Hail 'Black Caesar'!

"Black Caesar" is the film that sparked the incredible film career of former football star Fred "The Hammer" Williamson. It's also up there with "Shaft" and "Superfly" as one of blaxploitation's most iconic films.

Stay up late tonight and check it out on RetroPlex or set the DVR and watch it Xmas morning. Either way, this is classic 70s cinema that shouldn't be missed.

The plot follows Tommy Gibbs (Williamson), a small-time hood who becomes a mob king. His rise to power isn't a smooth trip, and Gibbs soon loses sight of where he came from. It's an old story and one that's been told zillions of times, but this tale is told with a pulstating James Brown soundtrack!

Directed by B-movie master Larry Cohen, "Black Caesar" spawned an even better sequel..."Hell Up in Harlem."

The action begins at 10:45 p.m. (CST) on Retroplex.