Femmes Fatales

October 26 2024

VISION CORRECTION

There, that's better. Now you can see me perfectly.

This is probably the best known shot of U.S. actress Brenda Sykes, but she’s under-documented considering her beauty and show business résumé. She launched her career on television, including the soap opera One Life To Live, before appearing in a dozen or so motion pictures. We’ve seen her in Black Gunn, Mandingo, and Cleopatra Jones, plus she’s featured in nice promo images here and here. She’ll probably turn up again. There’s never a date on this shot when you see it online, but figure it’s from around 1971.

Black Gunn, Mandingo, Cleopatra Jones, One Life To Live, Brenda Sykes, blaxploitation

Vintage Pulp

October 17 2022

BLACK DON’T SLACK

The man with the ebony gun.

Above is an Italian poster for the 1972 blaxploitation movie Black Gunn, which starred the one and only Jim Brown, along with Brenda Sykes and Martin Landau. In Italy it was titled Pistola nera spara senza pietà, which translates to, “black gun shoots without pity,” a clumsy phrase, but one that fits the movie. There’s no release date for Italy, but it probably played there during the summer of 1973. We talked about it last year and shared a Japanese poster built around a photo-illustration, to which the above hand-painted effort serves as interesting contrast. The artist is uncredited.

Italy, Pistola nera spara senza pietà, Black Gunn, Jim Brown, Brenda Sykes, Martin Landau, poster art, cinema, blaxploitation

Vintage Pulp

June 8 2021

GUNN RIGHTS

When Jim Brown stands his ground an entire city is turned upside down.

This Japanese poster was made to promote the U.S. blaxploitation flick Black Gunn, which in Japan was called スーパー・ガン, or “Super Gun.” The U.S. promo for the movie is nice too, but we prefer this version. Black Gunn starred Jim Brown as a Los Angeles nightclub owner whose little brother rips off the mob and stashes the cash in Brown’s office safe. Little brother has also stolen and stashed ledgers containing information that could bring down the entire organized crime apparatus. Naturally, the mob comes looking and they aren’t subtle about their methods. A few beatings and threats elicit some useful information, and pretty soon they’re knocking on the door of Gunn’s Club, as Brown’s joint is called. Think his little brother is going to survive all this? If he did, you wouldn’t get to see vengeful Jim beat, kick, and blast various members of mafia west.

Brown is usually a passable actor, no worse than average for action movies of the period, but here he seems to be sleepwalking, along with every other cast member apart from head villain Martin Landau. Brenda Sykes in particular seems to be adrift about a hundred nautical miles offshore. We chalk these performances up to a rushed production, but the good news is the action is explosive, so the film isn’t a total waste of time. Plus it has Bernie Casey, and we’ll watch him in anything. He had a palpable cool that should have been bottled and sold. Black Gunn premiered in the U.S. today in 1972.

Japan, Los Angeles, Black Gunn, Jim Brown, Martin Landau, Brenda Sykes, Bernie Casey, Timothy Brown, Luciana Paluzzi, poster art, cinema, blaxploitation, movie review

Intl. Notebook

March 5 2021

AFRO CENTRIC

You probably can't pull this look off but there's no harm in dreaming.

Above you see a photo of U.S. actress Rosalind Cash modeling what we like to think of as the classic afro, an image we’ve posted today because recently we ran across a story on Simone Williams, official Guinness World Record holder for largest afro in existence. We don’t know if hers is actually the largest, regardless of what Guinness says, but it’s a majestic ‘do, beyond doubt. It got us thinking about the hairstyle, which in our book is the coolest of all time.

There are different types of afros beside just the classic. We wanted to feature all styles, and we also bent the definition a little to include what might be categorized more accurately as large perms. We’ve labeled all the variations below, which will help when you start on the long, winding, and ultimately fruitless road toward your own blowout. We’re aware, of course, that there were many male celebs who had afros, but we’re sticking with women today. Your journey begins below.

