I always enjoyed the 1970's era of crime/action films such as Shaft, Slaughter, Enter the Dragon, and Serpico. Action star Ron O'Neal plays an up and coming drug pusher named Priest who decides he wants to make one more big score before retiring from the drug pushing business by purchasing then selling 30 pounds of pure heroin with his partner in crime, a guy called Eddie, payed by Carl Lee. Not impressive: I can appreciate the dress style in New York city in the 1970's was flashy and that the cars needed to be expensive, big and long. But seeing both drug pushers, Priest and Eddie in their combo suede and leather multi colored knee length coats, fedoras, and sunglasses , and driving their big flashy cadillacs with custom headlights did nothing to quell the general public's opinion of what black men aspired to be in the 1970's. This is what blaxpoitation desired to accomplish.Impressive: The musical score by Curtis Mayfield and his on screen presence singing one of the films songs was superb. The two women in the film who played Priest's lovers, namely actress Sheila Frazier who played Priest's every day girlfriend named Georgia, and Priest's girl Friday named Cynthia, were both easy on the eyes. Last but not least how Priest outsmarts the big drug lord was a decent approach which made this crime/action film worthy of watching more than once.I give Super Fly a decent 6 out of 10 rating.

Youngblood Priest (Ron O'Neal) is a cocaine dealer who begins to realize that his life will soon end with either prison or his death. He decides to build an escape from the life by making his biggest deal yet, converting the coke to cash and running off to start a new life.You have to love the musical score from Curtis Mayfield; "Super Fly" is one of the few films ever to have been outgrossed by its soundtrack. And there are lots of interesting facts about this film: The film was shot by director of photography, James Signorelli, who would go on to become the film director at Saturday Night Live. The director's father, Gordon Parks, was the director of "Shaft", another blaxploitation classic, and financed this movie with the help of two dentists.Does the film glorify drug use (particularly cocaine use)? I suppose that depends on your interpretation. Many say it does, the creators say it was intended to show the negative aspects of drug culture. I can see it both ways. I mean, gee, your hero is a drug pusher. But his life is hard... and yet, this hard life is presented as glamorous. Who knows?

Ron Earl is the Priest, independent Harlem coke dealer who is out for the big deal, one last push before he's out of there and out of the street. He also happens to be the protagonist and the one character we're called to empathize with and if that pose a problem for some, it's a directorial choice I applaud even only for its disregard of PC norm. In a genre populated for the most part by cops, private dicks and other manifestations of the law, having a drug dealer kicking ass and not in the name of some higher value, without him renouncing his past or seeing the error of his ways and becoming goodie two-shoes in a last minute, flimsy attempt to redeem the movie in the eyes of moral censors, without being heavy-handed or trashy is certainly admirable. Those that enjoy taking the moral high ground against the movie they're watching will find plenty of ground here to do so. I don't. I might oppose a movie on a political level but only when it tries to make a political statement out of it and Superfly sure as hell doesn't, at least not beyond what genre conventions might dictate (i.e. whitey is bad). The Priest however renounces the hypocrisy of "Black Nation" scumballs going around asking him for money just as much as he rails against the "redneck faggot" captain who doubletimes as the local drug lord.So if Super Fly is so good, it's because The Priest's desire comes across so transparent, strong and clear. Get off the street. A home, a vine, his woman, that's all he wants out of life now, despite (or perhaps because of) him being a societal leech feeding off people's addiction. Dealing drugs is just a job for him, a means to an end. His partner Eddie rambles on at one point early in the movie about how "it's all whitey left them to do" on which I call shenanigans; that way of thinking is never further expounded upon in relation to the Priest's goal and Eddie in the end proves himself to be a backstabbing, greedy son of a bitch. I think the best way to sketch out The Priest's character is by using Lee Marvin's words when he was asked what it felt like to have played so many bad guys in his life: "My characters weren't bad. They were just trying to get through the day". That's pretty much the wavelength Super Fly channels its protagonist through. Neither condemnation, nor approval, it's just the way it is.Super Fly is so damn good however, not just because its drug dealer protagonist comes across as genuine and sympathetic, but more so because it never allows itself to be drawn to the sillier end of blaxploitation. No 'mack daddy' sleazy pimpin' fabulousness here, the movie is constantly rooted in reality, taking itself serious before asking the viewer to do the same, but also groovy and funky as only blaxploitation flicks can be. A big part of that distinct seventies charm is due to Curtis Mayfield's stupendous score, playing over most of the film, but also the seedy back-alleys and rundown neighborhoods of then contemporary Harlem, the grime almost reaching across the screen.Grade A blaxpoitation then, but also a smokin' hot crime flick with characterization that is better than most, good pace, all-around good acting, booty-shaking' music, afros and a few punches thrown in for good measure, Super Fly is among the best of its kind. Strongly recommended.

I was a young kid when this movie came out but, I remember how "cool" everyone thought he was.I too wanted to be a pimp and a player.Then I watched it a few years ago and realized how "cheesy" the movie looked.I mean don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it but,...Anyway, it's worth adding to your collection if your a true movie fan.I would really recommend you get the sequel to this one too. Super Fly TNT.That one I can't really remember much about but, hey, if you're going to get one...why not both.This movie fits right in there with "The Mack","Shaft" (the original),"Come Back Charlston Blue", and my other "Black Movies of the 70's"So get out there and find them. And if you can find any of them, there great to just kick back with your friends and have a few good laughs while you compare the film style of the 70's to that of today's.