Actors: Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Charles Cioff, Gwenn Mitchell
Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Shaft (1971)
John Shaft is a New York private detective that is suave with the ladies yet tough and take no mess when it comes to taking out enemies. Shaft is respected by many good and bad, including the black mobster Bumpy Jonas. Bumpy is in need for help when his only beloved daughter is kidnapped from the Mafia. Shaft teams up with a old good friend and black militant Ben Buford to catch the goons creating chaos. When one thinks this story is not complex, think again. Bumpy assumes that Ben is behind his daughter's kidnapping so detective Shaft decided to stop by Ben's place himself to question his motives. He walked in on Ben and his circle having a meeting when suddenly gumen creating a massacre leaving Shaft and Ben the only survivors. Despite Ben own beef with Bumpy, he says the rival between the two will not go far as kidnapping his daughter. While Shaft's suspicion of Ben is finally cleared, there is more going on beside the kidnapping.
--Alicia M., Resident Scholar
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Analysis of Shaft (1971)
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie Actual chase scenes or violence - 50% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 10%
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- private investigator
Age:
- 20's-30's
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- short/standard curly (man)
Body type
- muscular (man)
Unclothed?
- Chest and Buttocks
Events of movie makes character more...
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Black
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (man) short/standard curly
Body type
- average build (man)
How much in movie?
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Black
Main Adversary
Identity:
- a criminal organization
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Setting
United States
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately messy visuals of dead
Movie makes you feel...
- all mixed up
How many deaths in film?
- dozens
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- seeing nude male butt
Kind of violence:
- guns
Any profanity?
- Some foul language
If Soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Jazz/r&b
