Reviled throughout much of the '80s as cheap, exploitative, sleazy, and technically crude, the films of the '70s "blaxploitation" era have enjoyed a remarkable comeback in this decade. The route to relative respectability began in the late '80s with the rise of a generation of gangsta rappers who modeled themselves after, and paid tribute to, the charismatic heroes and anti-heroes of blaxploitation. It was subsequently solidified by such filmmakers as Quentin Tarantino, Bill Duke, and the Hughes Brothers, each of whom paid reverent tribute to the groundbreaking work of such pioneering directors as Jack Hill, Gordon Parks Sr., and Arthur Marks. What It Is…What It Was!, the first book released through Tarantino's Rolling Thunder vanity imprint, provides a loving, beautifully illustrated look at the blaxploitation era that's as visually appealing as it is superficial and unsatisfying. Essentially just a collection of gorgeous, full-color reproductions of the era's stunning film posters padded out with the windy remembrances of blaxploitation filmmakers and their famous fans, What It Is… looks back on The Human Tornado, J.D.'s Revenge, and Scream, Blacula, Scream! with a reverence usually reserved for astronauts, saints, and war heroes. It's nice to see people finally acknowledging the positive aspects of '70s black cinema, but it's also frustrating to see the book pay little more than lip service to the films' frequent and controversial misogyny, racial stereotypes, and sexual violence. Poorly copy-edited and riddled with factual errors, What It Is… is a lovely visual tribute to an era, but it's also a colossal missed opportunity to explore the ambiguous political and social significance of films that left an indelible mark on American cinema and society.