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George Englund (director); Joe Massot, Phil Austin, Peter Bergman, David Ossman, Phil Proctor (screenplay); John Rubinstein, Pat Quinn, Don Johnson, Country Joe and the Fish, Elvin Jones, Doug Kershaw, William Challee, Dick Van Patten, The James Gang, White Lightnin', The New York Rock Ensemble. 24. The Music Lovers.
Man in the Wilderness, starring Richard Harris. The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker, starring Richard Benjamin, Joanna Shimkus and Adam West. Mary, Queen of Scots, starring Vanessa Redgrave and Glenda Jackson - ( U.K.) McCabe & Mrs. Miller, directed by Robert Altman, starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie.
- Plot
- Background
- Major Themes
- Context
- Cultural Impact
- Reception
- Soundtrack
- Home Media
- Sequels
- Pop Culture References
In January 1971,[Note 1] private detective John Shaftis informed that some gangsters are looking for him. He spots one of the men waiting for him in his office building and ambushes him. At gunpoint, he brings him to his office, where the second gangster is already waiting. During a short fight, Shaft dodges one of them, who falls out of a window. ...
Shaft was adapted from Ernest Tidyman's novels by Tidyman and screenwriter John D. F. Black. Joel Freeman and executive producers Stirling Silliphantand Roger Lewis produced the film. The screen detective genre in the late 1960s had been dominated by the big movies, big stars. Paul Newman had established his Harper in 1966, (the character reprised ...
Portrayal of race
Shaft played a crucial part in the development of African-American advancement in Hollywood.In the creation of Shaft, there was a significant African-American presence, with director Parks, editor Hugh A. Robertson, and composer Isaac Hayes playing crucial roles. On the other hand, white men controlled the other important aspects of Shaft's production. Scenarist and writer Tidyman, writer Black, producer Freeman, and executive producers Silliphant and Lewis were all white men who heavily infl...
Black power through masculinity
Although Shaftwas a depiction of Blackness by white creators, the movie touched on several themes that reflected the ideals of the Black Power movement. Some of the actions taken by Shaft highlighted the positive aspects of this movement, while others brought out some of its less progressive facets. A noticeable quality of Roundtree's character was his commanding presence and the control that he displayed in almost every situation he faced throughout the film. In the Black Power movement, lea...
The fifth blaxploitation film released, Shaft is one of the most popular films of the genre. Commenting on the film shortly after its release, New York Times movie critic Vincent Canby accurately predicted the wave of blaxploitation films to follow: "How audiences react, however, has a great deal to do with the kind of movies that do get made, and ...
Considered as "the first Black action hero", Roundtree is credited with having an impact on the rise of African American leading actors in Hollywood projects, thanks to his successful performances in the Shaft franchise. The way Richard Roundtree portrayed Shaft created a Black male style that was so distinct and pervasive it became known as “swag”...
Box office performance
The film was one of only three profitable movies that year for MGM, grossing what Timemagazine called an "astonishing" $13 million on a budget of $500,000. The Los Angeles Times said the film cost $1 million after advertising and other costs and grossed $4.5 million. According to Varietyby 1976 it earned $7.656 million in theatrical rentals. It not only spawned several years of "blaxploitation" action films, it earned enough money to save then-struggling MGMfrom bankruptcy.
Public reception
Shaft was extremely successful in theaters, which was a huge accomplishment for the then-struggling MGM studios. It was produced at a cost of $1.2 million while earning $10.8 million in its first year of distribution,$7 million in the U.S. alone.
Critical reception
The critical reception of Shaft was mixed. In general, the film was applauded for its innovation, success, and its lasting effect on the film industry. "Because of the film's positioning securely within the parameters of industry standards, Shaft was generally applauded by the critics both black and white, as being a breakthrough production in terms of expanding black representation in commercial cinema."[better source needed] Roger Ebert gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four and wro...
One of the greatest factors contributing to Shaft's wild success and lasting appeal is its memorable musical score, "a revolutionary funk/soul masterpiece". Hayes auditioned for the role of Shaft but was asked to compose the musical score instead. "Vulgar, shallow, and crudely done, Shaft distinguished itself mainly by having the best musical score...
Shaft was released on VHS, followed by a DVD release in June 2000, and a Blu-ray release in 2012. The Criterion Collection released the film on Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray in June 2022, featuring a 4Krestoration.
Shaft initially had two sequels called Shaft's Big Score! (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973), with "neither capturing the soul of the original", according to author Howard Hughes. An additional sequel, and part remake, was released in 2000, also called Shaft, starring Samuel L. Jackson as the title character, and Roundtree appearing as his "Uncle" J...
Already in 1972, Pam Grier's character in Hit Man starred in a pornographic film she believed was a screen test for Shaft. On The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Shaft is the idol of the fictional Will Smith, and several episodes[specify] make references to the film. In one episode Will has shattered his young cousin's faith in a comic character, only to ...
Jun 17, 2021 · Shot down-and-dirty in 16mm, cinema verite-style in August 1970, amid the blazing desert heat of Southern California, it is a profoundly pessimistic film which punctures the image of law and order ...
The Big Boss (1971) R | 99 min | Action, Crime, Drama. 6.9. Rate. A young man sworn to an oath of non-violence works with his cousins in an ice factory where they mysteriously begin to disappear. Directors: Wei Lo, Chia-Hsiang Wu | Stars: Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, James Tien, Marilyn Bautista. Votes: 29,447 | Gross: $0.04M.
22. The Last Picture Show (1971) R | 118 min | Drama, Romance. In 1951, a group of high schoolers come of age in a bleak, isolated, atrophied North Texas town that is slowly dying, both culturally and economically. Director: Peter Bogdanovich | Stars: Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Ben Johnson.
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In the 25th century, a time when people have designations instead of names, a man, THX 1138, and a woman, LUH 3417, rebel against their rigidly controlled society. Director George Lucas Stars Robert Duvall Donald Pleasence Don Pedro Colley. 15. The Anderson Tapes. 1971 1h 39m GP.
