Shaft

Theatricalreleaseposter
Directedby GordonParks
Producedby JoelFreeman
Screenplayby ErnestTidyman
JohnD.F.Black
Basedon Shaft
byErnestTidyman
Starring RichardRoundtree
MosesGunn
Musicby IsaacHayes
JohnnyAllen
Cinematography UrsFurrer
Editedby HughA.Robertson
Distributedby MetroGoldwynMayer
WarnerBros.(DVD)
Releasedate(s) July2,1971
Runningtime 100minutes
Country UnitedStates
Language English
Budget $500,000
[1]
Boxoffice $13million
[1]
FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia
Shaftisa1971Americanblaxploitationfilmdirected
byGordonParks,releasedbyMetroGoldwynMayer.
Anactionfilmwithelementsoffilmnoir,Shafttells
thestoryofaprivatedetective,JohnShaft,who
travelsthroughHarlemandtotheItalianmob
neighborhoodsinordertofindthemissingdaughter
ofamobster.ItstarsRichardRoundtreeasJohnShaft,
MosesGunnasBumpyJonas,DrewBundiniBrownas
Willy,CharlesCioffiasLt.VicAndrozzi,Christopher
St.JohnasBenBuford,andGwennMitchelland
LawrencePressmaninsmallerroles.Themoviewas
adaptedbyErnestTidymanandJohnD.F.Blackfrom
Tidyman's1970novelofthesamename.
TheShaftsoundtrackalbum,recordedbyIsaac
Hayes,wasalsoasuccess,winningaGrammyAward
forBestScoreSoundtrackAlbumforaMotion
Picture;andasecondGrammythathesharedwith
JohnnyAllenforGrammyAwardforBest
InstrumentalArrangement;GrammyAwardforBest
OriginalScore;the"ThemefromShaft"wonthe
AcademyAwardforBestOriginalSongandhas
appearedonmultipleTop100lists,includingAFI's
100Years100Songs.
Widelyconsideredaprimeexampleofthe
blaxploitationgenre,Shaftwasselectedin2000for
preservationintheUnitedStatesNationalFilm
RegistrybytheLibraryofCongressforbeing
"culturally,historically,oraestheticallysignificant."
1Plot
2Cast
3Production
4Reaction
4.1Boxofficeperformance
4.2Criticalreception
4.3Awardsandotherhonors
5Soundtrack
6Sequels
7Popculturereferences
8References
Shaft(1971film)Wikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)
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9Externallinks
JohnShaft,aprivatedetective,isinformedthatsomegangstersarelookingforhim.PoliceLt.Vic
AndrozzimeetsShaftandunsuccessfullytriestogetinformationfromhimonthetwogangsters.After
Androzzileaves,Shaftspotsoneofthemenwaitingforhiminhisofficebuilding.Hecommandeersthe
firstgangster,forcinghimintohisofficewherethesecondgangsteriswaiting.Afteraquickfight,Shaft
throwsoneofthemoutthewindow,whiletheothersurrendersandrevealstohimthatBumpy,the
leaderofanuptowngang,wantedtomeetShaftandknockhimoutathisoffice.
Atthepolicestation,ShaftliestoLt.Androzziandhissuperioraboutthefight,bysayingthathisfriend
wasinan"accident".Heisallowedtoreturntothestreetsfor48hours.Shaftarrangesameetingwith
Bumpy,theleaderofthesegangsters,inhisoffice.ItturnsoutBumpy'sdaughterhasbeenkidnapped,
andShaftisaskedtoenablehersafereturn.
ShaftistoldbyVicaftertheshootingthatShafthimself,andnotBen,wasthetarget,andthattensions
brewingbetweentheuptownhoodsbelongingtoBumpyJonasandthedowntownMafiosihave
culminatedinacoupleofmurders.buttheperceptionisblackagainstwhitetothegeneralpublic,with
thepossibilityofanescalationintofullblownracewaronthestreetsofthecity.HealsoshowsShaft
somepicturesoftwooftheMafiamenwhojustarrivedinNewYork.VicbegsShafttoexplainwhat's
goingon,thoughVicalreadyknewBumpywaslookingforShaft.
VictellsShaftthattheroomthathewasinatthestationhousewasbuggedandheissupposedtobring
himinforquestioning,butinsteadleaves.BenandShaftgototheapartmentwhereMarcyJonasis
beingheldtomakesureshe'salive.Oncethere,agunfightensuesduringwhichtwohoodsgetkilled
andShafttakesabulletintheshoulder.
