Private eye Velvet Smooth battles masked criminals and double-crosses in the heart of blaxploitation noir.
VELVET SMOOTH
Tall, Lean and Mean!
Johnnie Hill plays Velvet Smooth in this soft-core crime meller. The slinky Ms. Smooth is head of a private detective agency, specializing in protecting the unprotectable. Her current client is in deep with a murderous numbers racket. So Velvet Smooth goes undercover (and occasionally under covers) to smash the ring. An "R" rating hardly covers it.
Quick Answer
Velvet Smooth is a 1976 American crime drama and mystery film directed by Michael Fink about a private detective hired to infiltrate the criminal underworld and uncover the mastermind behind an attack on a crime lord’s operation.
Programmer's Pick
Velvet Smooth delivers a punchy blend of masked mayhem and martial arts, with blaxploitation queen Johnnie Hill cracking the case and a few skulls. If you like your detective stories with pool cues, afros, and a side of groin-kicks, this one’s got your number.
— SassyFlix Programmer
Overview
Why This Matters
Notable as one of the last blaxploitation films to feature a central female detective, this film also marks the sole movie appearance for both Johnnie Hill and former New York Jets player Emerson Boozer.
Cast & Crew
View all →Why Cult
Sinister criminals in striking masks wreak havoc on the local crime scene, raising the stakes and the body count.
A stylish private eye navigates shady casinos and smoky pool halls while investigating the city’s underbelly in classic blaxploitation fashion.
Expect plenty of hand-to-hand combat, karate chops, and creative use of pool cues as weapons.
Johnnie Hill headlines as Velvet Smooth, a tough and resourceful private detective breaking genre conventions.
Scene Gallery
Threat File
Masked gang attacks King Lathrop's operation
Masked criminal gang
Takeover of crime lord's organization
Urban criminal underworld
Questions from the Vault
When was Velvet Smooth released? +
Velvet Smooth was released in 1976.
Who directed Velvet Smooth? +
Velvet Smooth was directed by Michael Fink.
How long is Velvet Smooth? +
Velvet Smooth has a runtime of 93 minutes.
What genre is Velvet Smooth? +
Velvet Smooth is a crime, drama, and mystery film.
Where can I watch Velvet Smooth? +
Velvet Smooth is available to watch on SassyFlix.
What role do the Hannibal Lecter lookalike masks play in Velvet Smooth? +
The masks are worn by the gang orchestrating the takeover of King Lathrop’s operation, concealing their identities and intensifying the mystery.
