Shaft
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Movie Reviews of Shaft
Movie Review: But,I'm talking about Shaft-Again
Summary: 5 Stars
Here I am talking about Shaft again.I just did the music review a few days ago.So I said to myself I might as well do the film to.Back in the day when James Bond was kicking butt in movies like Goldfinger and Thunderball he was the main man.But he was also a white man.Now there's NOTHING wrong with that.But the time was due for us black folks to get some representation.And that's when private detective John Shaft hit the streets of Harlem.With his leather coat and the music of Isaac Hayes playing in the background.Another main man was on the scene.Shaft was just as handsome as Bond,just as smart as Bond and just as cool as Bond.And he didn't take s#!t from anyone.And that made Shaft one bad motherf-SHUT YOUR MOUTH-.The film Shaft was directed by muti-talented Gordon Parks.And it's star was a good-looking new comer by the name of Richard Roundtree.I read somewhere that Isaac Hayes wanted the starting role of Shaft but he didn't get it.But Mr.Hayes went on to win a academy award for the soundtrack.And Mr. Roundtree went on to have a successful movie career."All well that ends well" as they say.Now Shaft was about a Harlem mob boss by the name of Bumpy (played by Moses Gunn) daughter being kidnapped and Shaft is hire to rescue her.Along the way we become acqainted with some good guys,some bad guys and there's also a little romance (Shaft's girlfriend Ellie was played by Gwenn Mitchell,and she was one fine babe and my favorite Shaft girl).And if you're a action fan there's plenty of it throughout this film.Shaft begins with a man flying out of a window.And ends with Shaft flying into one.So all you lovers of black cinema of the 70s please check out Shaft you will not be disappointed.Shaft over the years as become a true icon.Movie Review: i can dig this
Summary: 5 Stars
Long before Samuel Jackson reprised the role of that bad motherf--shut your mouth-- but I'm talking about Shaft. Not the remak, but the original. The first. I'm talking 1971, when Shaft burst onto the scene. I'm not sure if Shaft falls into the Blaxplotation category, but Richard Roundtree plays a strong and positive (if a rather dark and morally ambiguous character) role. Shaft isn't weak, nor his he going to be pushed around by the Man. And at the same time Shaft doesn't go militant. And Shaft has a great relationship with the local police. He's sarcastic, witty, and intelligent. Roundtree plays Shaft so that everyone wants to be him, black or white. The movie starts with a simple plot, Shaft is hired to get back the local black crime boss's daughter, who has been kidnapped. The plot does a few twists and turns from there, and ends with a great gunfight/rescue scene. And there is Isaac Hayes' great score, and that memorable theme song. The dvd has both widescreen and full screen format (I advise the wide screen). There aren't much in the way of extras. There are the trailors for the three Shaft movies and a brief bio of Richard Roundtree. There's also a 10 minute 'filming of' documentary called "Soul in Cinema: Filming Shaft on Location." It doesn't really tell you much or add anything to the viewing of the film, but it doesn't hurt, and it is somewhat interesting. You can also watch the film dubbed over in French (heh heh), and forget putting in English subtitles, the experience of 'French Shaft' is worth going by itself.
To finish, two words for you: John Shaft.
Movie Review: Classic!
Summary: 5 Stars
This film was just before my time, but when I first saw it in the late 80's or ealry 90's, I wanted more and could not get enough! I could not believe that such ill (hot, cool) films like this were being made in the ealry 70's.
I don't want to get into the story, but this is a must have film in any collection if you like action films. The Sam Jackson Shaft was better than I thought, but it CANNOT stand up to the origianl or it's sequel(notice how sequel is singular...). They should never try to remake a classic film. I hear that they want to remake "Uptown Saturday Night" and "The Warriors!" I hope someone stops them before they get started! Come up with your OWN ideas for your time, don't bite.
This film is classic, but the only problem I have is that it was not as remastered as it could have been. No royal treatment. It does have a featurette though, somthing I had never seen before. The other problem wit this film like "Superfly," is that both films have legendary soundtracks/scores that did corssover with white audiences - so why no surround sound or at least stereo remaster? That is the least they should do. I want "Shaft" and "Superfly" special editions with at least stereo! Classic soundtracks should get the royal treatment.
Movie Review: Best of the genre
Summary: 5 Stars
My Bride acquired this movie based in part on the hype surrounding the release of the re-make this weekend, and we watched it to get ready. I was surprised to see that it held up so well.Unlike so any other so-called Blaxploitation films, this film has not become a laughable anachronism, dated after thirty years. The story line, about a private detective conned into working for a mob boss, is not quite as laughable as a few other reviewers suggested.
More important to me is the context and the time this film was released. It was the first movie I ever saw with a Black man as the protagonist who stood up to police and everyone else, demanding and receiving respect. No shuffling, but rather he moved confidently through a host of situations. Unlike many others of the genre, he was not only self assured, but was not a pimp or drug dealer. No big deal for thos who could identify with James Bond, Peter Gunn or Simon Templar, but it sure was a seminal event in the life of this then-sixteen year old.
Still worth seeing, and the as for the soundtrack, check out the review of that, too.
Movie Review: 5 star film, but not a "Criterion Collection" DVD transfer
Summary: 5 Stars
Shaft is a great 5-star movie, both on its own terms as well as a cultural landmark for the early seventies. The DVD delivery does have a barebones feel (read the other reviews here), but the notable disappointment is the sound quality. Shaft could have used a "Criterion Collection" restoration. The Roundtree dialog overdubs, obvious on the VHS, are even more obvious on DVD. I was hoping for more, especially how the DVD's release coincided with the Shaft Y2K release. Gordon Parks' great photography holds up well, and the letterbox version is nice to see.A "Best Soundtrack" Oscar winner deserves better sonic treatment. As Drew Bundini Brown might have said, "That's some cold #%@^ throwing the soundtrack out the window."