ShaftgoeshomeandreceivesmedicalattentionfromadoctorworkingundergroundwithhimShaft
tellsBentorounduphismenandmeethimatthehotelwhereMarcyhasbeentaken,topreparetoget
herback.HealsocallsBumpytotellhimhisdaughterisfineandheisgoingtoneedsometaxicabsto
meethimatthehotelforthegetaway.
Shaft'splanresemblesamilitarycommandostyleoperation.Ben'smenalldressashotelworkersto
avoidarousingsuspicion.ShaftandoneofBen'smengototheroofandpreparetoentertheroom
whereMarcyisbeingheldcaptive.Shaft'splanistocauseadistractionwithanexplosivethrown
throughthewindowofMarcy'sroomwhileBenandhismencomedownthehallanddealwiththe
Mafiamenastheyleavetheirrooms.
Therescueplanissuccessful.Marcyisspiritedoutofthehotelintooneofthewaitingtaxicabs.Asthe
othersgetawayintheremainingcabs,ShaftwalkstoaphoneboothtocallVic.
RichardRoundtreeasJohnShaft
MosesGunnasBumpyJonas
CharlesCioffiasLt.VicAndrozzi
ChristopherSt.JohnasBenBuford
GwennMitchellasEllieMoore
Shaft(1971film)Wikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)
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LawrencePressmanasTomHannon
VictorArnoldasCharlie
SherriBrewerasMarcyJonas
RexRobbinsasRollie
CamilleYarbroughasDinaGreene
MargaretWarnckeasLinda
JosephLeonasByronLeibowitz
MelvinVanPeeblesclaimedthatthesuccessofhisfilmSweetSweetback'sBaadasssssSongcaused
Shafttobechangedfroma"whitemovie"intoa"blackone".
[2]
Infact,filmingofShaftbeganinJanuary
1971,severalmonthsbeforethereleaseofVanPeebles'film,withRoundtreealreadyconfirmedinthe
leadpart.
[3][4][5]
Thestoryissetinthesamemonth,asshownbyacalendaronShaft'sofficewall.
Tidyman,whoiswhite,wasaneditoratTheNewYorkTimespriortobecominganovelist.Hesoldthe
movierightstoShaftbyshowingthegalleyproofstothestudio(thenovelhadnotyetbeenpublished).
TidymanwashonoredbytheNAACPforhisworkontheShaftmoviesandbooks.
Boxofficeperformance
ThefilmwasoneofonlythreeprofitablemoviesthatyearforMGM,grossingwhatTimemagazine
calledan"astonishing"$13milliononabudgetof$500,000.
[1]
Itnotonlyspawnedseveralyearsof
"blaxploitation"actionfilms,itearnedenoughmoneytosavethenstrugglingMGMfrom
bankruptcy.
[6]
Criticalreception
Shaftwaswellreceivedbyfilmcriticsandisconsideredbymanyasoneofthebestfilmsof1971.
[7]
[8][9][10]
Itcurrentlyholdsa88%"Fresh"ratingonthereviewaggregatewebsiteRottenTomatoes.
[11]
InJuly1971,Timemagazinecalledthefilma"windowrattlingthriller"that'sa"fastmovingpleasure"
despite"afewtoomanyracialjokes."
[12]
RogerEbertgavethefilm2stars(ofapossiblefour),
mentioningissueshehadwithParks'directionbutpointingoutthefilm"savorstheprivateeyegenre,
andtakesspecialdelightinwringingnewtwistsoutofthetraditionalrelationshipbetweenthe
privateeyeandtheboysdownathomicide."
[13]
InaMarch2001BBCiretrospective,MichaelThomson
noted"[t]hefilmwashammeredatthetimefornotbeingafullexposoftheblackurbanexperience,
andforbeingjustablackversionofa'40sHollywoodgumshoethriller,yetShaftcertainlyhasablack
sensibility...and,evennow,itseemsradicaltohaveamovieinwhichalmostalltheactorsareblack.
However,thefilm'sviolence,towhichmanyobjectedatthetime,willnotcausemuchshockhorrorin
today'saudiences.Theattractiontothemwillbethestylishconversationandattitudes,aswellas
RichardRoundtree,wholendsShafttherightamountofcharisma,swaggeranduntouchability."
[14]
Awardsandotherhonors
IsaacHayeswontheAcademyAwardforBestOriginalSongandwasnominatedforaGoldenGlobe
AwardforBestOriginalSongfor"ThemefromShaft".
[15]
In2004,thesongwasnamedthe38th
Shaft(1971film)Wikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)
3of6 8/29/20144:18PM
greatestmoviesongofalltimebytheAmericanFilmInstitute.
[16]
HayesalsowonaGoldenGlobe
AwardforBestOriginalScore,theGrammyforBestOriginalScoreWrittenforaMotionPictureand
wasnominatedfortheOriginalDramaticScoreOscar,aswellastheBAFTAAwardforBestFilmMusic.
