Review of Shaft (1971) by Jeans P — 10 Mar 2013
Based upon Ernest Tidyman's 1970 novel of the same name, and directed by Gordon Parks (The Learning Tree (1969)), this started out when producer Joel Freeman pitched a detective film to MGM, but after seeing an early cut of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971), Shaft was quickly optioned and it was made quickly on a budget of just $500,000 in just 10 weeks.
It would set a standard for Blaxploitation films, and it's still good to watch today. John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) is a private detective who works in Harlem, but he goes around trying to ensure organised crime in Harlem doesn't get out of hand, Shaft normally gets info on what's going down in a shoeshine palour, information which he usually passes on to Police Lt.
Vic Androzzi (Charles Cioffi). However, when Shaft is approached by crime boss Bumpy Jonas (Moses Gunn) to help find his daughter, Shaft soon finds himself on the wrong side of the law, looking for a man called Ben Buford (Christopher St.
John), who had dealings with Shaft years before, but soon, Shaft is targeted by Jonas' men. It's a good crime thriller, and it looks good for a low-budget film, and that score and theme by Isaac Hayes still sounds brilliant over 40 years later.
Some of it has dated, but it's a good time piece of 1970's Harlem, and it gave new life to the gumshoe thriller then.
This review of Shaft (1971) was written by Jeans P on 10 Mar 2013.
Shaft has generally received positive reviews.
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