Shaft

Theatricalreleaseposter

Directedby GordonParks

Producedby JoelFreeman

Screenplayby ErnestTidymanJohnD.F.Black

Basedon ShaftbyErnestTidyman

Starring RichardRoundtreeMosesGunn

Musicby IsaacHayesJohnnyAllen

Cinematography UrsFurrer

Editedby HughA.Robertson

Distributedby MetroGoldwynMayerWarnerBros.(DVD)

Releasedate(s) July2,1971

Runningtime 100minutes

Country UnitedStates

Language English

Budget $500,000[1]

Boxoffice $13million[1]

FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia

Shaftisa1971AmericanblaxploitationfilmdirectedbyGordonParks,releasedbyMetroGoldwynMayer.Anactionfilmwithelementsoffilmnoir,Shafttellsthestoryofaprivatedetective,JohnShaft,whotravelsthroughHarlemandtotheItalianmobneighborhoodsinordertofindthemissingdaughterofamobster.ItstarsRichardRoundtreeasJohnShaft,MosesGunnasBumpyJonas,DrewBundiniBrownasWilly,CharlesCioffiasLt.VicAndrozzi,ChristopherSt.JohnasBenBuford,andGwennMitchellandLawrencePressmaninsmallerroles.ThemoviewasadaptedbyErnestTidymanandJohnD.F.BlackfromTidyman's1970novelofthesamename.

TheShaftsoundtrackalbum,recordedbyIsaacHayes,wasalsoasuccess,winningaGrammyAwardforBestScoreSoundtrackAlbumforaMotionPicture;andasecondGrammythathesharedwithJohnnyAllenforGrammyAwardforBestInstrumentalArrangement;GrammyAwardforBestOriginalScore;the"ThemefromShaft"wontheAcademyAwardforBestOriginalSongandhasappearedonmultipleTop100lists,includingAFI's100Years100Songs.

Widelyconsideredaprimeexampleoftheblaxploitationgenre,Shaftwasselectedin2000forpreservationintheUnitedStatesNationalFilmRegistrybytheLibraryofCongressforbeing"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.VicAndrozzimeetsShaftandunsuccessfullytriestogetinformationfromhimonthetwogangsters.AfterAndrozzileaves,Shaftspotsoneofthemenwaitingforhiminhisofficebuilding.Hecommandeersthefirstgangster,forcinghimintohisofficewherethesecondgangsteriswaiting.Afteraquickfight,Shaftthrowsoneofthemoutthewindow,whiletheothersurrendersandrevealstohimthatBumpy,theleaderofanuptowngang,wantedtomeetShaftandknockhimoutathisoffice.

Atthepolicestation,ShaftliestoLt.Androzziandhissuperioraboutthefight,bysayingthathisfriendwasinan"accident".Heisallowedtoreturntothestreetsfor48hours.ShaftarrangesameetingwithBumpy,theleaderofthesegangsters,inhisoffice.ItturnsoutBumpy'sdaughterhasbeenkidnapped,andShaftisaskedtoenablehersafereturn.

ShaftistoldbyVicaftertheshootingthatShafthimself,andnotBen,wasthetarget,andthattensionsbrewingbetweentheuptownhoodsbelongingtoBumpyJonasandthedowntownMafiosihaveculminatedinacoupleofmurders.buttheperceptionisblackagainstwhitetothegeneralpublic,withthepossibilityofanescalationintofullblownracewaronthestreetsofthecity.HealsoshowsShaftsomepicturesoftwooftheMafiamenwhojustarrivedinNewYork.VicbegsShafttoexplainwhat'sgoingon,thoughVicalreadyknewBumpywaslookingforShaft.

VictellsShaftthattheroomthathewasinatthestationhousewasbuggedandheissupposedtobringhiminforquestioning,butinsteadleaves.BenandShaftgototheapartmentwhereMarcyJonasisbeingheldtomakesureshe'salive.Oncethere,agunfightensuesduringwhichtwohoodsgetkilledandShafttakesabulletintheshoulder.

ShaftgoeshomeandreceivesmedicalattentionfromadoctorworkingundergroundwithhimShafttellsBentorounduphismenandmeethimatthehotelwhereMarcyhasbeentaken,topreparetogetherback.HealsocallsBumpytotellhimhisdaughterisfineandheisgoingtoneedsometaxicabstomeethimatthehotelforthegetaway.

