A landmark in blaxploitation films, Melvin Van Peebles' "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" has been one of the most talked about X-rated films in history. It tells the story of Sweetback, who kills two white police officers after they assault one of his "brothers." He then flees to Mexico, and on the way encounters interesting, if stereotypical, characters: A shower-capped ghetto thug, a hypocritical Baptist preacher, and a number of women who can't get enough of his extreme sexuality. Van Peebles utilizes split screens, freeze frames, and film negatives to add cinematic innovation to his truly independent production.

FILM LINKS

* Reviews on rottentomatoes.com

* Sweet Sweetback's on blaxploitation.com

* Blaxploitation quiz by British newspaper The Guardian