Uncle Jasper reviews: Friday Foster (1975)
Allow me to introduce my buddy, Uncle Jasper. He’s gonna chime in from time to time with a review, so give him a big welcome. First up, Friday Foster with Pam Grier!
Friday Foster (1975)
Starring Pam Grier, Yaphet Kotto, Carl Weathers, Scatman Crothers, Eartha Kitt and Godfrey Cambridge
Directed By Arthur Marks
I admit it, by the end of this movie I had no fucking clue what was going on… Some convoluted plot about a bunch of white dudes in afro wigs conspiring to take out all of the nation’s black leaders. But my God, if the merit of a film lies in its ability to entertain, then this is a masterpiece in the same league as Dolemite and Fantasy Mission Force.
Look, all you need to know is that Pam Grier has never looked better and Yaphet Kotto has never been more charming. I swear to God, every time he flashed that goofy-ass gap-toothed grin of his I kept thinking how much he resembled a black Ernest Borgnine. He and Pam make an awesome duo and I would have loved to see them share the screen more often. Scatman Crothers is somewhere in there as a pervy priest, and the black dude from The Love Boat is great as the neighborhood pimp (“You have to admit… my shit is HEAVY!!” he tells Pam). Somewhere in the middle you have Eartha Kitt as an over the top fashion designer and Carl Weathers backing a delivery truck into some effeminate dude in a phone booth, crushing him to death. Whew! What a cast they rounded up for this one! It plays like the Grand Hotel of 1970s black cinema.
This film would be one of Pam’s last for American International. It is nowhere near as raw as Coffy and lacks the urgency of Foxy Brown, but it would be silly to even compare them. The point of this movie isn’t to provoke outrage, it’s a party movie that just wants us all to look good and have fun. I’m not saying that Friday Foster is the superior film, but Pam does have a little more breathing room here and it’s nice to see her in the arms of a suave millionaire for a change instead of being hog-tied and raped by some drunken hillbilly.
This movie has enough car chases, rooftop fights, machine guns and titties to overcome any shortcoming it may have in terms of plot. In fact, this film stares plot straight in the face and laughs at it. Anybody willing enough to not take it too seriously will be greatly rewarded.
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Silver Emulsion 
Anyone who digs Pam Grier is ok in my book!
man, great cast, i’m gonna have to watch this.
Yeah. They managed to round up a fantastic cast. Also watch for the scene where Yaphet Kotto beats the piss out of Carl Weathers. Not so funny in the context of the film, but hilarious when knowing that Carl played Apollo Creed a few years later in Rocky.
Hey I was thinking about the next Asian movie review how about one of the original Zatoichi movies?
Yeah, that sounds good. I’ve only seen the very first one and Takeshi Kitano’s recent one, so it’s up to you.
Sounds good I can send you the movie digitally via Send Space. I will need the email you want me to send the Send Space link to. The Zatoichi I am talking about stars Shintarô Katsu and its the only series that has more movies than James Bond. Get me the email you want, if you don’t want your email on the comments send it to newjpfjunk@gmail.com. Thanks JPF
It’s cool, just tell me which one we’re watching and I can rent it. I’d rather have a DVD. Just pick whichever one you want, but I’d prefer if it’s one of the ones I haven’t seen. Like so far I saw the first one in the real series and I thought it was OK. It didn’t make me run out and watch the other ones. So if there is one that you think is spectacular, let’s do that one.
P.S. I have not seen all of Zombie Land but plan to shortly
Oh jeez, don’t bother. Enter at your own risk.
Finally watched this! I was glad to see that Carl Weathers was in it more than it seemed from your review. That part when he backed the truck into the phone booth was awesome! I kept rewinding it. Man and that rooftop chase with Yaphet Kotto was awesome, especially the ending.
You’re right on when you say the film isn’t that great, but it is entertaining and fun to watch. It’s also interesting to go back and read an early review and see the progression.
Glad you had a chance to finally get to this! I’m a little more familiar with American International’s blaxploitation catalog than I was when I wrote this, and I have to say that this movie still remains one of my favorites. I can’t put my finger on it, but it seems to have a loose, don’t give a shit quality to it that the others lack.