Reviews (2)

Do I look Like a F***in Lady our WHAT!
This video had me ROLLIN!!! Hosted by Martin Lawrence: AdeleGivens (Do I look like a ...... Lady OUR WHAT!! She's Crazy! Some of the stuff that comes out of this Lady's mouth had me on the floor! She talks about how You don't need a man! All you need is your Gynocologist! Then D.L Hughley was too funny! This Video is 55min of non stop laughter! hosted by Martin Lawrence.

:) so funny your stomach will ache :)
Hosted by Martin Lawrence, This tape woll make you laugh, and laugh, and laugh. You can watch it over and over again and still laugh every time. :) ... Read more

Reviews (86)

So-so action film...
I've never watched the original Shaft, so I have nothing to base this remake on. It's not a very serious action film. Jeffrey Wright and Busta Rhymes providing most of the comic relief. It is interesting to note that Richard Rountree (the original shaft) and Gordon Parks (the original director) played parts in this film.

After watching this film, I can say I don't mind it. I've seen a lot worse, and I've seen better. Atleast with this film, you have Samuel Jackson playing another cool, suave character. It's too bad Venessa William didn't play a more integral part to the story. I would've liked to see a better dynamism between the two. But then again Shaft has always been a lone-ranger of sorts.

This is not a plot-heavy story. It's about a rich kid that murders an African American, but this crime is witnessed by a waitress who goes into hiding after being threatened. Shaft is disheartened by the inadequacy of the system and decides to investigate on his own. Like I said, not plot-heavy.

LEAP rating (each out of 5):
============================
L (Language) - 3 (nothing special, except for Jeff Wright's almost incomprehensible speech)
E (Erotica) - 1 (opening sequence and a good kiss scene)
A (Action) - 3.5 (unapologetic killings)
P (Plot) - 2 (simple plot)

This film should have gotten the "shaft"
"Shaft" (2000)

Shaft's (Richard Roundtree) nephew, also last-named Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson), is the star in this movie. But it is nothing like the original starring Roundtree and directed by Gordon Parks (although both of them make cameos in this film). The first "Shaft" was a blaxploitation flick and is a classic. This movie, directed by John Singleton, seems less black, more made-for-Hollywood. The plot is thin and unlike the original, the only love scene to be found is in pieces during the opening credits. And what was Busta Rhymes' purpose? It added nothing to the movie. Sorry, Sam Jackson is a hell of an actor but his Shaft doesn't make me forget about Roundtree's. -EJR

Singleton ruins yet another legend. somebody stop him.......
Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft could have been a great movie. He has the talent and skill to effectively play the role. Unfortunately, he is prevented from doing a giving a good performance because of the weak direction and script by Hack Extrodinare John Singleton. Someone please stop Mr. Singleton Before he directs again.
Singleton's terrible script and direction turns Shaft into a campy over-the top superhero movie instead of an intruigung murder mystery. Most of the characters come off like cartoonish stereotypes instead of real people the way they did in the 1971 original. Shaft fans know he is smart, smooth and clever; he's subtle about the way he does things. He's not a black batman wannabe as depicted in this film. Perhaps Mr. Singleton dreams of doing a Batman movie and thought he could apply those concepts here. He was sadly mistaken.
In the openeing scene he comes off as menacing and threatening, that he scares the witness even more and puts the white racist (Christian Bale) on the offensive by arresting him. A litle subtlety would have helped the story here and made the character more interesting. In the subplot our menacing shaft threatens a neighborhood drug dealer (Geoffrey Rush) and arrests him on some trumped up charges. While in jail the two consipire to find a witness who can finger Bale's character for the murder he committed. Sounds a lot like Batman Returns doesn't it? Just so he can have something to do, Shaft goes on a macho search to find the witness who can help his case. Personally, I think Singleton wanted to have a ton of frames of Sam Jackson looking cool in Armani leather. This goes on until the last act the movie which turns into a great big comic book action sequence chock full of shootings and mayhem. To conclude the story, the scene where Bale's character is coming to court to finally stand trial for his crimes is ripped straight from Mario Van Peebles ending scene of New Jack City.
Singleton wastes yet another opportunity and fails to utilize his cast of talented actors who do their best with his terrible script. Sadly, Gordon Parks, the man who wrote and directed the original Shaft was on set and Singleton did take the opportunity not pick his brain for ideas or even ask him what he was thinking when he set up certain scenes. This film would have been better if Singleton would have done thatn andjust STUDIED the films of this genere and understood the subtle nuances that make them work before starting this project. Then when he understood what made those films work he could then apply those approaches to his work. John Singleton needs to go back to film school. He still has a lot to learn about the craft of moviemaking.

