Hammer (film)
Encyclopedia
Hammer is a 1972 blaxploitation
film directed by Bruce Clark. The film was released following the successes of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
and Shaft
, notable 1971 films that popularized black cinema.
It starred Fred Williamson
as B.J. Hammer. Williamson went on to become a staple of the genre.
Hammer is forced to figure out a way to save his dignity and the life of his girlfriend, who has been kidnapped by gangsters.
film Fist of Fear, Touch of Death
and as "The Hammer" in a 2006 direct-to-video release called Spaced Out
.
Blaxploitation
Blaxploitation or blacksploitation is a film genre which emerged in the United States circa 1970. It is considered an ethnic sub-genre of the general category of exploitation films. Blaxploitation films were originally made specifically for an urban black audience, although the genre's audience...
film directed by Bruce Clark. The film was released following the successes of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song is a 1971 American independent drama film, written, produced, scored, directed by, and starring Melvin Van Peebles, father of actor Mario Van Peebles . It tells the picaresque story of a poor African American man on his flight from the white authority...
and Shaft
Shaft (1971 film)
Shaft is a 1971 American blaxploitation film directed by Gordon Parks, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. An action film with elements of film noir, Shaft tells the story of a black private detective, John Shaft, who travels through Harlem and to the Italian mob neighborhoods in order to find the...
, notable 1971 films that popularized black cinema.
It starred Fred Williamson
Fred Williamson
Fred "The Hammer" Williamson is an American actor, architect, and former professional American football defensive back who played mainly in the American Football League during the 1960s.-Football career:...
as B.J. Hammer. Williamson went on to become a staple of the genre.
Synopsis
B.J. Hammer is a boxer who rises up the ranks with help from the Mafia. However, Hammer doesn't realize that the help comes with a price: He is asked to throw a fight. Gangsters threaten to harm his girlfriend in an attempt to force him to go through with their plan.Hammer is forced to figure out a way to save his dignity and the life of his girlfriend, who has been kidnapped by gangsters.
Legacy
"The Hammer" has become Williamson's official nickname, earned during his time playing professional football. Williamson is also credited as playing "Hammer, the ladies man," in the 1980 martial artsMartial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
film Fist of Fear, Touch of Death
Fist of Fear, Touch of Death
Fist of Fear, Touch of Death, also known as The Dragon and the Cobra, is a 1980 martial arts film about a martial arts tournament at Madison Square Garden that will determine the supposed "successor" to Bruce Lee. Within the film, the tournament is hosted by Adolph Caesar...
and as "The Hammer" in a 2006 direct-to-video release called Spaced Out
Spaced Out
Spaced Out is a 2002 animated series, co-produced by Alphanim and Cartoon Network Europe, in association with several other companies and television networks...
.
Release on DVD & HD
- In 2004 it was released on DVD
- In 2010 it was digitized in High Definition (1080i) and broadcasted on MGM HDMGM HDMGM HD is an all high-definition television channel. It features commercial-free movies from MGM's library of approximately 1,200 movies mastered in a high-definition-compatible format as well as feature films from their library of 4,100 theatrical titles...
.