Shaft'splanresemblesamilitarycommandostyleoperation.Ben'smenalldressashotelworkerstoavoidarousingsuspicion.ShaftandoneofBen'smengototheroofandpreparetoentertheroomwhereMarcyisbeingheldcaptive.Shaft'splanistocauseadistractionwithanexplosivethrownthroughthewindowofMarcy'sroomwhileBenandhismencomedownthehallanddealwiththeMafiamenastheyleavetheirrooms.

Therescueplanissuccessful.Marcyisspiritedoutofthehotelintooneofthewaitingtaxicabs.Astheothersgetawayintheremainingcabs,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'sBaadasssssSongcausedShafttobechangedfroma"whitemovie"intoa"blackone".[2]Infact,filmingofShaftbeganinJanuary1971,severalmonthsbeforethereleaseofVanPeebles'film,withRoundtreealreadyconfirmedintheleadpart.[3][4][5]Thestoryissetinthesamemonth,asshownbyacalendaronShaft'sofficewall.

Tidyman,whoiswhite,wasaneditoratTheNewYorkTimespriortobecominganovelist.HesoldthemovierightstoShaftbyshowingthegalleyproofstothestudio(thenovelhadnotyetbeenpublished).TidymanwashonoredbytheNAACPforhisworkontheShaftmoviesandbooks.

Boxofficeperformance

ThefilmwasoneofonlythreeprofitablemoviesthatyearforMGM,grossingwhatTimemagazinecalledan"astonishing"$13milliononabudgetof$500,000.[1]Itnotonlyspawnedseveralyearsof"blaxploitation"actionfilms,itearnedenoughmoneytosavethenstrugglingMGMfrombankruptcy.[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,andtakesspecialdelightinwringingnewtwistsoutofthetraditionalrelationshipbetweentheprivateeyeandtheboysdownathomicide."[13]InaMarch2001BBCiretrospective,MichaelThomsonnoted"[t]hefilmwashammeredatthetimefornotbeingafullexposoftheblackurbanexperience,andforbeingjustablackversionofa'40sHollywoodgumshoethriller,yetShaftcertainlyhasablacksensibility...and,evennow,itseemsradicaltohaveamovieinwhichalmostalltheactorsareblack.However,thefilm'sviolence,towhichmanyobjectedatthetime,willnotcausemuchshockhorrorintoday'saudiences.Theattractiontothemwillbethestylishconversationandattitudes,aswellasRichardRoundtree,wholendsShafttherightamountofcharisma,swaggeranduntouchability."[14]

Awardsandotherhonors

IsaacHayeswontheAcademyAwardforBestOriginalSongandwasnominatedforaGoldenGlobeAwardforBestOriginalSongfor"ThemefromShaft".[15]In2004,thesongwasnamedthe38th

Shaft(1971film)Wikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)

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greatestmoviesongofalltimebytheAmericanFilmInstitute.[16]HayesalsowonaGoldenGlobeAwardforBestOriginalScore,theGrammyforBestOriginalScoreWrittenforaMotionPictureandwasnominatedfortheOriginalDramaticScoreOscar,aswellastheBAFTAAwardforBestFilmMusic.Thefilm'sscorewasalsoselectedasapossiblecandidateforAFI's100YearsofFilmScores.[17]RichardRoundtreewasnominatedfortheGoldenGlobeforMostPromisingNewcomer(Male),andhealsoreceivedanMTVLifetimeAchievementAwardforhisportrayalintheShaftTrilogy.[15]ThecharacterJohnShaftwasconsideredapossiblecandidateforAFI's100Years100HeroesandVillains.[18]ThefilmitselfwasalsoacandidateforAFI's100Years100Thrills.[19]

In2000,ShaftwasselectedforpreservationintheUnitedStatesNationalFilmRegistrybytheLibraryofCongressforbeing"culturally,historically,oraestheticallysignificant".[20][21]In2003,ShaftwaschosenasoneofThe1000BestMoviesEverMadebyTheNewYorkTimes.[22]

