In 1971 the movie Shaft, directed by Gordon Sparks, hit the American theaters. The film tells the story of John Shaft (portrayed by Richard Roundtree), a black private detective who runs a detective agency in Times Square in New York. Although his office is located in Times Square, Shaft mainly conducts his investigations in the black neighborhood of the metropolis of New York.

John Shaft lives in a bachelor apartment in Greenwich Village, a trendy neighborhood in Manhattan. Greenwich Village, often just called the Village, is a district with many bars, pubs and restaurants, home to many artists.

In addition, Greenwich Village is known for its experimental theaters. Shaft, who leads an extravagant lifestyle and likes to dress well, fits perfectly into this very comfortable environment.

Shaft is more brutal than his New York colleague Mike Hammer and solves his cases in a very different way than private detective Nero Wolfe. Shaft is not afraid to use violence, and never hesitates to let his fists fly or throw someone through a closed window. He always makes it very clear to his opponents, that he is not someone they want to mess with.

Detective Shaft is often personally involved in the cases, thus having a hard time solving them. High racial hostility to blacks constantly affects Shaft’s work, putting obstacles in his way.

Based on author Ernest Tidyman’s novel, the movie Shaft was a smash hit. Just as legendary as the film is also the award-winning Theme from Shaft by Isaac Hayes, who is now regarded as a cult song and even won an Oscar.

In 2000, a sequel (Shaft’s Big Score) of the old movie was released in cinemas.

The main role of John Shaft was played by Samuel L. Jackson in the new film. Richard Roundtree, who played the role of the Shaft in 1970, was seen in a cameo appearance in the new film, where he is the uncle of John Shaft.

Shaft was the kick-off and, thus, the founder of the so-called Black-Plosion (Blaxploitation) movies created by blacks for blacks. The first Shaft feature film from 1971 was so successful that it was followed by two more movies, Shaft’s Big Score (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973), and later by the seven-part series also entitled Shaft (1973-1974).

The episodes of the Shaft series were:

    The Enforcers

    The Killing

    Hit-Run

    The Kidnapping

    Cop Killer

    The Capricorn Murders

    The Murder Machine