Oddly enough, this film was written by a white dude from Cleveland named Ernest Tidyman (who is, otherwise, best known for writing the screenplay for The French Connection), based on his own novel of the same name - which, itself, would become a series.
He would take his experience as a crime reporter, and use it to inspire the gritty, quick witted, and rather promiscuous, african-american private investigator Jon Shaft (pun intended, no doubt).
Who is brought to life here, by Richard Roundtree, in his most iconic role.
Director Gordon Parks was rather new to filmmaking, having previously only made one film (The Learning Tree), after working as a photographer for Life Magazine.
Parks is a multifaceted legend...on top of being a photographer and filmmaker...also being a composer, painter, and writer, himself.
Having grown up in Kansas and Minnesota, before moving to Chicago where he would run a nightclub...he eventually ended up working in Hollywood as a consultant, before relocating to New York City where he would become the first black filmmaker in America (and eventually die at 93).
With the help of Tidyman and Roundtree, this film would establish him as the "father of blaxploitation"...as the trio would go on to create a series of films, based on Tidyman's series of books.
Making this the original blaxploitation film.
Parks would be responsible for the on location shooting in the streets Harlem, which the film has become renown for.
While Isaac Hayes would receive multiple awards for his original soundtrack, which has become as iconic as the film itself.
The film has a rather straightforward plot: Jon Shaft is hired to save the kidnapped daughter of a local gangster, whose territory is being moved in on by the Italian mafia.
The character of Shaft is a psychopomp of sorts...who is able to defy the normal stratifications of society...which enables him to deal with the police on one hand, while retaining the respect of the streets on the other.
Not to mention, women of every colour and persuasion.
As a crime film, it's really quite competent and entertaining.
Bringing black New York City street vernacular to the silver screen, in the same way that The Sweet Smell Of Success had done previously for their white gangster counterparts.
And it's series that continues to spawn new additions, even to this day.
Making it not only one of the most famous blaxploitation films...but Shaft one of the most iconic black heroes in the history of cinema...not to mention one of the most well known crime films ever set in New York City.
So, it's place in film history is very well deserved.
6.5 out of 10.
He would take his experience as a crime reporter, and use it to inspire the gritty, quick witted, and rather promiscuous, african-american private investigator Jon Shaft (pun intended, no doubt).
Who is brought to life here, by Richard Roundtree, in his most iconic role.
Director Gordon Parks was rather new to filmmaking, having previously only made one film (The Learning Tree), after working as a photographer for Life Magazine.
Parks is a multifaceted legend...on top of being a photographer and filmmaker...also being a composer, painter, and writer, himself.
Having grown up in Kansas and Minnesota, before moving to Chicago where he would run a nightclub...he eventually ended up working in Hollywood as a consultant, before relocating to New York City where he would become the first black filmmaker in America (and eventually die at 93).
With the help of Tidyman and Roundtree, this film would establish him as the "father of blaxploitation"...as the trio would go on to create a series of films, based on Tidyman's series of books.
Making this the original blaxploitation film.
Parks would be responsible for the on location shooting in the streets Harlem, which the film has become renown for.
While Isaac Hayes would receive multiple awards for his original soundtrack, which has become as iconic as the film itself.
The film has a rather straightforward plot: Jon Shaft is hired to save the kidnapped daughter of a local gangster, whose territory is being moved in on by the Italian mafia.
The character of Shaft is a psychopomp of sorts...who is able to defy the normal stratifications of society...which enables him to deal with the police on one hand, while retaining the respect of the streets on the other.
Not to mention, women of every colour and persuasion.
As a crime film, it's really quite competent and entertaining.
Bringing black New York City street vernacular to the silver screen, in the same way that The Sweet Smell Of Success had done previously for their white gangster counterparts.
And it's series that continues to spawn new additions, even to this day.
Making it not only one of the most famous blaxploitation films...but Shaft one of the most iconic black heroes in the history of cinema...not to mention one of the most well known crime films ever set in New York City.
So, it's place in film history is very well deserved.
6.5 out of 10.