Directed by Gordon Parks
Written by Ernest Tidyman and John D.F. Black from Tidyman’s novel
1971/US
IMDb page
First viewing/Amazon Prime rental
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
Who’s the black private dick / That’s a sex machine to all the chicks? / SHAFT! / Ya damn right!
Who is the man that would risk his neck / For his brother man? / SHAFT! / Can you dig it?
Who’s the cat that won’t cop out / When there’s danger all about? / SHAFT! / Right On!
They say this cat Shaft is a bad mother… / SHUT YOUR MOUTH! / I’m talkin’ ’bout Shaft. / THEN WE CAN DIG IT! – Theme from Shaft, Lyrics by Isaac Hayes
Solid but routine crime/thriller is lifted by its attitude, its photography, and its iconic score.
John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is a private detective working the streets of Harlem. He has a quick wit and attitude to spare. He’s not good at tolerating BS or following orders. Some of his clientele need to stay as far away from cops as possible. So a gang lord in Harlem hires Shaft to rescue his teenage daughter, who has been kidnapped by people who did not leave a ransom note. Shaft’s first lead is to members of a black radical organization. This does not pan out but the group is in need of money and agrees to help Shaft locate and rescue the girl.
Then NYPD Lieutenant Androzzi, with whom Shaft frequently wrangles, wants info on Shaft’s case. Androzzi finally reveals that the Mafia is trying to take over territory run by black organized crime in Harlem. Androzzi fears that a mob war will be perceived by the public as a race war. There is plenty of bloodshed on the way to the crime’s solution.
We’ve seen this story hundreds of times but not with this film’s cool. The parts I liked best were gazing at Roundtree, the streets of New York from around the time I first saw the city, and that wonderful score.
Isaac Hayes won the Oscar for Best Music, Original Song. He was nominated for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score.
Amazing fully orchestrated and live
I never saw SHAFT but I vividly remember the production number for the Oscars. Isaac Hayes’ song was terrific!
I could tell exactly the same story until two days ago!
Laughing.
Birds of a feather!
Hi Bea,
I have been a follower and get your reviews almost every day. I love you.
I’d love to have you as a guest on my podcast. More people should know about your amazing site..
I’ve had great guests. Marlene Dietrichs grandson, Jessica Rains, Claudes daughter, Fay Wray and Robert Riskins daughter, Eddie Muller, historians, authors and done series as well. Its casual and fun..
I’d love it..
Thanks, Grace
What a great way to start my day with reading your kind comment. Compared to your other guests I’m certainly not too amazing. Just a self-taught movie lover who has been watching for a long time. I’ll send you an email and we can talk more there.
People forget just how smart this movie really is. It’s easy to lose track of that when you look at what the Blaxploitation genre became, but Shaft wasn’t a film about race or about getting back at The Man.
There’s a moment when Shaft is talking to the cops when one of the cops says something to the equivalent of the coming gang war looking like it’s going to be about race, and that that’s what people will say about it–but it will be about money, not race. That’s smart. It’s true, and it’s also true about perceptions.
Truthfully, Super Fly has my favorite movie soundtrack, but the title track here might be the best movie themesong in history.
I’m also not sure what about Shaft makes it “exploitation” and agree totally about the song.
Guess it shows how far you can get by adding coolness to a trivial story. A lot of coolness.
Sometimes style really can add a lot.