From the late 1960s on, there has been one highly profitable movie genre that has received little or no critical attention or documentation - black action pictures. These are very popular, slam-bang, heavy-duty, ethnic action feature films like Beverly Hills Cop, Blacula, Cleopatra Jones, Foxy Brown, Greased Lightning, Shaft, and Superfly.

Here the genre is given its due in this comprehensive compilation of four filmmaking decades. For each of the 235 films, there are detailed filmographic data and full cast and credits listings, plus an essay interweaving a synopsis, contemporary critical quotes, production information, and an analysis of the film and its stars.