Shaft (1971)

Wonderful character development!

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

This opening "Shaft" film is the best of the bunch. It made a star of the leading man Richard Roundtree and two sequels and a brief T.V series resulted. The film has a good deal of style and is easily the definitive "blaxploition" movie. All other movies from this subgenre are compared to this one and rightly so. The film has a pretty good story, some great one-liners, a fair measure of incident and that catchy theme tune by Isaac Hayes.

From out of the surge of the many blaxploitation films following the release of Melvin Van Peeble's 'Sweet Sweetback's Baad Asssss Song' comes 'Shaft', directed in 1971 by Gordon Parks. 'Shaft' seems to have stood out from the others within this exclusive genre, and rightfully so for its smooth and funky approach towards a division of films that's been dominated by white leads. Richard Roundtree plays John Shaft, the big badass private eye of New York City, and displays a confident, sexy and tough attitude that makes him such a memorable character. This film is rich with soul, and features the funky music of Isaac Hayes to complete the tribute to black culture in that time. These are the elements that contribute to its significant value among blaxploitation films.The film features a typical storyline that's nothing out of the ordinary among crime films; John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to rescue his daughter from a group of Italian mob figures trying to take over territory in Harlem. While this film is more commonly known as a blaxploitation film, it actually contains a few characteristics of film noir, which certainly adds to its uniqueness in its time. The setting takes place in the suburbs of New York, and mostly appears rather gloomy and unemotional throughout the movie. The highlight of the city though is when Shaft is walking through the streets to the funky music of Isaac Hayes, who sings of the life of black culture within the city.Shaft rarely shows much emotion in this film, and often acts reserved among the people around him. He maintains a composure and attitude that should be respected and in turn delivers a strong representation for the black community. His character alone makes this movie a considerably powerful film that speaks loudly and gives the black community a powerful character in film they can find inspiration in.

I'm always weary of watching films that are revered or perceived as being seminal. Not because any criticism I have will be ignored but because what flaws are there are easily over-looked in the face of the film's stature - no-one complains about the Venus De Milo having no arms, after all. In movie terms, this is a film that is all about breaking barriers - the first successful blaxploitation movie, it was this film (and its iconic soundtrack) that fuelled an entire genre of cinema and led to two sequels, a TV series and even a recent reboot - such is the reverence that "Shaft" is held in. However, in the cold light of day and ignoring such feelings, it's interesting to note that it is actually a pretty average film albeit one with an astonishing soundtrack.Richard Roundtree plays John Shaft, a cool-cat private eye working the seedy streets of New York City. After encountering two goons in his office (and sending one of them to the sidewalk via a window), Shaft finds himself in the employ of local crime boss Bumpy Jonas (Moses Gunn) who hires Shaft to locate his missing daughter. Reluctantly, Shaft takes on the case and soon finds himself in all sorts of trouble with the Mafia who are muscling in on Bumpy's turf. Not only that but Shaft is tailed by homicide detective and occasional buddy Vic (Charles Cioffi) who is convinced that there is more going on than Shaft is prepared to tell him...There is a curiously low-budget feel to "Shaft" that I wasn't expecting, highlighted by the near-constant over-dubbing of Shaft and other characters' dialogue. The action, when it does come, is also not filmed very well by director Gordon Parks - his strength seems to be in building atmosphere and there are times when the air hangs heavy with expectation such as the fantastic opening scene. Roundtree is the ultimate bad mother-f*****, making what might have been an ordinary character into one for the ages. He is almost impossibly cool and with Isaac Hayes' legendary soundtrack pulsating in the background, you can't help but fall in love with the film. All the other actors can do is bask in Roundtree's glory and to be fair, they all do their part. The story might look and feel like a classic (or should they be clichéd) film noir and initially, I was struggling to find interest in it. But something curious happened - I suddenly found myself paying more attention to it and getting involved. Digging it, if you will.In a lot of ways, it reminded me of the first "Star Wars" in that here is a film that isn't that well made in parts and at times, isn't that entertaining but slowly and surely, you fall in love with it. You have to give it respect for its legacy if nothing else but also because it helped to break down racial barriers that had existed in Hollywood for so long. Here was a film where almost all the principal characters and actors were black and the film was still successful, flying in the face of studio expectation or cynical critics. This is a deeply cool movie to watch and even better to listen to - it's also better than the Samuel L Jackson version a few years back because this feels like the genuine article and it is, of course. Not every day that Sammy J comes second in a cool contest but on this occasion, "Shaft" really is the man. Looks like I've proved my own point...

Shaft is not the first Blaxploitation but it is the most accomplished and most memorable. A workaday script is launched into cultural orbit by the charismatic performance of RIchard Roundtree and the unforgettable theme by the late Isaac Hayes. The importance of this movie is not that it was hugely successful (although it was), but that it was produced and performed by a crew and cast that was predominantly black. It proved that there was a significant audience for movies that represented black culture on its own terms and treated the audience with respect. Importantly, Shaft isn't a wholly sympathetic character: Through the prism of the 21st Century he could be construed as both misogynist and racist (see his treatment of the female characters and the portrayal of the Italian mobsters) But he is also loyal, brave resourceful and charming. This complexity is one of the strengths of the movie. The sequels lack the energy of the original and suffer from diminishing marginal returns and Roundtree was never as good again. He didn't need to be, most actors never achieve the level of charisma even once. Nor do they have the chance to create what is a truly iconic role. Samuel L Jackson in the remake certainly failed to. Here's a link to an animated review of this movie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqm4f9-xzRY