Feature: film critic Odie Henderson talks history of blaxploitation in new book ‘ Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras’

1960’s exploitation films did so much for the industry, as they created a general roadmap for how to make a commercially successful film. The following decade would bring further proof in the form of “blaxploitation,” a ethnic subgenre that saw Black filmmakers and creatives take center stage in stories that were meant to entertain audiences while also serve as representation in the industry. Although still quite controversial within the community for their explicit storylines, the heros many times were Black protagonists that tried to stick it to the man or shut down criminal enterprises. Given the subgenre’s long history, Boston Globe film critic Odie Henderson looked to chronicle it in his book Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras: A History of Blaxploitation Cinema. So for our FilmWeek feature, Larry sits down with Odie to discuss the themes and success this subgenre found with audiences and why its impact can still be felt today.