Gunn

BLACK GUNN-1972-Gunn (Jim Brown) is the owner of a slick club whose brother Scotty (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) is involved with the Black Action Group, a radical faction run by Seth (Bernie Casey). He also has some stolen mob ledgers. A mob boss (Stephen McNally) puts Russ Capeli (Martin Landau) who fronts as a used car dealer in charge of getting the ledgers back. Psycho thug Krigley (Bruce Glover) and cohort Rico (William Campbell) beat up parking attendant/informer Sam Greene (MLB pitcher Vidal Blue). A congressman Carl Adams (Gary Conway) can't get a table at Gunn's club and his bigoted friend Winman (Keefe Brasselle) starts a fight and gets thrown out. Adams associate Toni (Luciana Paluzzi; THE GREEN SLIME) can't persuade Gunn. After Scotty is killed Gunn wants his killer who turns out to be Krigley. Gunn beats him up. He goes after Capeli but is captured and tortured. Fortunately the BAG Bros come to the rescue. 

The crazed ending features a bloody shootout, a car chase, explosions and Capeli being set on fire. It ends with Gunn being arrested. Deacon Jones plays himself and Timothy Brown is also in it. This all star blaxploitation crime drama by England born Robert Hartford-Davies who before coming to the US had directed CORRUPTION with Peter Cushing. He followed up GUNN with another blaxploitation movie (also made in the US) THE TAKE with Billy Dee Williams.

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Not Bad For A TV Movie

GARGOYLES-1972-Dr. Boley (Cornell Wilde) and his daughter Diana (Jenifer Salt) visit an old desert rat named Uncle Willie (Woody Chambliss) who has an unusual skeleton of what he says is a demon from a local Indian tribe. While interviewing Willie, they are attacked by something with claws that kills Willie and sets the place on fire. The father and daughter escape (with the skull) but one of the creatures attacks their car. They stay at a hotel owned by the boozy Mrs. Parks (Grayson Hall). The local sheriff blames some bikers but Boley tries to convince him otherwise. Later some gargoyles invade the hotel and one is hit and killed by a truck. Boley wants to take the dead creature back to LA but the gargoyle leader (Bernie Casey) wants it back. They re-invade to get the body and kidnap Diana too. With the help of the police (including Scott Glen), the bikers and some dogs, Boley infiltrates the lair, saves Diana and ruins the gargoyles' plan for world dominance. 

Director Bill Norton directed this above average TV horror movie after making his debut earlier with CISCO PIKE. He made some other mainstream films like MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI and BABY: SECRET OF THE LOST LEGEND but later went back to making TV movies.

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Hit Casey

HIT MAN-1972-Crazy blaxpoitation film with a lawyer Tyrone Tackett (Bernie Casey; also in the TV horror movie GARGOYLES the same year) investigating his brother's death. He locks horns with wimpy gangster Huey (Roger E. Mosley) and gets involved with porno movies when he discovers his niece Rochelle (Candy All) is an actress in them. He also crosses path with a white gangster Zito (Don Diamond; Crazy Cat on the '60's TV show F-TROOP). A stand out funny role is delivered by Sam Laws as Sherwood, a friend of the dead guy. Pam Grier (after roles in THE TWILIGHT PEOPLE and THE BIG BIRD CAGE) is featured as a prostitute (going topless) who winds up getting eaten by a tiger!

This is full of characters (especially Casey) in  outrageous outfits and terrible hip dialogue ("I Have not yet to get on your case,brother"). A disgusting highlight is an illegal dog fight. It's pretty stupid but still entertaining. John Lupton appears briefly as the director of a commercial. Director George Armitage later made VIGILANTE FORCE and GROSSE POINTE BLANK.

It's based on the novel JACK'S RETURN HOME by Ted Lewis  which was also the basis for the 1971 fim GET CARTER. Marilyn Joi (using the name Tracy Ann King) is also in it.

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