Ranker FilmList RulesVote up your favorite African American films that were released in the 1970s.
When you think about the best '70s Black movies, you think about the man who would risk his neck for his brother man. The one and only Shaft is just one of the films on this list of 1970s Black movies. The '70s saw the birth of blaxploitation, so this list is chock full of classics of the genre, including Foxy Brown and The Mack. These 1970s African American movies are wildly different, though, covering comedy, drama, action, and even horror.
What are some of the top 70s Black movies? Let's Do It Again has to appear on any list of the best 1970s African American films. This 1975 release starred the duo of Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby. Uptown Saturday Night is acomedy you can dig, while They Call Me Mr. Tibbs, Blacula, and Super Fly are also good examples on this list of '70s Black movies.
The order of this '70s Black movies list depends on your votes, so vote up the best, vote down the worst, and add any movies we may have missed. If you're a blaxploitation expert, rerank the entire list as your comprehensive guide to 1070s Black cinema.
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30436Let's Do It Again
Bill Cosby, Sidney PoitierReleased:Â 1975
Directed by:Â Sidney Poitier
Let's Do It Again is a 1975 film starring Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby and Jimmie Walker plus an... more
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32443Uptown Saturday Night
Bill Cosby, Richard PryorReleased:Â 1974
Directed by:Â Sidney Poitier
Uptown Saturday Night is a 1974 comedy film written by Richard Wesley, and directed by Sidney... more3
31145Claudine
James Earl Jones, Diahann CarrollReleased:Â 1974
Directed by:Â John Berry
Claudine is a 1974 American film, produced by Third World Films and distributed by 20th... more4
33454Super Fly
Ron O'Neal, Carl LeeReleased:Â 1972
Directed by:Â Gordon Parks Jr.
Super Fly is a 1972 American blaxploitation crime drama film directed by Gordon Parks Jr. An... more5
27747The Mack
Richard Pryor, Juanita MooreReleased:Â 1973
Directed by:Â Michael Campus
The Mack is a 1973 blaxploitation film starring Max Julien and Richard Pryor. Although the... more6
21927Foxy Brown
Pam Grier, Sid HaigReleased:Â 1974
Directed by:Â Jack Hill
Foxy Brown is a 1974 American blaxploitation film written and directed by Jack Hill. It stars... more7
20625Cleopatra Jones
Shelley Winters, Esther RolleReleased:Â 1973
Directed by:Â Jack Starrett
Cleopatra Jones is a 1973 blaxploitation action film starring Tamara Dobson.... more8
25657Shaft
Richard Roundtree, Moses GunnReleased:Â 1971
Directed by:Â Gordon Parks
Shaft is a 1971 American blaxploitation film directed by Gordon Parks, released by... more9
17420Coffy
Pam Grier, Sid HaigReleased:Â 1973
Directed by:Â Jack Hill
Coffy is a 1973 blaxploitation film written and directed by American filmmaker Jack Hill. The... more10
18228Across 110th Street
Anthony Quinn, Yaphet KottoReleased:Â 1972
Directed by:Â Barry Shear
Across 110th Street is a 1972 American crime drama film starring Anthony Quinn, Yaphet Kotto,... more11
16018Three the Hard Way
Jim Brown, Fred WilliamsonReleased:Â 1974
Directed by:Â Gordon Parks, Jr.
Three the Hard Way is a 1974 action blaxploitation film starring Fred Williamson, Jim Brown,... more12
17126Black Caesar
Fred Williamson, Gloria HendryReleased:Â 1973
Directed by:Â Larry Cohen
Black Caesar, released theatrically in the UK as Godfather of Harlem, is a 1973 American... more13
16021They Call Me Mister Tibbs
Sidney Poitier, Ed AsnerReleased:Â 1970
Directed by:Â Gordon Douglas
They Call Me Mister Tibbs!, stylized with emphasis on "Mister", is a 1970 film, a sequel to... more14
17128A Piece of the Action
Bill Cosby, James Earl JonesReleased:Â 1977
Directed by:Â Sidney Poitier
A Piece of the Action is a 1977 comedy crime film starring Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby.... more15
14322The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings
Richard Pryor, James Earl JonesReleased:Â 1976
Directed by:Â John Badham
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings is a comedic sports film about a team of... more16
11618Which Way Is Up?
Richard Pryor, Margaret AveryReleased:Â 1977
Directed by:Â Michael Schultz
Which Way is Up? is a 1977 comedy film starring Richard Pryor. It was directed by Michael... more17
10722Truck Turner
Isaac Hayes, Yaphet KottoReleased:Â 1974
Directed by:Â Jonathan Kaplan
Truck Turner is a 1974 blaxploitation film, starring Isaac Hayes and Yaphet Kotto, and... more18
11528Blacula
Vonetta McGee, Elisha CookReleased:Â 1972
Directed by:Â William Crain
Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free TrialBlacula is a 1972 American blaxploitation horror film produced for American International... more19
10924Sugar Hill
Charles Robinson, Richard LawsonReleased:Â 1974
Directed by:Â Paul Maslansky
Sugar Hill is a 1974 horror blaxploitation zombie film released by AIP. It starred Marki Bey... more20
9824Super Fly T.N.T.
Robert Guillaume, Roscoe Lee BrowneReleased:Â 1973
Directed by:Â Ron O'Neal
Super Fly T.N.T. is a 1973 film directed, starring, and co-written by Ron O'Neal. O'Neal... more21
8722Take a Hard Ride
Jim Brown, Lee Van CleefReleased:Â 1975
Directed by:Â Antonio Margheriti
Take a Hard Ride is a 1975 Italian-American Western film directed by Antonio Margheriti. It... more22
8119Velvet Smooth
Emerson Boozer, Owen WatsonReleased:Â 1976
Directed by:Â Michael Fink
Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free TrialVelvet Smooth is a 1976 American blaxploitation film about a crime lord who hires a female... more23
10643Shaft's Big Score
Richard Roundtree, Gordon ParksReleased:Â 1972
Directed by:Â Gordon Parks
Shaft's Big Score! is a 1972 action film directed by Gordon Parks. It is the second film in... more24
7621The Education of Sonny Carson
Mary Alice, Paul BenjaminReleased:Â 1974
Directed by:Â Michael Campus
The Education of Sonny Carson is a 1974 film based on the best-selling autobiography of Sonny... more25
9536Melinda
Vonetta McGee, Rosalind CashReleased:Â 1972
Directed by:Â Hugh A. Robertson
Melinda is a 1972 film directed by Hugh A. Robertson....
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