At the beginning of his long and storied career as a director, the inimitable cultmaestro Larry Cohenworked primarily in the crime genre, producing a trio of standoutblaxploitation movies. The first – his debut – was Bone, swiftly followed bytwo films for American International Pictures that would firmly establish hisreputation: BlackCaesar and Hell Up in Harlem, inwhich Fred Williamson’shardened gangster works his way to the top of the New York underworld.
In Black Caesar, we meet TommyGibbs (Williamson), a criminal scarred by a childhood encounter with a policeofficer. As an adult, he has become the leader of a crime syndicate based inHarlem. Determined to grow his criminal empire, he wages war on both theItalian mafia and the NYPD. Gibbs returns in Hell Up in Harlem, in which he attempts toeradicate drug dealers from the streets he grew up on, while battling thecorrupt District Attorney who wants to keep them there.
Quintessentialexamples of 1970s exploitation cinema, BlackCaesar and HellUp in Harlem are bona fide cult classics – and launched LarryCohen’s career in the director’s chair, setting him on the path to It’s Alive, Q – The Winged Serpent, The Stuff and The Ambulance. Eureka Classics isproud to present both films on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.
LIMITED EDITION TWO-DISC BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES*:
· Limited Edition of 2,000 copies
· Limited edition O-card slipcover featuring newartwork by Sam Gilbey
· Limited edition collector’sbooklet featuring writing on BlackCaesar, Hell Up in Harlem and theblaxploitation genre by Mikel J. Koven, author of BlaxploitationFilms
· 1080pHD presentation of both films on Blu-ray
· OriginalEnglish mono audio tracks | Optional English subtitles (SDH)
· Newaudio commentaries on BlackCaesar and HellUp in Harlem with Steve Mitchell, director of the 2017documentary King Cohen
· Archivalaudio commentaries on BlackCaesar and HellUp in Harlem with writer, director and producer Larry Cohen
· Godfather of Harlem – anewly edited, previously unseen interview with Larry Cohen on Black Caesar and Hell Up in Harlem originallyshot for King Cohen
· Trailers
* Allextras subject to change