Coffy/friday Foster

Beautiful, confident and nobody's fool, Pam Grier was the biggest female star to emerge from the 1970s blaxploitation scene, and two of her most memorable starring vehicles are paired up on this "Soul Cinema" DVD double feature set from MGM. Both Coffy and Friday Foster have been transferred to disc in letterbox format at the widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1; the images have not been enhanced for 16:9 monitors, so fans with High Definition equipment might be disappointed, but the transfers are clean and look pretty sharp for the period, with a strong color balance and just the right amount of grain. The audio for both features has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo, retaining the original monophonic sound mix, and the fidelity is a bit tinny but ultimately good and accurate for a low-budget feature of the 1970s. Both films are in English, with optional dubbed audio tracks in French and Spanish as well as optional French and Spanish subtitles. Both discs include the film's original theatrical trailer, while Coffy also includes a commentary track from director Jack Hill, who talks about the challenges of making the movie, the contributions of the cast members and his desire to give African-American talent a chance in Hollywood. Both Coffy and Friday Foster were previously available individually and if you have the previous stand-alone DVDs this package will be redundant, but the films are presented well here and at a two-for-one price they're a good buy for fans of the genre or the lovely Ms. Greer.