Shaft, Directed By Gordon Parks: Movie Analysis

Shaft was released July, 2 1971; directed by Gordon Parks. Shaft was a black detectives that was trying to tackle the lender of the black crime mob, Bumpy. As he is trying to take Bumpy down, Shaft ran into some trouble with the black nationals. He eventually worked with both groups to help save Bumpy’s daughter that was kidnapped by the white mafia.

During the 1970’s Shaft represented a different outlook on the urban culture. Most movies would cast African Americans as the typically gangster or as a low life individuals. Actors were so excited about being included in Hollywood lifestyle they weren’t concerned with the jobs they were taken. There weren’t rarely any African Americans shown in a positive manner, such as a king, queen, judge,

or public figure with power. Shaft was a detective that earned a lot of respect on and off the street. In this file he had a voice that mattered to the community. He was known as a “bad motherfucker”, which is the theme song of the movie.
Shaft was originally published in 1971 and was redirected and published in 2000. In the thirty year difference you could see how the urban culture had changed, from style, trend, attitude, movements, power, sexuality and stability. The second Shaft movie showed a lot about the woman’s movement, there were different roles in this Shaft that indicated woman were more powerful in 2000 compare to the 70’s. In the early 1980’s media began to betray men in a more masculine way. This was shown in pro-wrestling shows, video games, and multiple television programs. Shaft (2000) showed more violence compared to the first Shaft. The man character was more violent with a nonchalant attitude. Although, there are a few difference in the two films one thing that didn’t change was that Shaft was a ladies man.