The pure joy afro, as modeled by Gloria Hendry, who appeared in such films as Live and Let Die and Savage Sisters.

The regal, by Diahann Carroll, crown not included

The bohemian, by Esther Anderson, who appeared in flims like Genghis Khan and A Warm December.

The aquatic, by Camella Donner, who’s a true water sprit, as we’ve shown you before.

The iconic, by Pam Grier, who did as much to popularize the afro as any film star in history.

The tall and proud afro, worn by trans b-movie actress Ajita Wilson.

The wild child, seen here atop Italian actress Iris Peynado.

The supreme afro, seen here on Diana Ross.

The lovely innocence afro, by Brenda Sykes.

The you-could-be-bald-and-still-be-smokin’-hot, demonstrated by Get Christie Love star Teresa Graves.

The afro-warrior by Cleopatra Jones star Tamara Dobson. Definitely more in the category of a large perm, but she pioneered the high fashion afro, so she’s earned some latitude.

The too-cool-for-you afro/perm by Vonetta McGee.

The action afro, seen here on Jeannie Bell. This barely qualifies, but she had one of the largest afros in the history of cinema, so we can cut her some slack. Check her screen shot in this post to be amazed.

The bright-eyed and bushy, by Carol Speed.

The action afro again, this time by Trina Parks, who sported this look in Diamonds Are Forever. Is it technically an afro? Tell her it isn’t and see what happens.

And lastly, the too-big-to-be-real afro, worn by Azizi Johari, whose actual hair you can see here.

There are numerous other afro shots in our website, but we can’t possibly remember where they all are, so you’ll just have to find them yourself, maybe by clicking the blaxploitation link below. Besides those, we do recall one more afro you can check out. It’s on Desirée West, and you’ll need to gird yourself for probably the hottest shot in Pulp Intl. history. Ready? Look here.

Femmes Fatales

January 19 2019

VENUS IN FURS

Prepare yourself for a Sykes-a-delic experience.

Above is a rare image of U.S. actress Brenda Sykes, who appeared in cinema and on television during a relatively brief ten year acting career from 1968 to 1978. She’s pretty well remembered for someone who had such a short run. Some of this is due to her being one of the era’s most beautiful performers, but she was also in cult classics like Cleopatra Jones and Mandingo, as well as on television shows like Police Woman. This shot is from a 1975 issue of Playboy Japan. We’ve cropped it above, and uploaded the full image below.

Playboy, Playboy Japan, Cleopatra Jones, Mandingo, Police Woman, Brenda Sykes, blaxploitation, nudity

Vintage Pulp

December 11 2015

WARRIOR QUEEN

Nobody can keep up with this Jones.

We talked about Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold a few weeks ago. The above poster was made for the Japanese run of its progenitor Cleopatra Jones, which is superior to the fairly decent sequel in every aspect except budget. Tamara Dobson was a globetrotting James Bond type in Casino of Gold, but here she stars in a somewhat grittier story centered around an attack on a Los Angeles halfway house she owns, which occurred in retaliation for her burning a drug lord’s poppy field in far away Turkey.

The villain behind this is Shelley Winters, who grandiosely overacts, but she’s fun in a role that requires her to dominate lots of tough henchmen, only to be inevitably slapped around and killed by Dobson in the climax. Like many well regarded stars of her era, Winters found roles in blaxploitation fare when mainstream opportunities dried up (hello there, Ray Milland), and it’s fun to see her inhabit such an out-there character.

Other players include Bernie Casey, Esther Rolle, and the lovely Brenda Sykes. Dobson had appeared in two previous films, but Cleopatra Jones made the ex-model a star. There were not many lead roles at the time for heroic women, and few roles of any sort for Dobson once the blaxploitation wave passed. As a result she graced the silver screen too few times. But Cleopatra Jones is a nice showcase of her ability as an action icon. Its Japanese premiere was today in 1973.

