The Final Comedown is a 1972

1972 in film

The year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...

 blaxploitation

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 Blaxploitation films were originally made specifically for an urban black audience, although the genre's audience...

 drama film

Drama film

A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...

 written, produced and directed by Oscar Williams

Oscar Williams (filmmaker)

- Filmography :Director:*Death Drug *Hot Potato *Five on the Black Hand Side *The Final Comedown Writer:*Truck Turner...

 and starring Billy Dee Williams

Billy Dee Williams

William December "Billy Dee" Williams, Jr. is an American actor, artist, singer, and writer.-Early life:Williams was born in New York City, New York, the son of Loretta...

 and D'Urville Martin

D'Urville Martin

D'Urville Martin was an American actor and director in both film and television. He appeared with regularity in numerous 1970s movies in the blaxploitation genre of films. He also appeared in the first two pilots of what would become All in the Family as Lionel, the role later played by Mike Evans...

. The film is an examination of racism

Racism

Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and depicts a shootout

Shootout

A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups. A shootout often, but not necessarily, pits law enforcement against criminal elements; it could also involve two groups outside of law enforcement, such as rival gangs. A shootout in a military context A shootout is a gun battle between armed groups....

 between a radical black nationalist group and the police

Police

The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...

, with the backstory leading up to the shootout told through flashbacks. The radical group is not identified by name in the film but closely resembles the Black Panther Party

Black Panther Party

The Black Panther Party wasan African-American revolutionary leftist organization. It was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982....

.

The film was recut and re-released in 1976 under the title Blast! The new version, which credited "Frank Arthur Wilson" as the director, featured additional footage directed by Allan Arkush

Allan Arkush

Allan Arkush is an American cult film and television director and frequent collaborator of Joe Dante....

.

The original version has had several releases on DVD from various budget-line DVD manufacturers.