Buck It Up

 

 (imdb)

BUCKTOWN-1975-Duke Johnson (Fred Williamson) goes to a small racist town in Alabama to sell the club his brother Ben owned before he was killed. Aretha (Pam Grier), a realtor friend of Ben's, becomes Duke's lover. The racist white police chief (Art Lund) and his two flunky deputies harass Duke, start a fight in a bar, then try to kill him. Duke calls his friend Roy (Thalmus Rasulala) who brings in some “muscle”. The chief says “Just remember we're the law. God is on our side”. Duke, Roy and their gangs proceed kill all the white bigoted lawmen and hold the chief hostage. Roy and his flunkies decide to take over as the law after they meet up with Roy's alcoholic friend (Bernie Hamiton). When they try to rape Aretha, Duke builds a tank and attacks them. He has a fisticuffs show-down with Roy in the finale. 

This is more blaxploitation hi-jinks from director Arthur Marks who made FRIDAY FOSTER with Pam Grier the same year. He made the much more enjoyable J.D.'S REVENGE the next year.

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Hammer Time

HAMMER-1972-B.J. Hammer (Fred Williamson) is fired from his longshoreman job and becomes a boxer for mobster Big Sid (Charles Lampkin). He knows Sid is no good but he only cares about success. He falls in love with Lois (Vonetta McKee), Sid's secretary. 

Meanwhile a philosophical cop (Bernie Hamilton) dogs his trail. At a party Hammer is called a “bourgeois negro” and is ridiculed by his friends at a pool hall. Sid's out of control bodyguard Brenner (William Smith) stupidly kills anyone who gets in Sid's way. Of course Sid is really working for a white guy boss. Lois is kidnapped by Brenner so Hammer will take a fall but in the end Hammer beats his opponent when he learns Lois is safe. In the finale the evil whiteys are beat up by the soul brothers and Hammer clobbers Brenner. 

The acting, direction, fight scenes and make-up are sub-par. Also featured are D'Urville Martin, Stack Pierce and Johnny Silver. Australian born Bruce D. Clark later made GALAXY OF TERROR. 

This was a big hit and establish former NFL football player Williamson as a “blaxploitation” star.

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