VERY GOOD REMAKE OF THE 1971 CLASSIC
SHAFT'S SAME-NAMED NEPHEW [SAMUEL L. JACKSON] GOES AFTER A DOMINICAN DRUG LORD AND A RACIST SERIAL KILLER. VERY GOOD REMAKE. IT HAS PLENTY OF GOOD ACTION, AN INTERESTING STORY, AND IT HAS GOOD CHARACTERS. THIS IS ACTUALLY NO BETTER OR WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL. RICHARD ROUNDTREE [WHO PLAYED THE ORIGINAL SHAFT] AND GORDON PARKS, JR. BOTH MAKE APPEARANCES IN THIS MOVIE.

wonderful remake
a great remake with Jackson being the man Shaft. good action with some unexpected turnabouts. Christian Bale is menacing as the racist who kills Mehki Phifer then has to answer to Shaft and Jeffrey Wright is a spectacular badguy as well. a good ride ... Read more

Reviews (1)

More and Better than just the Godfather of Rap
Mr. Moore proudly bills himself as the Godfather of Rap, much as James Brown is the Godfather of Soul. His claim is well-founded, as his work dating back to the late 1960's was quite original and far ahead of its time. His achievments are far greater and more profound than merely the area of Rap music, which has never lived up to the name of Rudy Ray Moore in any of its other manifestations.

In short, Moore was the point man of graphic sexual and excretory humor in the formerly Black, now African-American, mainstream, if not in American comedy in general. His poetry, in particular, creates numerous Homeric epics of pimping and prostitution, with the immortal Dolemite and Petey Wheatstraw as his Achilles and Odysseos. Indeed, Professor Henry Louis Gates has written persuasively on the West African folkloric roots of one of my favorite Moore characters, the Signifyin' Monkey, who also appears in Roger Abrahams' classic Deep Down in the Jungle.

For those of us Caucasians fortunate enough to get access to his party records in the early 70's, Rudy Ray Moore was a prophet of the treasures of filthy, but exquisitely funny dirty jokes and toasts. Sadly, in the mid to late '70's he shifted most of his talent to the area of Blaxploitation action films, at considerable personal financial as well as artistic loss. Still, the record of his Act at the Players' Clubs of Los Angeles is a great national treasure very unfairly overlooked by mainstream America. Lenny Bruce, for example, achieved a far larger reputation with far poorer material and delivery. The humor is not for the delicate or sensitive, but anyone with a genuine taste for powerful foul tastes should move heaven and earth to get a copy of this tape. It will reward your investment thousands of times over. Rudy Ray Moore, far more than Maya Angelou (or whoever it is now), deserves to be the true poet laureat of America and this movie proves why! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Ghetto Surrealism
This film is THE most deranged, horrific, nasty, disturbing, idiotic mess I have EVER seen pass itself off as a comedy. It's awesome.

At first, I thought this was the most inept movie ever made, but now I see that Rudy Ray and his partner in crime Cliff Roqumore made the first piece of Ghetto Surrealism to stink up the screen (This movie does actually bring to mind certain unpleasant odors). This accomplishment should not be denegrated simply because it was undoubtedly unintentional. Technical flaws aside(and they are plenty ample), there are images and scenarios in this film which play out in mind like a reoccuring nightmare(none of which I can recount without being censored). It is one of the most scatalogically obsessed films outside of Pink Flamingos or Salo, but I think it is more successful than either in its attempts to outrage.

