‎Shaft (1971) directed by Gordon Parks • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd

Shaft

1971 Directed by Gordon Parks

The mob wanted Harlem back. They got shaft...up to here.

Cool black private eye John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter.

Richard Roundtree Moses Gunn Charles Cioffi Christopher St. John Gwenn Mitchell Lawrence Pressman Victor Arnold Sherri Brewer Rex Robbins Camille Yarbrough Margaret Warncke Joseph Leon Arnold Johnson Dominic Barto George Strus Tony King Antonio Fargas Eddie Barth

Alternative Title

Shaft - 1971

adventure action crime thriller

100 mins More details at IMDb TMDb Report this film

Popular reviews

Review by Joe ★★★★½

This Shaft guy seems pretty cool.
Review by Sally Jane Black 2

Via pop culture osmosis, what I had gathered about this film was that it had a great soundtrack (and it does), but I had never read enough to realize it was a film noir classic. This is apparently nothing new to anyone who has seen it, but it surprised me. What I found interesting is how closely it hewed to the formula of detective noir, right down to the sexist attitude toward women, the dialogue flavored with slang, and the gritty imagery. What I liked best was its measured pace and its montages of New York set to Isaac Hayes' masterpiece.

The grit of New York in 1971 is especially well portrayed, from those long glorious shots of Shaft walking…
Review by russman ★★★ 7

I have never seen anyone drink gin straight until now
Review by Andrew Liverod ★★★★

That intro with John Shaft just casually walking across a busy street and expecting cars to just stop for him, builds his character perfectly. No exposition or flashbacks needed; just a bloke walking across a road. Shaft is indeed a bad mother-fucker and he owns his city.

Great dialogue, terrific NYC locations, full of great fleshed-out characters, THAT score by Chef and The Bar-Kays, the final rescue, Richard "I'm a handsome fucker" Roundtree.

Cool as fuck.

The "Soul in Cinema: Filming 'Shaft' on Location" extra on my DVD was pretty damned fine as well and includes Isaac Hayes and The Bar-Kays recording the score.
Review by WraithApe ★★★★

First time watching the OG of blaxploitation and it didn't disappoint! The plot, featuring PI John Shaft caught in the crossfire between local big shot Bumpy and the mafia, is kinda hokey but all the jive talkin', wicked tunes and Richard Roundtree being his badass self more than make up for it. There's a beatdown noir vibe going on and I loved all the shots of 70s Harlem looking sketchy af. Can you dig it? This cat can.
Review by Dirk Diggler ★★★½ 2

Part of the Film School Dropouts Challenge
Week 32: Blaxploitation

A true classic blaxploitation film that despite of its charismatic lead character and brilliant original score by Isaac Hayes fails to become something extraordinary. Richard Roundtree is pretty much perfect as Shaft as he nails the attitude of the blaxploitation. He's a suave, badass, and womanizing PI, both hero and anti-hero. The rest of the elements are pretty average, decent action and generic plot, but there's some good mood scenes and several quotable lines. While its a film of its time and it only works well because of a few great elements, it still deserves its spot in the history of film, and as slick and cool entertainment.

Don't let your mouth get your ass in trouble

Recent reviews

Review by seannmorgan

Richard Roundtree is fucking awesome. I can’t think of another actor who created an eternal pop culture icon with their debut feature film. His character and personality really elevate this film’s entertainment value. And that’s not even getting into the cultural significance of the entire affair.

Bonus points for the soundtrack because... duh.
Review by HELLOBOOZE ★★★★

Neo-noir setup leads to explosive violence. The soundtrack is unimpeachable. The photography is bursting with life. Richard Roundtree is the coolest motherfucker who ever lived. I was obsessed with this movie as a teenager, I’m glad to see it carries the same punch.
Review by 1 Year 500 Movies ★★★½

This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.

Words cannot describe how happy I was when I heard the legendary Shaft theme. They didn’t waste any time dropping that track, either - it plays during the opening credits. This is a bold move by the filmmakers, as it is guaranteed to be one of the most memorable parts of Shaft. How can they follow up SHAFT… you daaamn right?

I like the character of John Shaft, even though the story he floats in is mostly vicarious entertainment. The “get the girl” private dick plot is standard issue. Richard Roundtree is so equipped to sell his presence as John Shaft, that I believe it when the cops and gang members stand down to his bravado, even though they really…
Review by JosephLoftgren ★★★½

Richard Roundtree is the man with the plan, the coolest cat, John Shaft. His performance here is an iconic one, one that would be imitated but never surpassed. The script provides him with whip smart dialogue, and Roundtree himself blesses Shaft with that signature cool that he's become known for.

The movies pacing is a little too slow for it's own good. It has some decent noir elements but not enough of them are put together in a cohesive enough way to keep the plot going smoothly. I found the middle part of the movie to be most dull. Most of the side characters are bland and are merely there for plot purposes, which sucks because they take away from the time we spend with Shaft.

The opening scene is excellent, the score is fitting and the soundtrack kicks ass alongside the title character, 'Shaft' is a grounded and funny detective flick.
Review by Marty McKee ★★★★

It’s one of the most iconic openings in movie history: black private dick John Shaft strutting through Times Square like he owns it to the accompaniment of Isaac Hayes’ Academy Award-winning theme, cymbals and wah-wah guitar and Hayes’ proclamation of Shaft as a cat who won’t cop out, even when danger’s all about. More notable as a historical landmark than as art — SHAFT is, in essence, a standard private eye meller — Gordon Parks’ urban thriller introduced the short-lived “blaxploitation” explosion that turned Richard Roundtree, Isaac Hayes, Fred Williamson, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, and several other African-American performers into box-office superstars.

It’s nearly impossible to overestimate SHAFT’s influence on ‘70s cinema. Propelled by the confident direction of Parks, a…
Review by jai ★★★★

cult classic. blaxploitation bitch.
Review by frankielababa22 ★★★

*Meets with his fellow Detective*

"What you got Shaft?"

*Long pause*

"I got laid." 😎

I'm going back to New York for my birthday next week and wanted to watch some flicks based there. When the trailer for the new one dropped about a month ago, I realized I had never seen the original.

It's incredibly iconic. Boasting a really engaging screenplay (that would soon be mimicked to death) and razor-sharp dialogue. The beauty is in its simplicity, although the film is showing its age.
Review by mrdrenzaria ★★★★

Classic cop film. Richard Roundtree's performance is fantastic. Has a slick 70's soundtrack too.
Review by EliGolden ★★★★

Best soundtrack and all around good