“I mean, it’s hood against hood – on the inside. On the outside, it’s black against white. It could be, we could have tanks and troops on Broadway, if this thing breaks open.”

Shaft

About: Ground-breaking photographer Gordon Parks became the first African American artist to helm a Hollywood film with 1969’s The Learning Tree for Warner Bros., and he followed up his directorial debut with 1971’s Shaft for MGM. A box office success, with an Oscar-winning title song by Isaac Hayes, the film follows private detective John Shaft (Roundtree) as he works with Bumpy Jonas (Gunn) to rescue the Harlem crime boss’ daughter Marcy (Brewer). But who is holding her and why?  Black Nationalists?  The Italian mafia? Shaft might get caught in the crosshairs but will also find a way out.  With Melvin Van Peebles’ Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song released the same year, Shaft initiated the celebrated “Blackploitation” wave of Black-led and focused genre films in the 1970s. 

Director: Gordon Parks

Year Released: 1971

Rating: R

Run time: 98 minutes

Cast: Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Charles Cioffi, Christopher St. John, Lawrence Pressman, and Sherri Brewer

Showing: November 10, 9pm