Japan, Turkey, Los Angeles, Cleopatra Jones, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, Tamara Dobson, Shelley Winters, Brenda Sykes, Bernie Casey, Esther Rolle, poster art, cinema, blaxploitation, movie review

Femmes Fatales

April 27 2010

SYKED OUT

An alpha female in b-movies.

Above: U.S. actress Brenda Sykes, who appeared in blaxploitation flicks such as Cleopatra Jones, Mandingo, and of course, the unforgettable Honky, seen here in a promo photo made for the 1971 movie Pretty Maids All in a Row.

Cleopatra Jones, Mandingo, Honky, Pretty Maids All in a Row, Brenda Sykes, blaxploitation, cinema

Vintage Pulp

August 15 2009

BIRTH OF A NATION

Black is the color of my true love’s skin.

Mandingo has a reputation as a piece of campy blaxploitation, but we just watched it today and it’s clear that reputations and reality sometimes don’t connect. The film has its flaws—some of the acting is less-than-scintillating, and ex-heavyweight boxing champion Ken Norton is ponderous as the lead character Mede—but overall Mandingo is a serious and realistic depiction of the antebellum American south’s slave culture. The provocative poster you see above was produced for Mandingo’s West German run, and it’s a stunning piece of art.

Mandingo tends to polarize audiences, but those who hate it generally cite its upsetting language and subject matter. While those are legitimate reasons to refrain from watching a film, they aren’t valid artistic criticisms of a movie’s content. It’s about slavery. You know going in it isn’t going to be nice. We recommend the movie, but we warn you it’s no Gone with the Wind—it’s a lot more historically accurate. Mandingo, with Norton, James Mason, Perry King, Susan George, and Brenda Sykes, premiered in West Germany today in 1975.

West Germany, Mandingo, Richard Fleischer, Ken Norton, Susan George, James Mason, Brenda Sykes, Perry King, Laura Misch, blaxploitation, poster art, cinema, movie review

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HISTORY REWIND

The headlines that mattered yesteryear.

July 11

1960—To Kill a Mockingbird Appears

Harper Lee’s racially charged novel To Kill a Mockingbird is published by J.B. Lippincott & Co. The book is hailed as a classic, becomes an international bestseller, and spawns a movie starring Gregory Peck, but is the only novel Lee would ever publish.

July 11

1962—Nuke Test on Xmas Island

As part of the nuclear tests codenamed Operation Dominic, the United States detonates a one megaton bomb on Australian controlled Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean. The island was a location for a series of American and British nuclear tests, and years later lawsuits claiming radiation damage to military personnel were filed, but none were settled in favor in the soldiers.

July 10

1940—The Battle of Britain Begins

The German Air Force, aka the Luftwaffe, attacks shipping convoys off the coast of England, touching off what Prime Minister Winston Churchill describes as The Battle of Britain.

July 9

1948—Paige Takes Mound in the Majors

Satchel Paige, considered at the time the greatest of Negro League pitchers, makes his Major League debut for the Cleveland Indians at the age of 42. His career in the majors is short because of his age, but even so, as time passes, he is recognized by baseball experts as one of the great pitchers of all time.

July 8

1965—Biggs Escapes the Big House

Ronald Biggs, a member of the gang that carried out the Great Train Robbery in 1963, escapes from Wandsworth Prison by scaling a 30-foot wall with three other prisoners, using a ladder thrown in from the outside. Biggs remained at large, mostly living in Brazil, for more than forty-five years before returning to the UK—and arrest—in 2001.

DON’T RIDE THE WHITE HORSE

Rafael DeSoto painted this excellent cover for David Hulburd's 1954 drug scare novel H Is for Heroin. We also have the original art without text.

BARN GIRLS

Two Spanish language digest novels from Argentine publishers Malinca Debora and Malinca Nueva Pandora.

Argentine publishers Malinca Debora reprinted numerous English language crime thrillers in Spanish. This example uses George Gross art borrowed from U.S. imprint Rainbow Books.

LOVES OF A BLONDE