The performances are all variations on racial stereotypes and ghetto caricatures. This film plays like some evil cartoon. Which is to say there is a devilish imagination at work, one with utter disregard for logic and restraint. And one, seemingly without any good intentions.

If you are looking for a twisted cinematic experience look no further.

Not Even Dolemite Can Save This Mess
Rudy Ray Moore was a comic ahead of his time--rapping',rhymin', jivin', conniving --but evenhis classic delivery can't save this low-budget, idiotic mess. You never see the mike hanging down like you did in Dolemite (a better movie), but it still reeks of amateur moviemaking, from the shabby script, to the bad performances, to the hokey martial arts sequences, and, worst of all, a Devil about as evil as your Aunt Bertha. Moore plays Petey Wheatstraw, a foul-mouthed, karate-kicking comic. He gets machine-gunned with a crowd of other people outside a church after a funeral. A couple of fatso, rival comics want Petey out of the way so he won't take away customers from their upcoming show. Dead, Petey makes a deal with the Devil, promising to marry his ugly daughter (whom we never see) to get his life back. He also gets a magical cane from the Devil which gives Petey special powers, even powers over the Devil himself! (That doesn't make sense, but neither does the movie.) The talented Moore offers some fine, raunchy moments. But so much of '70s blaxploitation was BAD, REALLY BAD, baby, and junk like Petey Wheatstraw undoubtedly hastened the cycle's demise. Still, you have to wonder the kind of hilarious movie Moore could have delivered with the backing of a major studio. Unfortunately, he was a little bit too much out there at the time.

Great Old-Fashioned Comedy!
While sitting on the couch trying to recover from an extremely painful tooth extraction, I looked around for a diversion. My eyes lighted on this video, which I had purchased previously but not yet viewed. I was not disappointed; this turned out to be one of the funniest movies I have seen in years! Every character and situation was taken to the extreme, the plot was ludicrous but oh so funny, and Petey's poetic jokes were hilarious. It looked like everyone was enjoying playing his/her role to the hilt. Petey's attempt to beat Lucifer at his own game was bound to fail, as we all knew it would, but it was sure fun watching him try to get out of marrying the ugliest woman ever seen. A few splashes of wisdom are thrown in for good measure. Leroy and Skillet were a comedy team who should have gone straight to the top of the comedic ladder of fame; they were funny enough to build a TV series around their shenanigans. It looked like everyone was having a great time making this film. I laughed from beginning to end and it sure helped take my mind off my throbbing jaw. This movie is offensive only if you are the type of person who takes life way too seriously and cannot laugh at his/her own human foibles. Though raunchy at times, it is a relief to view a comedy that doesn't rely on a continuous stream of sexual jokes to succeed, but creates a nice balance which results in a comedy all adults can enjoy. It has certainly gained a place among my top 10 most favorite comedy films. If you are willing to suspend any semblance of reality and just want to have a good time, get this movie. It is just the thing to brighten your day. Thank you, Mr. Wheatstraw and company, for reminding us that life does have its lighter moments.

Petey Wheatstraw...a Blaxploitation classic!
For anyone looking for a serious movie about Blacks in the 70's you probably don't want to watch this. But if you grew up in the ghetto and you're looking for something GHETTO FABULOUS then this is your movie. If you're looking for a movie that is absolutely HILARIOUS this is your movie. This is truly a classic and I saw it for the first time when I was in the 9th grade about 18 years ago. Up until now, I had not been able to find it, and when I would mention it to people, only the "real" people I met had seen it. Everything about the movie was wrong, the lighting, the acting, the costumes, and especially the karate (I know Bruce Lee was (mad)!), but it was so wrong that it was funny as HELL. Even the people who say they hate it know they had to laugh when he tried to use that fake Jamaican accent to get into Leroy & Skillet's show. Or when Philadelphia Nell (OK..HELLO...the movie was shot in LA) kept answering the phone with that GHETTO "Hello". There are 2 movies that every Black person should own. ROOTS and this movie.

