blaxploitation

noun, often attributive blax·ploi·ta·tion \ ˌblak-(ˌ)splȯi-ˈtā-shən \

|Updated on: 29 Jul 2018

Definition of blaxploitation

: the exploitation of blacks by producers of black-oriented films

blaxploitation movies

Recent Examples of blaxploitation from the Web

Released last Wednesday on 2,220 screens nationwide, the Columbia Pictures remake of the 1972 blaxploitation favorite has grossed only $10.7 million to date, a dismal figure for such a wide opening.

— j.r. jones, Chicago Reader, "Superfly rolls back the clock on African-American movie heroes," 21 June 2018
Omari Hardwick’s costuming recalls Shaft (1971) and Coffy (1973), a kind of literal pun on blaxploitation movie history and black exploitation in the workplace.

— josephine livingstone, The New Republic, "Sorry to Bother You Is a Brilliant Black Comedy About Race, Labor, and Magic," 29 June 2018
According to legend, the very term blaxploitation was coined specifically to denigrate Super Fly.

— j.r. jones, Chicago Reader, "Superfly rolls back the clock on African-American movie heroes," 21 June 2018
For those who aren’t familiar with Gordon Parks Jr.’s 1972 film (an icon of the blaxploitation genre), the movie follows a drug hustler making the most of what his environment provides.

— darcel rockett, chicagotribune.com, "'Super Fly' actor, musicians pay homage to original and put their own stamp on genre," 13 June 2018
Luke Cage, 2016 Luke Cage—Power Man, Hero for Hire—debuted in Marvel comics in 1972 at the height of the blaxploitation craze.

— dante a. ciampaglia, Newsweek, "‘Black Panther’ Owes Its Success to Heroes of Color Who Paved the Way," 13 Feb. 2018
But for better or worse, the new version has no interest in fashioning the same sort of mashup of blaxploitation and film noir that Gordon Parks Jr. created.

— michael phillips, chicagotribune.com, "'Superfly' review: One last score, this time in Atlanta," 12 June 2018
But unlike her ’70s films, Quentin Tarantino’s homage to blaxploitation showcased a heroine who didn’t need to resort to soft-core tactics.

— dante a. ciampaglia, Newsweek, "‘Black Panther’ Owes Its Success to Heroes of Color Who Paved the Way," 13 Feb. 2018
Last fall, Variety reported that Sony was working on a remake of the 1972 blaxploitation flick Super Fly.

— michael arceneaux, The Root, "Do We Really Need A Super Fly Remake? Do We Need Any of These Blaxploitation Remakes, TBH?," 21 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blaxploitation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.