Thefilm'sscorewasalsoselectedasapossiblecandidateforAFI's100YearsofFilmScores.
[17]
RichardRoundtreewasnominatedfortheGoldenGlobeforMostPromisingNewcomer(Male),andhe
alsoreceivedanMTVLifetimeAchievementAwardforhisportrayalintheShaftTrilogy.
[15]
The
characterJohnShaftwasconsideredapossiblecandidateforAFI's100Years100Heroesand
Villains.
[18]
ThefilmitselfwasalsoacandidateforAFI's100Years100Thrills.
[19]
In2000,ShaftwasselectedforpreservationintheUnitedStatesNationalFilmRegistrybytheLibrary
ofCongressforbeing"culturally,historically,oraestheticallysignificant".
[20][21]
In2003,Shaftwas
chosenasoneofThe1000BestMoviesEverMadebyTheNewYorkTimes.
[22]
ThesoundtrackalbumforShaftwasreleasedasadoublealbumbyStaxRecords'Enterpriselabel.The
albumconsistsmostlyofinstrumentalscomposedbyIsaacHayes,thoughthreevocalselectionsare
included:"Soulsville","DoYourThing",and"ThemefromShaft".ThesoundtrackbecameHayes'
bestknownwork,andthebestsellingLPeverreleasedonaStaxlabel.
[23]
Thesoundtrackwasacommercialandcriticalsuccess(seeawardssectionabove).The"Themefrom
Shaft"wontheAcademyAwardforBestOriginalSongatthe44thAcademyAwardsandappearedon
theCashboxTop100numberonesingles,Billboard'sHot100numberonesingles,andRPM's
numberonesinglesinCanada.AccordingtotheAmericanFilmInstitute,thethemeis38thonAFI's
100Years100Songslist.
Twosequelsweremade:Shaft'sBigScorein1972,andShaftinAfricain1973.Thesewerefollowedby
ashortlived197374televisionseriestitledShaftonCBS,alsostarringRoundtree.
In2000,anewfilm,Shaft,wasmadefeaturingSamuelL.Jacksoninthetitlerole.Jacksonplaysthe
nephewofRichardRoundtree'scharacter;RoundtreereturnsasJohnShaft,stillaprivateeye,tryingto
gethisnephewtojoinhim.
Alreadyin1972,PamGrier'scharacterinHitManstarredinapornographicfilmshebelievedwasa
screentestforShaft.
IntheBritishgangsterfilmSexyBeast,DonLogan(playedbyBenKingsley)tellsGalDove(playedby
RayWinstone)thathisfakenameis"Roundtree,likeSmarties,likeShaft."
Televisionreferencesarenumerous.OnTheFreshPrinceofBelAir,ShaftistheidolofthefictionalWill
Smith,andseveralepisodesmakereferencestothefilm.InoneepisodeWilldeniesthatShaftisa
fictionalcharacterandclaimsheisreal,parodyinghowyoungchildrendenythatthecartoon
characterstheylovearenotreal."TheWeddingShow(Psyche!)",afifthseasonepisode,includesa
ShaftthemedweddingforWillandhisfiancee,Lisa.InTheSimpsonsepisodeOneFish,TwoFish,
Blowfish,BlueFish,BartandLisasingIsaacHayes'themesongtothefilmatakaraokebar.
[24]
InGlee,
episodeThrowdown,SueSylvesterreferstostudentMattRutherfordas"Shaft"whensheislistingoff
theminoritiesinthegleeclub.Intheepisode"FistsofFurry"ofEek!TheCat,aparodyofthetheme
songisplayedtothecharacterSharky.
Shaft(1971film)Wikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)
4of6 8/29/20144:18PM
IntheMysteryScienceTheater3000presentationofMitchell,Joelandtherobotsperformavariationof
IsaacHayes'"Shaft"themeduringthatfilm'sopeningcredits.InGoodEats,AltonBrownperformsa
parodyofthefilm'sthemesongaboutpuffpastry.InthefinalFatherTedepisode"GoingtoAmerica,"
thesongisplayedbyanelatedTed,perkingupadepressivepriestintheprocess.
ItwasnotedbyQuentinTarantinoduringthe2012ComicConpanelthatBroomhildavonShaftand
DjangoFreemanfromhismovieDjangoUnchainedareintendedasthegreatgreatgreatgreat
grandparentsofJohnShaft,fromtheShaftmovieseries.
[25]
^
a

c
"ShowBusiness:BlackMarket"(http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,905921,00.html).
Time.April10,1972.Retrieved20101031.
1.
