QUICK SCHLOCK: The Original SHAFT Trilogy

Whether you refer to the subgenre as blaxploitation, black action films or just African-American cinema, you can't have a conversation about the topic without including the the film Shaft. Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song made headlines and profits first - and Cotton Comes To Harlem laid the groundwork for the idea of black detective films before that - but it was Shaft that proved studio films built around African-American talent could not only prove successful with an African-American audience but could crossover to the caucasian mainstream as well.

With all that in mind, it's worth the time and effort to study the original trilogy of Shaft films released between 1971 and 1973. The first is a stone classic, a perfect synthesis of pop filmmaking savvy and a distinctive sense of African-American representation from top to bottom. The sequels that followed are often downplayed as they are much more pulp in style and tone... but both have interesting things to offer the viewers if one looks closely. Read on for capsule-sized assessments of these films, all of which are required viewing for blaxploitation enthusiasts.

SHAFT (1971): "Not just a necessity for blaxploitation fans but a key film for anyone interested in the history of African-American filmmaking." https://boxd.it/3g4Nhr

SHAFT'S BIG SCORE (1972): "...Parks concentrates on solidifying his pop filmmaking chops in service of his African-American audience..." https://boxd.it/3g4NRf

SHAFT IN AFRICA (1973): "...rates as a solid, upscale blaxploitation entry that takes interesting chances with its main character..." https://boxd.it/3g4OjD