ThesoundtrackalbumforShaftwasreleasedasadoublealbumbyStaxRecords'Enterpriselabel.ThealbumconsistsmostlyofinstrumentalscomposedbyIsaacHayes,thoughthreevocalselectionsareincluded:"Soulsville","DoYourThing",and"ThemefromShaft".ThesoundtrackbecameHayes'bestknownwork,andthebestsellingLPeverreleasedonaStaxlabel.[23]

Thesoundtrackwasacommercialandcriticalsuccess(seeawardssectionabove).The"ThemefromShaft"wontheAcademyAwardforBestOriginalSongatthe44thAcademyAwardsandappearedontheCashboxTop100numberonesingles,Billboard'sHot100numberonesingles,andRPM'snumberonesinglesinCanada.AccordingtotheAmericanFilmInstitute,thethemeis38thonAFI's100Years100Songslist.

Twosequelsweremade:Shaft'sBigScorein1972,andShaftinAfricain1973.Thesewerefollowedbyashortlived197374televisionseriestitledShaftonCBS,alsostarringRoundtree.

In2000,anewfilm,Shaft,wasmadefeaturingSamuelL.Jacksoninthetitlerole.JacksonplaysthenephewofRichardRoundtree'scharacter;RoundtreereturnsasJohnShaft,stillaprivateeye,tryingtogethisnephewtojoinhim.

Alreadyin1972,PamGrier'scharacterinHitManstarredinapornographicfilmshebelievedwasascreentestforShaft.

IntheBritishgangsterfilmSexyBeast,DonLogan(playedbyBenKingsley)tellsGalDove(playedbyRayWinstone)thathisfakenameis"Roundtree,likeSmarties,likeShaft."

Televisionreferencesarenumerous.OnTheFreshPrinceofBelAir,ShaftistheidolofthefictionalWillSmith,andseveralepisodesmakereferencestothefilm.InoneepisodeWilldeniesthatShaftisafictionalcharacterandclaimsheisreal,parodyinghowyoungchildrendenythatthecartooncharacterstheylovearenotreal."TheWeddingShow(Psyche!)",afifthseasonepisode,includesaShaftthemedweddingforWillandhisfiancee,Lisa.InTheSimpsonsepisodeOneFish,TwoFish,Blowfish,BlueFish,BartandLisasingIsaacHayes'themesongtothefilmatakaraokebar.[24]InGlee,episodeThrowdown,SueSylvesterreferstostudentMattRutherfordas"Shaft"whensheislistingofftheminoritiesinthegleeclub.Intheepisode"FistsofFurry"ofEek!TheCat,aparodyofthethemesongisplayedtothecharacterSharky.

Shaft(1971film)Wikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)

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IntheMysteryScienceTheater3000presentationofMitchell,JoelandtherobotsperformavariationofIsaacHayes'"Shaft"themeduringthatfilm'sopeningcredits.InGoodEats,AltonBrownperformsaparodyofthefilm'sthemesongaboutpuffpastry.InthefinalFatherTedepisode"GoingtoAmerica,"thesongisplayedbyanelatedTed,perkingupadepressivepriestintheprocess.

ItwasnotedbyQuentinTarantinoduringthe2012ComicConpanelthatBroomhildavonShaftandDjangoFreemanfromhismovieDjangoUnchainedareintendedasthegreatgreatgreatgreatgrandparentsofJohnShaft,fromtheShaftmovieseries.[25]

^abc"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,

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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.

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^"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.

14.

^ab"Shaft:AwardWinsandNominations"(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067741/awards).Internet

MovieDatabase.RetrievedMay21,2010.

15.

^"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/DocServer17.

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Wikiquotehasquotationsrelatedto:Shaft(1971film)

/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,

2010.

20.

^"ShaftAmong25FilmsPickedByLibraryOfCongressFor2000NationalFilmPreservationRegistry"

(http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G169475112.html).HighBeam.com.RetrievedMay21,2010.

21.

^"TheBest1,000MoviesEverMade"(http://www.nytimes.com/ref/movies/1000best.html).TheNew

YorkTimes.April29,2003.RetrievedMay21,2010.

22.

^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.

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Shaft(http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067741/)atthe

InternetMovieDatabase

Shaft(http://tcmdb.com/title/title.jsp?stid=1280)atthe

TCMMovieDatabase

Shaft(http://www.allmovie.com/movie/v44032)atAllMovie

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