Helped Seal the lid on Blaxploitation's coffin
I saw this junk at a ghetto theater in Charleston, SC in 1978. Even then, people were walking out on this trash and calling it ignorant! PEE-OOOH! The ever unfunny low-grade ghetto juke joint comic who deservedly never made the big time "Wild Man" Steve Gallon appears, telling bad defecation jokes. Skillet and Leroy (who were better at making comedy albums) come across as Amos and Andy on food stamps. Hold on to your stomachs, folks. This makes "Wild Man" Steve's "Super Soul Brother" look like "Gone With The Wind!" ... Read more

Amazon.com

Who's the baddest motherf****r to blow onto blaxploitation screens?Forget Shaft and just ask X-rated comic and "godfather of rap" RudyRay Moore. He'll give you the gospel of Dolemite. Street hustler,pimp, and all-around ghetto superhero Dolemite began life as a character in Moore's nightclub act and was a natural character for his self-financedfilm debut, a revenge tale set on the corrupt streets of L.A.

Dolemite issprung from prison by an impossibly understanding warden so he can find the drug-dealing, gun-smuggling crooks who framed him. With the help of hisall-girl army of kung fu killers and the most flamboyant wardrobe this side of Cher, he lays waste to dozens of bad guys while spouting his funky raps. Thick, slow and sleepy, Moore is neither a natural actor not a convincingmartial arts action hero, but his lazy line deliveries are great,lyrical cascades of four-letter words and "ghetto expressions," and heperforms two of his most famous stand-up raps, "Shine and the GreatTitanic" and "The Signifying Monkey."

Dolemite is not a particularly competent movie--the direction (by costar D'Urville Martin) is clumsy, the performances flat, and microphones peek in from time to time (get thatvideo letterboxed, Xenon!)--but the outrageous mix of nightclub rap,kung-fu action, and Moore's four-letter dialogue turned it into an instanturban hit and has kept it alive as a cult classic. Dolemite returns inThe Human Tornado. The DVD also features clips from the documentaryThe Legend of Dolemite and the complete lyrics to his raps.--Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Simply the funniest movie of all time..........period!!!!
I've seen nearly every Rudy Ray Moore movie made and they're all hilarious, but this one takes the cake! When you see Queen Bee and her emotions when she helps bail out Dolemite, you'll probably shed a tear or two.....or ya could get a bucket of water and dump it over your head like she did. The woman deserved an Academy Award! And Creeper.....simply amazing...for crying out loud he had to have actually been high while making this movie. I recommend this video to everyone, I've shown it to just about everyone I know and they all think it's hilarious. I also recommend Dolemite 2: The Human Tornado...it's even funnier.

Dolemite is a super bad ...in a super good movie!
On the surface Dolemite is a bad movie. Bad acting, bad production values and a bad script. So why does it work so well? Heart. Rudy Ray Moore and Company put up such a great effort that this movie that it overcomes all the obstacles it faces. Rudy Ray Moore's, Jerry Jones and D'urville Martin made this film with a $100,000 budget and did a better job than some filmmakers with $100 million budgets. The one thing I love this bout this film is that everyone does their best in spite of the low budget and poor production values. You want to see Rudy Ray Moore get even with Willie Green and those insecure, no business born, junkyard rat soup eating ... And you howl laughing every time he goes into one of his classic "toasts" or shoots off a one liner.
Sure the movie is awful. But the blaring errors only make it better. The boom mikes in shots, shadows of production crew in frames and horribly choreographed fights are so hilarious they only make the comedy funnier. If you want a great movie buy citizen Kane. If you want a fun movie get Dolemite. It's so bad it'll kick your DVD's ...twice a day.

Don't Buy It For Quality, But for Laughs!
As an avid fan of the Blaxploitation Genre, you find that quite often, people shoot down these classics. The reasons ranging from Bad acting to terrible DVD Quality. However, if you don't try and dissect these films, but just watch them, then you will be greatly entertained. "Dolemite" is no doubt a prime example. I own the Box Set of "Dolemite" films, and it is very much worth watching. I see hanging mics, and various other mistakes in filmmaking (including poor editing of a love scene), but I found myself laughing until I cried. In addition to that, I have borrowed some very memorable lines for conversations at work!!!

CLASSIC!!!!!!
This flick is classic!!!!! It's not only funny as hell, it has some interesting characters!! Like Queen Bee, and Dolemite's Kung Fu girls, the Hamburger Pimp, Blakeley the cop, Joe Blow...the lover man...."you should be paying me!!", Willie Green and Dolemite himself!!! The styles, with the clothes, the talk, and all that. The direction is horrible, so is the acting, but that some of the things that makes it funny!! But I still love it. Look out for all....Look the scene where they show the band playing at The Total Experience. For about a few seconds (good enough to see the singer's face....(I think is is on the piano, can't see what he is actually playing) You will see a very, very young...James Ingram....(for all those R&B kats that know who he is) That is him...Still looks the same, but with a perm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rudy Ray Moore: Blaxploitation God
So there's really not anything that's actually "good" about this movie. The boom mike has a starring role, the acting is completely atrocious, and I can't remember what the story was 5 minutes after watching the film.

Even so, this movie is totally and wonderfully great. It posesses in spades what many hugh blockbuster do not have: soul and inspiration. Rudy Ray Moore is a middle aged, pretty flabby dude. By looking at him, I'm simply not going to buy into him being a kung fu master and Don Juan to all the ladies. But he seems to believe that he is, and this giddy fun manages to translate to the film.

Don't pop in this DVD if you want a well-made, conventional film; "Dolemite" sits firmly in cult territory. For the cult film lover though, it's hard to disparage bad kung fu, kung fu prostitutes, a hero that commits some pretty serious crimes (which the movie wonderfully fails to adress) and strange and bewildering proto-rapping from Moore himself. This movie is endlessly rewatchable. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Def Comedy Jam All Stars, Vol. 2 contains two episodes, onehosted by Martin Lawrence, the other by Chris Rock. It's a study in opposites. Lawrence is all loose joviality. Even commentary on a touchy topic like the Rodney King riots comes across with an easy, relaxed humor. Rock, on the other hand, pushes every joke and observation for maximum abrasiveness. He doesn't just want his audience to have a good time, he wants them to look at themselves, too. He makes cutting observations about black culture that most standup comics would avoid for fear the audience would not like them. Overall, the comedians are a strong lot, particularly Bernie Mac, who works with the house DJ to set up a rhythm to his routine that almost makes it as much performance art as comedy, and Rudy Rush, whose low-key manner draws a lot more laughs than the loud love-me stylings of some of the others. But the highlight is unquestionably an early appearance by Chris Tucker, whose high-pitched voice and volatile energy were in full form even at the age of 20. Many of the comics do a lot of goofy physical humor, but Tucker has a sharp precision that makes his impersonation of Michael Jackson as a pimp blisteringly funny. All in all, a strong and varied hour of comedy. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

It was funny, well 5 years ago
Speaking generally the video was funny but @ the best of times comdey is timely and despite the copyright showing a 1999 date the actual content is from 1996!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This annoyed me!!!!!! Apart from that it is kinda funny there are a few big names like....

Chris Tucker - he was very funny Chris Rock - who surprisingly was unable to connect with the audience (possibly because they had heard his jokes before) Bernie Mac - who is always on point and Martin Lawrence - he was okay

Apart from those names the video showcases acts that were unknown to me (but hey what would I know coming from London UK). They were pretty decent but two in particular were dismal.

The video is made up of two half hour shows, the first hosted by Martin Lawrence the second hosted by Chris Rock. With approx 4 acts per show so it is a bit of a whirlwind experience, blink and it could possibly be over (okay I'm exaggerating)

Overall a funny video but I'm sure it was funnier back in 1996 as reference is made to the LA Riots; OJ Simpson's Trial and that new film, you know the one just released at the movie theatre....Dead Presidents. LOL

I'd rather buy Chris Rock's Classic "Roll With The New" ~ Thanks for Reading ~

Who is it Tucker or Rock- I have not seen the tape
I have a question, Why does the title say ChrisRock ANd Bernie and your advertising this as chris tucker? Is Chris Tucker on this tape or not.. I would like to order the tape but I don't like chris Rock please let me know what is accurate or not

This CHIT is DA Bomb
Dis be the Bomb. Had me clowning for weeks. Well worth the Ends my brothers. Nothing like drinking a 40oz. and wathching Def Jam with my brothers on a work night. Peace Out

Too Funny for Words
I love Chris Tucker, therefore he had a lot to do with me watching this video. However, I soon found out that the whole video was worth watching. I highly recommended it to anyone who's in need of a good laugh. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Martin Lawrence hosts Def Comedy Jam All Stars, Vol. 1 with his usual loose-limbed aplomb. Lawrence doesn't so much tell jokes as create an atmosphere of enjoyment. He makes fun of the audience, runs around the stage, twists his elastic face into a variety of shapes; it's not so much funny as just fun. The other comedians on this compilation of standup routines are a mixed bag of newcomers and old hands, ranging from J. Anthony Brown, who does a precise imitation of someone moistening his Jheri-curls, to Adele Givens, who describes getting an orgasm during her pap smear. Sex is a primary topic; most everyone relies on sex talk to get a strong audience response. Even D.L. Hughley, the strongest performer of the bunch aside from Lawrence, touches on it--but he's smart enough to make it just one element among many. Hughley manages to talk about topics like Magic Johnson's announcement that he has AIDS and Desert Storm without seeming pointedly political. He makes some clear-eyed observations without losing a moment of humor. But one of the most engaging aspects of Def Comedy Jam is the audience itself. Unlike white audiences, who laugh but generally maintain a calm demeanor, African American audiences jump out of their seats when they're having a good time. It's infectious and gives the show some added juice. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wade To The Good Stuff
There are some funny comedians on Def Comedy Jam. The problem is, you have to sit through the less than talented ones who rely soley on profanity and raunch to rile up the boisterous crowd.

Martin was the Man
In the comedic styles of Martin Lawrence I laughed at his introduction to the all stars. The man takes the show no matter who comes on before or after him 2 thumbs up for Martin (You So Crazy) ... Read more

Reviews (15)

It's a great film
I love the Dolemite movies, which is quite possibly the greatest duo of films ever made. I'll never in my life forget the kung-fu action scenes and a naked Rudy Ray Moore rolling down a grassy hill in "The Human Tornado." These movies should be viewed every man, woman and child to walk the earth...they are truly an experience like no other.

The Kung-Fu is worth the purchase price alone!!!
Don't believe the fools who doubt Rudy Ray Moore!!! How can people look at the Dolemite movies seriously? The opening credits are printed on his GIANT JAMES-BROWN-STYLE CAPE!! You'll never enjoy the sensory overload and outright absurdity of these movies if you try to THINK about them. Just have a six-pack and a few smart-mouthed friends around when you watch it.

Nothing beats Dolemite's , jokin', hustlin' kung-fu ways. NOTHING!!! Step off, Batman!!!

I quote the man himself when I say: "Man, move over and let me pass, 'fore they has to be pullin' these Hush-Puppies out your ...!!"

My brother MADE me watch this, and I'm a changed man.

Dolemite's back!
Ok, last time we caught up with the godfather of rap he beat willie green and crooked politicans in a brilliant film. This time I'm affraid, Rudy Ray Moore fumbles. The Human Tornando succumbs to the sequel disease of being worse than the first one. It's not horrible it's a very good movie, but it tries to be to formulatic , it wants to be as good as the first one and use sub-plots resembly the first one.

The plot line, Dolemite leaves California behind and is somewhere in the south when he is caught with the sherrif's wife and jumps off a hill naked. The sherrif is pursuing him across the nation as dolemite puts his nightclub act on the go. He makes it back to Cali. and finds Queen Bee in some hot water with nightclub competiors, and Dolemite comes to the rescue. The movie's not horrible, but not as good as the 1st. It sometimes is choppy, hard to follow, and complete nonsense ( even more than in the original) Dolemite saves the day of course but a weird ending leaves you wanting a bit more well enough to leave on a high point. Remember the first had witty comebacks, and two rap songs performed you'll be lucky to catch him even run into rhyme this time. All in all this was good, close but no cigar.

Big time disapointed
I just loved the 1st one but the sequel was just too slow, not very funny and had lost it's charm. It just has a few memorable scenes.

A Dolemite Fan
Although the characters in this movie and other Dolemite movies
are a little rusty with their acting, I can't help but watch
these movies over and over again. The movie hits with the
rest of the top-rated movies of that era. ... Read more

Description

The greatest names in comedy rocked the house for nine season on HBO - now this amazing collection will rock yours again and again. Too explosive for regular TV, Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam features today's hottest comedians at their wildest and funniest. Whether you're laughing for the first time or catching your raucous favorites, Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam is the ultimate comedy experience - so outrageous that you'll definitely be back for more! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Decent (not great) presentation of drive-in classic
Of course, if you're reading this, you probably already know that "Shaft" is an above-average blaxploitation flick with Richard Roundree as a private detective hired to track down a Harlem gang boss' missing daughter. With dialogue like "You got problems, Shaft?" "Yeah, two of 'em. I was born black and I was born poor." you really can't lose.

So on with the DVD. The film itself is nicely letterboxed (I think for the first time), and while it's not made from the greatest print (there are a couple scratches), it's a perfectly acceptable presentation.

Extras include trailers for all three Shaft flicks . This is great--I wish Warner had done the same with their "Dirty Harry" DVD. (They did with the VHS version.) There's also a 1971-produced short "Making of" film and the option to view the movie in French (a surreal experience, to be sure.)

The cast and crew bios, however, are pretty meager, offering only a relatively complete portrait of Richard Roundtree. Where's Moses Gunn? Or Gordon Parks? The "Awards" option is pretty worthless as well, showing that the movie won the Oscar for "Best Original Song."

Oh, yes, and there's no commentary track with Director Parks as is described on the Amazon site. Forgivably, it's not mentioned on the DVD box, so this is probably just something that didn't pan out at the last minute.

It's still lots of fun, but not what it could have been.

A Winner!
This is the genuine original "Shaft" from 1971, with Richard Roundtree, that scored so well with inner-city (read: African-American) audiences that it spawned two sequels and created a new mini-genre, the grudgingly titled "Blaxploitation" films. As a kid living in a rural white area at the time, I missed this important and popular movie until I saw it last week in my VCR. And you know what? It's good.

Shaft is a private investigator who is hired by a local crime boss to find his beautiful, vulnerable daughter, who has been kidnapped by a rival ring from New Jersey. This is no small potatoes: a major drug war could break out between Jersey and Harlem if the problem isn't resolved soon. By the way, someone goes crashing through Shaft's very high office window in his presence, so Shaft has to bargain and barter with his only sympathetic contact in the NYPD to keep from being arrested on a murder charge. Shaft has to work on his own, under cover, without most of the advantages the police enjoy.

The performances in this film are wonderful. It shows how shamefully Hollywood has ignored black talent that actors the caliber of Moses Gunn didn't get steady work, and the situation is only marginally better today. The talent brings conviction to a gangster plot line that is really just an update of 1930s material, minimizing its formulaic quality and keeping it fresh. There are also sharp points made about the realities of urban black life. Example: A taxicab pauses, then zooms by well-dressed Shaft, only to stop 50 feet up the street to pick up a similarly dressed white guy. It's stuff like this that raises "Shaft" well above the movie-of-the-week level that infects so many routine and direct-to-video films.

I think that time may have actually improved "Shaft." The violence is just violence. Shooting a gun is just that, not an invitation to buckets of blood. A car crash is a car crash, not a fireball. One thing the writers or producers seem a little conflicted about is the level of swearing: a character will say "[bad]" in one sentence, use the s-word in the next, then revert to "[bad]" Ditto those well-worn terms about fornication. Well, 1971 was a confusing time.

