Professor T demonstrates the theory of blaxploitation to a group of students.
TNT Jackson stars the lovely Jeannie Bell as foxy karate expert Cleopatra "TNT" Jackson searching for her strung-out junkie brother's killer in 1975 Hong Kong.
As TNT, a no nonsense Pam Grier type w/a heart as big as the Great Outdoors, Jeannie demonstrates a natural refinement as an actress. Jeannie Bell, during promotions for the film, was billed by Roger Corman's New World Pictures as a "One Mama Execution Squad" - and it's no shock to yer ol' pal the Sleaze-A-Saurus that Jeannie was Playboy Playmate of the Month in October of 1969.
Jeannie's bodacious bod and acting skills set the stage for her to appear in this film pulling an topless Ocho fighting sequence. In the scene, Jeannie darts in and out of frame heartily snappin' chinese chicken necks and flippin' cats to the floor as the lights go on and off in a bit involving badly orchestrated lighting and fight choreography.
The fight scenes towards the end of the film should have you wondering whether to laugh or cry - although Jeannie pulls one or two acrobatic moves without the benefit of a body-double and long before wire-assisted crane kicks.
Belle, who won an award from Ebony Magazine for her role, was known for some gutsy career decisions by appearing in the Marvin Gaye scored Trouble Man (1972), in Policewoman (1974) and in the brutal and unforgiving Klansmen (1974) (shot in Italy!) with Lee Marvin in 1974. Unfortunately for kung fu and Playmate enthusiasts, Jeannie Bell left acting completely in 1977.
References:
IMDB, TNT Jackson (1975)
IMDB, Jeannie Bell
Feast of 1000 Beasts, Call Me TNT, Sugar
Grindhouse DB, TNT Jackson
TNT Jackson is available from Amazon:
