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Introduction of the Film- - Good to submit

 Shaft is a blaxploitation film that was released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1971, and it was written by Ernest Tidyman and John D.F. Black. Directed by Gordon Parks, Shaft is an action film about a police detective named John Shaft who was hired by a Harlem mobster to rescue his daughter from the Italian mobsters who kidnapped her. “… [He] is able successfully to negotiate the tensions of functioning in a white-dominated world while still portraying the sexploitive,aggressive, black macho image served up for consumption by young, urban black audiences.”[1] The movie starsRichard Roundtree as John Shaft, Moses Gunn as Bumpy Jonas, Charles Cioffi as Vic Androzzi, and Christopher St. John as Ben Buford. The major themes present in Shaft were Black Power, race, masculinity, and sexuality, and it was filmed within the New York City borough of Manhattan, specifically in Harlem, Greenwich Village, and Times Square. “Shaft,… was one of the first Blaxploitation films, and also one of the most popular, which “marked a turning point for this type of film, and spawned a number of sequels and knockoffs.” [2]

Background- Falls under Production

The film was adapted from Ernest Tidyman’s novels by Tidyman and screenwriter John D.F. Blackwriter. Joel Freeman and executive producers Sterling Silliphant and Roger Lewis produced the film. (Reid, 1993)

“In Tidyman’s original story Shaft was white, but Parks  cast Richard Roundtree as the eponymous hero.” (Hughes, 2006), The entire dynamic of the film, its later success, and the future of Blaxploitation films  were all greatly impacted by Parks’ decision. Although his monumental decision proved to be a good one, Parks’ control over Shaft’s direction was limited. “… Blaxploitation films from Shaft onward were largely defined by a relatively greater degree of corporate control and a relatively lesser degree of autonomy on the part of the filmmaker.”  (Corkin, 2011) This film was created less to impact black consciousness and more to simply to show a “’fun film,’ which people could attend on Saturday night and see a black guy winning.” (Guerrero, 1993) It was intentionally created to “appeal to a black urban  audience, along with contiguous white youths.” (Henry, 2004)

After production, in an effort to entice a large black audience to see the film, MGM hired UniWorld, a black advertising firm, who “popularized Shaft by using the rhetoric of black power.” (Reid, 1993) Although this film was notable for its crossover success with both white and black audiences, UniWorld focused largely on attracting members of the African American community. “For example, Variety reported UniWorld’s advertisement description of the protagonist John Shaft as, ‘A lone, black Superspade- a man of flair and flamboyance who has fun at the expense of the (white) establishment.’” (Reid, 1993) They also promoted  “‘the behind-the-camera participation of blacks,’ thereby appealing to blacks

who would appreciate the film as a black production or could fantasize that blacks had somehow beat the Hollywood system and taken over Metro-Goldwyn Mayer studios.” (Reid, 1993)

Theme 1- Portrayal of Race

Shaft undeniably played a crucial part in the development of African American advancement in Hollywood. Richard Roundtree was the first black actor cast as a lead in a  feature film by a major studio. Although his performance opened the door for actors and actresses of color, (Video interview on YouTube) Shaft also presented a flawed interpretation of race, as blackness presented in the film is not authentic.

In the creation of Shaft, there was a significant African American presence, with director Gordon Parks, editor Hugh A. Robertson, , and musical composer Isaac Hayes playing crucial roles. On the other hand, white men controlled the most important aspects of Shaft’s production. In today’s society, It may seem counter-intuitive that white men would presume to produce a film that reflects the complexities of race; however scenarist and writer Ernest Tidyman, writer John D.F. Black , producer Joel Freeman , and executive producers Sterling Silliphant and Roger Lewis  (Reid, 1993) were all white men who heavily influenced the making of Shaft. In an analysis of Shaft, Stanly Corkin stated, “Further, the reception of the idea of blackness also becomes various, defined by any number of subject positions, and again, those cannot be fixed to any particular racially defined place of origin.” In other words, the perception of race  depends on the viewer and thus differs between individuals. Since different representations of race appeal to different people, the film’s white creators fabricated its representation of blackness in order to appeal to African American and white audiences alike. MGM was struggling financially during the making of this film, so making a profitable film was a necessity. “Under the devious guise of providing the Black American with a new and positive image of his/her life, these films confer upon the viewer, Black or White, little more than a pretended glamour and sophistication, the empty, repetitive wasteland of ancient Hollywood traditionalism.” (Riley 1972)

Gordon Parks’ decision to cast Richard Roundtree  rather than a white actor, for whom the role was written, instantly altered the presentation of race in the film. (Hughes, 2006) Critics, however, believed the plot was not altered enough to accommodate the change in racial dynamics. “Mark Reid, for example, argues that Shaft is a product of the (white) studio imagination and merely a ‘black-skinned replica’ of the white action hero commonly found in the detective genre.” (Henry, 2004)

One way that Shaft’s blackness was showcased was through his attire. Shaft was “stylistically racialized: [He] wears clothes and affects manners that are associated with being black…” (Corkin, 2011). Shaft was known for his elegant garb, as he was frequently draped in fine leather coats and turtlenecks  throughout the film. Although his smooth, classy look evoked a greater interest from viewers, it in no way represented fashion typical of the black community in that era.

Further, Shaft relies upon a group of militant black nationalists in helping him complete his mission to save Bumpy’s daughter. The inclusion of a group so strongly identified with the Black Power movement was clearly an effort to appeal to black audience members. Unfortunately, the film presented the black nationalists as a group that failed to further the black cause, raised no awareness of the black struggle, and displayed them simply as a hired team of assailants to assist Shaft on his mission. This assertion of black nationalists was “foolish and self-serving.” (Corkin, 2011)

The filming of Shaft partly in the neighborhood of Harlem also allowed the black viewer to have a deeper connection to this film. Interestingly, the writers portrayed John Shaft as a man who clearly had a good relationship with this neighborhood, yet rejected it once he became wealthy, moving to the predominantly white area of Greenwich Village. Traditional black thought in this era was that African Americans who had been prosperous financially should invest in and give back to the communities from which they came. Instead, “the implication is that the wise black (Shaft) will want to sever ties with the people of Harlem and find a place among whites.”(Reid 1993) This point further indicates the false portrayal of race in Shaft, as a true black action hero of his time period would have been more loyal to his neighborhood.

The result of this inauthentic portrayal of blackness in early 1970s blaxploitation films like Shaft certainly had an effect on black audiences viewing them. Instead of the collective nature of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements in the 1960s, these films helped to usher in a decade of self-indulgence, material gain, and drug consumption. (Henry, 2004) “Equally important, Riley points out that the narratives about, and images of, blacks in these new films are no more than thematic templates reworked with black casts and updated stereotypes that reconfirm white expectations of blacks and serve to repress and delay the awakening of any real political consciousness.” (Guerrero 1993)

Theme 2 - Black Power through Masculinity

Although Shaft was 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 John 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, leaders ardently fought to gain greater presence and control for their people, because even after desegregation , African Americans were still greatly excluded from the economic, political, and cultural systems engrained in white American society. John Shaft was depicted as a character that had achieved a high level of personal freedom, confidence, and control in his life, which was exciting for African American viewers. At the beginning of the film, Shaft was approached by two white police officers seeking information. As the officers were depending upon his information, Shaft dictated the conversation from a position of power. Spatially, Shaft also was much taller than the other officers, further boosting his position of control. Shaft’s economic independence was a crucial part of his persona. Shaft was often seen giving money to others, which showed that Shaft had substantial financial security. He also had a beautiful apartment located in Greenwich Village, where rent would have been expensive for the average policeman. The Black Power movement frequently stressed the importance of upward social mobility.

One of the more regressive qualities of this movement was its strong focus on masculinity. This emphasis on the male effort to improve black life was accompanied by sexist beliefs by many leading activists. Their sexist views were felt to be a reaction to the hierarchical power structure already prevalent in society. Having been subjugated to the white man for years, African American men in turn treated women as beneath them. “Robyn Wiegman argues that the members of the Black Power Movement defined the politics of race within ‘a metaphorics of phallic power,’ which developed out of male activists’ desire to counter cultural articulations of black male inferiority, and that this perspective is readily seen in the writings of influential figures such as Malcolm X , Huey Newton , Eldridge Cleaver , and Amiri Baraka. ” (Henry 2004)

Shaft directly embodied this ideal of extreme black masculinity through displays of hypersexuality  and misogyny. “Although Shaft lacked power in the racial sphere, by virtue of being a heterosexual male in a patriarchal system, he still maintains a semblance of power in relation to women.” (Henry, 2006). From the very beginning of the film, Shaft’s sexuality was highlighted as an important characteristic of his persona. In this scene, Shaft was parting ways with two white officers and one asks him, “Where are you going?” “To get laid,” Shaft replied. Shaft was described as a legendary “sex machine,” and this dominance over females was presented as an instrument of power. (Henry, 2004) Shaft not only has ample sexual relationships with women, but he treats them with no respect. “While he ha[d] a black girlfriend, which would satisfy the expectations of cultural nationalism, he is not above sleeping around and having random sex with attractive white women.” (Guerrero, 1993) In one scene, Shaft’s girlfriend told Shaft that she loves him, with Shaft memorably responding with “Yea, I know.” Also, after sleeping with a white woman in the film, she t[old] Shaft, “You’re pretty good in the sack, but you’re pretty shitty afterwards. You know that?” This statement further highlights both Shaft’s sexual prowess and his misogynist actions.

