SHAFT
Starring
Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Charles Cioffi, Christopher St. John.
Directed by Gordon Parks. (1971/100 min).
SHAFT’S
BIG SCORE!
Starring
Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Joseph Mascolo, Wally Taylor, Julius
Harris, Joe Santos. Directed by Gordon Parks. (1972/105 min).
SHAFT
IN AFRICA
Starring
Richard Roundtree, Frank Finlay, Vonetta McGee, Neda Armeric, Frank
McRae. Directed by John Guillerman. (1973/112 min).
On
Blu-ray from WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION
Review
by Mr. Paws😺
I
belong to an online forum where we often discuss classic films.
Someone once posed this question: What were some of the
most influential or culturally significant films of the 1970s?
Since she wasn’t necessarily asking for the best ones, it’s an
excellent question and tougher to answer than one might think. But
any legitimate discussion would have to include the original Shaft.
Released
in 1971, Shaft almost singlehandedly invented blaxploitation. In that context, the film was
arguably as influential as The Godfather
and transcended the genre to
become something of a cultural phenomenon in its own right. So
of course, a couple of sequels quickly followed, as well as a
short-lived TV series (which I wasn’t aware of). Shaft has
been released on Blu-ray before, but now all three films are
available in a 3-disc set.
 |
| The only street that doesn't have a Starbucks. |
Though
certainly a product of its time, Shaft is the one true classic of the franchise. The plot is nothing to write home about – it doesn’t
even have a primary antagonist – but as an exercise in audacity and style,
director Gordon Parks scores a bullseye. Isaac Hayes’ iconic,
infectious theme sets the tone right away, while Richard Roundtree
exudes confidence and all-around badassery throughout the film (he's a
damn fine dresser, too), arguably making John Shaft the coolest
private dick to hit the screen since Bogart donned a fedora.
 |
| Who's the window washer that's a sex machine to all the chicks? |
Released
only a year later, Shaft’s Big Score! is sorely missing a
few of the elements that made the first film a classic. Most would
likely agree that Haye’s soundtrack was a huge part of the
original’s success. Here, director Parks scores the film himself. While the music is reminiscent of Hayes' work - right down to the new theme song - it isn't nearly as memorable. It also looks
like John Shaft has-since moved up in the world, therefore doesn’t
seem quite as streetwise. However, this one does have a better story,
where Shaft investigates the murder of a friend at the hands of a
greedy brother who's in-debt to the mob. Though not as
fresh or original as Shaft, it’s certainly enjoyable and has a lot of action, including an exciting car/boat/helicopter chase during the final act.
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| "Sooo...I see your Schwartz is as big as mine." |
The
law of diminishing returns plays itself out with Shaft in Africa.
Director John Guillerman and screenwriter Stirling Silliphant clearly
have no idea what to do with the character they’ve been handed,
turning Shaft into a black James Bond (complete with gadgets).
Roundtree is good, but the story - which has Shaft recruited to
infiltrate an African slavery ring – is ridiculous and completely
contrary to everything that made the original unique. Just like The
Bad News Bears should never have gone to Japan, John Shaft has no business ever leaving New
York City. The naked stick-fight, however, is an unintentional
comic highlight.
The
sequels are new to Blu-ray and also available separately.
But unless you already have Shaft, this Blu-ray triple feature
is the obvious way to go. The original is a classic and essential
viewing for any ‘70s-era movie buff. Roundtree’s charisma and great action make Shaft’s
Big Score! a worthy sequel. Shaft in Africa may be a
complete misfire, but you can’t complete a trilogy with two movies,
can you?
EXTRA
KIBBLES
SHAFT
– “Soul in Cinema: Filming Shaft on Location” (10
minute vintage featurette); Shaft - “The Killing” (an
episode from the short-lived series, also starring Roundtree);
Trailers for all three films
SHAFT’S
BIG SCORE! – Trailer
SHAFT
IN AFRICA - Trailer
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS.
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