^"Baadasssssisback!"(http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2005/jun/05/features.review).TheObserver.
5June2005.Retrieved20101031.
2.
^"FilmingofShaftoninNewYork"(http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=S2tkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=
3wNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2331,4657347&dq=richardroundtree+shaft&hl=en).TheCalgaryHerald.Jan27,
1971.
3.
^"Roundtreeplaysdetective"(http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HclOAAAAIBAJ&
sjid=zgEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2467,4235894&dq=richardroundtree+shaft&hl=en).ToledoBlade.March28,
1971.
4.
^"First1971MovieIsReadytoShoot:TimesSquareScenesfor'Shaft'SetforMonday".TheNewYork
Times.January5,1971.
5.
^http://www.nndb.com/people/248/000027167/ 6.
^"TheGreatestFilmsof1971"(http://www.filmsite.org/1971.html).AMCFilmsite.org.RetrievedMarch
8,2011.
7.
^"TheBestMoviesof1971byRank"(http://www.films101.com/y1971r.htm).Films101.com.Retrieved
May21,2010.
8.
^"TheBestMoviesof1971"(http://www.super70s.com/Super70s/Movies/1971/).Super70s.com.
RetrievedMay21,2010.
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^"MostPopularFeatureFilmsReleasedin1971"(http://www.imdb.com/search/title?year=1971,1971&
title_type=feature&sort=moviemeter,asc).InternetMovieDatabase.RetrievedMay21,2010.
10.
^"ShaftMovieReviews,Pictures"(http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1018699shaft/).Rotten
Tomatoes.RetrievedMay21,2010.
11.
^"Cinema:SummerCoolers"(http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,905921,00.html).Time.July
26,1971.Retrieved20101031.
12.
^Ebert,Roger(January1,1971[sic])."Shaft"(http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll
/article?AID=/19710101/REVIEWS/101010325/1023).ChicagoSunTimes.
13.
^Thomson,Michael(6March2001)."Shaft(1971)"(http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/07
/20/shaft_1971_review.shtml).BBCi.Retrieved20101031.
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^
a

b
"Shaft:AwardWinsandNominations"(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067741/awards).Internet
MovieDatabase.RetrievedMay21,2010.
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^"AFI's100Years...100Songs"(http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/songs100.pdf ?docID=244).
AFI.com.RetrievedMay21,2010.
16.
^"AFI's100YearsofFilmScoresOfficialBallot"(http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer 17.
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Wikiquotehasquotations
relatedto:Shaft(1971
film)
/scores250.pdf ?docID=221).AFI.com.RetrievedMay21,2010.
^"The50GreatestHeroesandthe50GreatestVillainsofAllTime:The400NominatedCharacters"
(http://connect.afi.com/site/DocServer/handv400.pdf ?docID=245).AFI.com.RetrievedMay21,2010.
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^"America'sMostHeartPoundingMovies:The400NominatedFilms"(http://connect.afi.com
/site/DocServer/thrills400.pdf ?docID=249).AFI.com.RetrievedMay21,2010.
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^"AfricanAmericanFilmsintheNationalFilmRegistry"(http://www.blackclassicmovies.com
/Movie_Feature/african_american_films_natl_registry.html).BlackClassicMovies.com.RetrievedMay21,
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^"ShaftAmong25FilmsPickedByLibraryOfCongressFor2000NationalFilmPreservationRegistry"
(http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G169475112.html).HighBeam.com.RetrievedMay21,2010.
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^"TheBest1,000MoviesEverMade"(http://www.nytimes.com/ref/movies/1000best.html).TheNew
YorkTimes.April29,2003.RetrievedMay21,2010.
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^Bowman,Rob(1997).SoulsvilleU.S.A.:TheStoryofStaxRecords.NewYork:SchirmerBooks.
pp.229233.ISBN0825672848.
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^"TheSimpsons:OneFish,TwoFish,Blowfish,BlueFishMovieConnections"(http://www.imdb.com/title
/tt0701195/movieconnections).InternetMovieDatabase.RetrievedMay21,2010.
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^"DjangoUnchainedAShaftPrequel?SoSaysQuentinTarantino:ComicCon"
(http://www.deadline.com/2012/07/djangounchainedashaftprequelsosaysquentintarantino
comiccon/).DeadlineHollywood.July14,2012.RetrievedJanuary20,2013.
25.
Shaft(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067741/)atthe
InternetMovieDatabase
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TCMMovieDatabase
Shaft(http://www.allmovie.com/movie/v44032)atAllMovie
Retrievedfrom"http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shaft_(1971_film)&oldid=622755438"
Categories: 1971films Englishlanguagefilms 1970sactionfilms
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