Black Shampoo (1976)

Black Shampoo is the kind of scrappy, swaggering blaxploitation oddity that knows exactly what it’s selling: hot-button sex, street-level danger, and a funky, anything-goes attitude that keeps the energy high even when the budget shows. It plays like a lurid barbershop fever dream—part crime thriller, part comedy, part melodrama—where the vibe is breezy until it suddenly isn’t, building toward a memorably nasty, violent finale that earns its reputation. Tanya Boyd brings a welcome jolt of presence and charisma, giving the film a spark that cuts through the cheese and makes the whole ride more watchable than it has any right to be. If you’re allergic to exploitation rough edges or looking for polished craft, this won’t convert you—but if you want an entertaining slice of ’70s grindhouse bravado, it’s a blast.

Black Shampoo is clearly trying to mash up blaxploitation swagger, sleazy sex farce, and a bit of crime-thriller heat, with a hairdresser hero caught between horny clients and a dangerous jealous mobster. The problem is it rarely clicks: the acting is shaky, the script feels thin and meandering, and the tone keeps lurching between softcore antics and “serious” menace in a way that can come off confusing rather than daring. Add bargain-bin production values, plot holes, and stereotypes that haven’t aged well, and it’s easy to see why many find it more dull and cheesy than entertaining. If you’re not specifically hunting for a low-budget, era-specific curiosity with some campy moments, this one will probably feel like wasted time.