SOLID: BLAXPLOITATION FILMS INSPIRE A SMART DOCUMENTARY.

Byline: David Kronke TV Critic

FRED WILLIAMSON takes issue with the word that defined the genre he excelled in, ``blaxploitation.''

``Who was being exploited?'' he demands: African-American actors were making money; black audiences were being entertained.

``That community was in need of black heroes,'' adds Gloria Hendry, who, along with Williamson, kicked plenty of butt in the '70s.

On the other hand, Pam Grier concedes, ``We created a lot of that mess ourselves.'' Samuel L. Jackson challenges the genre's detractors: ``Make the film you want us to see.''

So goes the fascinating debate in director Isaac Julien's ``Baadasssss Cinema,'' a succinct yet insightful and highly entertaining documentary from the Independent Film Channel. It charts the startlingly brief phenomenon of the '70s genre that featured African-American heroes (and, frequently, anti-heroes) getting over on The Man.

In addition to filmmakers like Melvin Van Peebles - who allows that ``the colored intelligentsia were not too happy about'' his film, ``Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song'' - and stars like Grier and Williamson, smart cultural perspective is offered by New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell, film historian Ed Guerrero and New York Press critic Armond White.

Blaxploitation's rise and fall is straightforward - the genre rose out of disaffection toward Hollywood product. (Mitchell points out that although pop culture of the era largely reflected the dissolution created by Vietnam and Watergate, in blaxploitation, heroes always emerged triumphant.)

Once the early efforts (``Sweet Sweetback'' and ``Shaft'') proved successful, the commercial industry was all over the genre, using it to rise from financial doldrums.

But oversaturation, coupled with fractiousness within the African- American community, soon led to blaxploitation's decline as well as subsequent decades of marginalizing black actors in film and TV.

The genre's message and place in our culture are discussed as thoroughly as the fact that all involved were simply in it for the money. Great clips underscore the righteous fury of the era, as well as the hilarious mac- daddy fashions.

``Baadasssss Cinema'' serves equally well as a primer for neophytes and a smart nostalgic wallow for longtime fans.

IFC also will feature an accompanying film festival of blaxploitation offerings like ``Foxy Brown,'' ``Superfly'' and ``Shaft's Big Score!'' and other African-American films including ``Do the Right Thing'' and ``Hollywood Shuffle'' tonight through Sunday.

BAADASSSSS CINEMA - Three and one half stars

What: Documentary exploring the blaxploitation movie genre of the '70s.

Where: Independent Film Channel (IFC).

When: 7 and 10 tonight; also Saturday and Sunday.

In a nutshell: Spirited debate by filmmakers and critics on blaxploitation films along with some great film clips.

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Photo:

Ron O'Neal, front, stuck it to The Man in ``Superfly'' (1972), one of the films recalled in IFC's ``Baadasssss Cinema.''