Discussion of context- How the film fits into the Blaxploitation genre

The third Blaxploitation film released ( https://mubi.com/lists/blaxploitation ) Shaft is known as being one of the best and most popular films  ever of this genre. Commenting on the film shortly after its release, New York Times movie critic Vincent Canby accurate predicted the next 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 having watched the extraordinary receptions given to both Sweet Sweetback and Shaft I’m led to wonder if, perhaps, the existence of what seems to be a large, hungry, black movie audience- an audience whose experiences and interests are treated mostly in token fashion by TV- might not be one of the more healthy and exciting developments on the current movie scene.” Shaft greatly impacted future Blaxploitation films which “crudely tried to emulate the success of Shaft and Sweeback, repeated, filled in, or exaggerated the ingredients of the Blaxploitation  formula, which usually consisted of a pimp , gangster , or their baleful female counterparts, violently acting out a revenge or retribution  motif against corrupt whites in the romanticized confines of the ghetto  or inner city .” (Guerrero, 1993)

Reception

Public Reception

Shaft was extremely successful in theaters, which was a huge accomplishment for the 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. (Guerrero 1993) (Hughes, 2006- just 7 million thing) This film was wildly popular among the black community, as “…blacks spent their money on an endless list of spinoff trinkets identified with the film such as ‘Shaft suits, watches, belts and sunglasses, leather coats, decals, sweatshirts and night shirts, beach towels, posters, after shave lotion and cologne.’” Rare for Blaxploitation films, Shaft was also a crossover hit, as the white community was “drawn in by the unthreatening racial politics...”(Corkin, 2011)

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.” (Guerrero 1993) Despite his enjoyment of the movie, Vincent Canby also stated that it wasn’t a quality film, but an entertaining one. (Canby, 1971) Other critics like Clayton Riley mainly found fault in the films’ failure to “deal with Black life in serious terms.” (Riley, 1972) Riley harshly stated, “Mediocre is the only word to describe the work of Gordon Parks, the director of this nonsense, inept is the kindest thing to say about the performances of Richard Roundtree as John Shaft, a Black private eye on the prowl for kicks in the Big Apple underworld.” (Riley, 1972)

How the actors felt about being in the film

When asked how it felt to be cast as John Shaft in an interview iat the 2014 Virginia Film Festival, Richard Roundtree responded that he had been extremely excited about the part at the time. He had previously been cast mostly in commercials and ads, and this role was a big break for him. It was not only the first major film for the actor but it was also the first time a black actor was cast in a major studio feature film. (From The video Richard Roundtree Discusses ‘Shaft’ at Virginia Film Festival- Published on November 11th, 2014)

The soundtrack

One of the greatest factors contributing to Shaft’s wild success and lasting appeal is its incredible and memorable musical score, “a revolutionary funk/soul masterpiece ,” composed by Isaac Hayes (Maclaren, 2006). Interestingly, Hayes actually auditioned for the role of Shaft but was asked to compose the musical score instead. (Hughes, 2006) “Vulgar, shallow, and crudely done, Shaft distinguished itself mainly by having the best musical score of the year. Isaac Hayes’s sensual, moody background music added to the texture of the film…” (Bogle, 1973)

Hayes’ soundtrack was known for its unique and catchy sound. “Instead of laying out a series of lengthy, chilled-out raps and jams, the episodic nature of a movie structure obliged him to focus on shorter instrumentals, featuring laid-back, jazz-infused  riffs  and solos .” (Maclaren, 2006)  For example, from the ‘Theme from Shaft,’ “The instrumental section, played by the Bar Keys and Movement , deploys pulsating bass, stuttering wah-wah guitar, Hayes’s own distinctive piano playing, a descending four-note horn motif , ascending flute runs and the now famous Pearl and Dean-style  blasts of brass and strings.” (Hughes, 2006) “Thirty five years on, Shaft may sound dated, but it’s a sound that inspired a generation of soul musicians. Hayes’ laid back delivery and gorgeous arrangements are still breathtaking, and the album remains a quintessential slice of ‘70s soul.” (Maclaren, 2006)

For Hayes remarkable composition, he received a combination of public praise, notable critical reception, and awards. Only a few weeks after the release of the film, Hayes’ soundtrack album had already earned $2 million and had gone platinum. (Guerrero 1993) “The Shaft theme became so popular that it was heard everywhere, from nightclubs to halftime at football games.” (Guerrero 1993) Hayes was also nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Dramatic Score and for Best Original Song with the ‘Theme from Shaft.’. (Hughes, 2006)  When he won for Best Original Song, it was the first time an African American composer had won an Academy Award. (Maclaren, 2006) “The 45-single release of the record topped the US charts, hit number 4 in the UK and is still popular today, enjoying a new lease of life as a cellphone ring tone.” (Hughes, 2006)

Conclusion

Sequel? Remake in 2000s

Shaft had two sequels called Shaft’s Big Score (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973), with “neither capturing the soul of the original.” (Hughes, 2006)  There was also a remake in 2000

In all, “Ernest Tidyman wrote six ‘Shaft’ novel sequels, including Goodbye Mr Shaft’ and Shaft’s Carnival of Killers ”

Actors, how the film and actors are remembered (still living?)

This film was remembered as one of the best films of the Blaxploitation genre, and one of the best films of 1971. (Guerrero, 1993) Due to its success, Richard Roundtree was one of the most famous actors of the Blaxploitation genre. (Hughes, 2006) Roundtree, currently retired and living in, is known as the “first black action hero.”(Sam, "I'm Just Talkin' About Shaft (And We Can Dig It),")