Black Caesar (1973) DVD

Fred Williamson is imposing, tough and unflappable as a street kid who muscles his way into the big-time mob racket in this super-slick drama from writer/director Larry Cohen which became a smash hit of the Blaxploitaion genre and spawned a successful sequel (Hell Up In Harlem). Tommy Gibbs (Williamson) has always had it tough. Growing up on the streets without a father and trying to make his mother proud, Tommy resorts to running errands for The Man.

But when a crooked cop beats him up, Tommy realises there's a better way to live: by making The Man deliver for him! Infiltrating - and then destroying - the infamous Cardonza fanily, Tommy takes over Manhattan as the first black Godfather and puts the squeeze on anyone who dares to get in his way - including the crooked cop! But as he tightens his grip on others, he loses his hold on the most important things in his own life, making him the vulnerable target of every cutthroat gangster who ever dreamt of ruling an empire!