“Shaft” is a crime drama about a private detective named John Shaft who is hired by a black Harlem mobster to rescue his daughter, kidnapped by Italian mobsters. Director Gordon Parks put tons of action in the film, from a well written screenplay by Ernest Tidyman and John D. F. Black. It was adapted from Tidyman’s 1970 novel of the same name.
Richard Roundtree is perfect in the title role of John Shaft, in this early example of a blaxploitation film. This part launched Roundtree into superstar status. Co-stars include Moses Gunn, Charles Cioffi, Drew Bundini Brown, Vic Androzzi, Christopher St. John, and Lawrence Pressman. The watchable thriller “Shaft” was a massive blockbuster at the box office for Shaft Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
“The Theme From Shaft” by Isaac Hayes won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. This film spawned several sequels and remakes, including “Shaft’s Big Score” (1972), “Shaft in Africa” (1973), “Shaft” (2000), and “Shaft” (2019).
Shaft (1971)
cinema
My Review
“Shaft” is a crime drama about a private detective named John Shaft who is hired by a black Harlem mobster to rescue his daughter, kidnapped by Italian mobsters. Director Gordon Parks put tons of action in the film, from a well written screenplay by Ernest Tidyman and John D. F. Black. It was adapted from Tidyman’s 1970 novel of the same name.
Richard Roundtree is perfect in the title role of John Shaft, in this early example of a blaxploitation film. This part launched Roundtree into superstar status. Co-stars include Moses Gunn, Charles Cioffi, Drew Bundini Brown, Vic Androzzi, Christopher St. John, and Lawrence Pressman. The watchable thriller “Shaft” was a massive blockbuster at the box office for Shaft Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
“The Theme From Shaft” by Isaac Hayes won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. This film spawned several sequels and remakes, including “Shaft’s Big Score” (1972), “Shaft in Africa” (1973), “Shaft” (2000), and “Shaft” (2019).