex with stopwatch precision." https://boxd.it/SCA2J
THE SLAMS (1973): "This propulsively-paced blend of blaxploitation and prison flick is mostly forgotten these days but offers a lot of grizzled fun..." https://boxd.it/16RNOd