John Shaft
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John Shaft is a fictional character created by screenwriter/novelist Ernest Tidyman as a sort of African-American answer to Ian Fleming's James Bond. He was portrayed by Richard Roundtree in the original 1971 film and its two sequels, with Samuel L. Jackson portraying his nephew (also named John Shaft) in the 2000 version of the film. The blurb on the paperback on which the original film is based states Shaft is "Hotter than Bond, cooler than Bullitt."
Contents |
[edit] Books
- Shaft (1970)
- Shaft Among the Jews (1972)
- Shaft's Big Score (1972)
- Shaft Has a Ball (1973)
- Goodbye, Mr. Shaft (1973)
- Shaft's Carnival of Killers (1974)
- The Last Shaft (1975)
[edit] Films based on the character
| Year | Title | Starring |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Shaft | Richard Roundtree |
| 1972 | Shaft’s Big Score | Richard Roundtree |
| 1973 | Shaft in Africa | Richard Roundtree |
| 2000 | Shaft | Samuel L. Jackson |
[edit] Television series
The television show ran from 1973–1974, with Richard Roundtree reprising the role of John Shaft. There were seven 90-minute movies, part of the New CBS Tuesday Night Movies, rotating with Hawkins, which starred James Stewart.
It was short-lived, as the show toned down the John Shaft character.
[edit] Parodies in Other Films
[edit] John Shaft in Other Media
- Burger King utilized the Shaft character for promotion, and even somewhat parodied Shaft utilizing Shaquille O'Neal.
- The USA Network's promo for their series Monk was modeled after the Shaft remake in 2000.
- Geena Davis parodied the Shaft remake/sequel in promos for her short-lived television series, The Geena Davis Show.
- In Season 3's episode 27, "That Mustache Feeling," The Tick cartoon featured the Tick meeting "Taft." On confirming that it is he, the man says "You dang right."
- In Lost, Sawyer compares nicknames Mr. Eko "Shaft"
- In ER, Peter Benton dresses up as Shaft for Halloween.
- A song entitled "Shaft in Greenland" appeared on The Dead Milkmen's album "Soul Rotation".
[edit] Shaft-isms
- Towards the end of the film, during the final showdown, Shaft usually dons a leather outfit, fitted with a high-powered shotgun. (This was done in the 1971 movie and Shaft's Big Score, but not in Shaft in Africa or the sequel/spinoff).
- Shaft's Big Score and Shaft in Africa featured a teaser that had no music, just a hook, establishing the plot, after which the opening credits with a vocalist song would show Shaft heading to the location of the crime. (The first film, Shaft featured Shaft heading to the scene of the crime with the famous Isaac Hayes theme on the soundtrack, or at least, heading towards where the plot would be established, but no teaser).
- Ernest Tidyman's final Shaft book The Last Shaft (1975) depicted the death of John Shaft in the conclusion. Despite this, the same John Shaft, as portrayed by Roundtree, was featured in a cameo role in the remake, in which he gave his nephew John, as portrayed by Jackson, his P.I. business.
- In the novel, Shaft's Carnival of Killers, on page 100, there is a line: ' Shaft always thought that people with moustaches were assholes who were trying to hide something and were unsanitary as well. But this one was at least neat and trimmed. '
- This line is interesting, as Shaft, portrayed by Richard Roundtree in the films, wears a moustache.
[edit] Literary References
The Detective in Hollywood, Jon Tuska, 1978 (ISBN #:0385120931)
[edit] External links
| Shaft |
|---|
| 1971 original • Shaft's Big Score • Shaft in Africa • 2000 remake |
| Characters |
| John Shaft |
| Related articles |
| Shaft television series • "Theme from Shaft" • Soundtrack |