For a generation raised on Joe Fridays, Shaft is quite an interesting character, a handsome leather-clad James Bond without all the high-tech gadgetry. He has a nice apartment and a loving wife, but he also keeps a sleek, tasteful bachelor pad that Hugh Hefner might envy. He must be quite the successful P.I.! I suppose this bit of fantasy was meant to serve as relief to the gritty urban drama played out on the streets. At any rate, I didn't mind it. If you're sitting on the fence about this movie, buy the tape; it's quite cheap.

The original
Gordon Parks created a sensation in Shaft with an ultracool performance by Richard Roundtree who went onto to do several films in this series. However none holds up as well as does the first film, which plays just as well today as it did in the 70's. Shaft was the quintessential rogue cop, taking orders from no one and tracking down the crooks no matter where they hid in the city. But what really makes this movie work is the feel Parks has for New York, capturing the quality of the inner city like few others have been able to do. One is carried along on the hip soundtrack by Isaac Hayes, taking in the mean streets of Harlem as Shaft fights both the corrupt police force and the underworld. Always one to do it his own way.

The mob wanted Harlem back. They got shaft...up to here.
That title is the films original tagline...and they got the shaft allright!

Shaft is a great 70's urban classic. The film is beautifully photographed and staged. The atmospheric camera work captures the streets of New York, always keeping the look of the film harsh and cold. The color scheme is typical 70's muted with acidic contrasts, but at the same time uses a number of blue tinges, especially in the outdoors, to suggest the cold environment the people are facing.

The DVD is presented in the film's original 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio as well as an open matte (fullscreen) transfer that adds some picture information at the top and the bottom of the screen. The transfers look pretty darned good for a 1971 flick. Audio is presented in the film's original monaural track and is fairly weak, though acceptable.

The DVD features includes a bonus documentary "Filming Shaft on Location", three trailers and cast biographies.

You gotta love Shaft & Richard Rountree. A great flick and a great DVD.

THE BEST OF THE BLAXPLOITATION FILMS
PERHAPS THE BEST BLAXPLOITATION FILM OF THEM ALL. JOHN SHAFT [RICHARD ROUNDTREE] IS HIRED TO INVESTIGATE THE KIDNAPPING OF A GANG LORD'S DAUGHTER. VERY INTERESTING MOVIE WIH LOTS OF GREAT MUSIC. THE FILM ALSO HAS A SHARP SENSE OF HUMOR. FOR A FUN TIME, CHECK OUT THIS CLASSIC 1971 ACTIONER. ISSAC HAYES WON AN OSCAR FOR THE SHAFT THEME SONG. FOLLOWED BY TWO SEQUELS, A TV SERIES, AND WAS REMADE [SORT OF] IN 2000. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Total cheese!!!
Who wrote this script? What a terrible way to end the Shaft dynasty.

In one of the scenes Ninjas are on on top of huge boulders shooting arrows at Shaft. Shaft manages to catch one of the arrows and throws it back at the Ninja, fatally killing him. Can you believe that? The Batman television series has better actions scenes. I've seen better acting in Fast Actin' Tinactin!

Do yourself a favor and buy a Dirty Harry movie in lieu of Diamond Shaft.

Diamond Shaft
Save your money unless this is the last movie in the set for your collection.

Good heist film with an unexpected twist.
No, this isn't a Shaft movie. The name was changed. It is a great bit of 70's cinema shot in the middle east with low quality production. Beyond that the story is average, but it's the twist in the end that gives it two extra stars.

This is a terrible storyline
Richard Roundtree's character isn't even named Shaft.He is actaully named Archie.This is a story about a jewel-thief released from prison / trying to do the right thing. A person would think by the title 'Shaft' that it would be as good as the trilogy;this isn't the case. Put your blaxploitation spending cash back in your wallet and walk away. This is garbage and chances are your vcr will break in the process. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT THIS ONE
AFTER SEEING HOW ENTERTAINING THE ORIGINAL ''SHAFT'' WAS, I WAS DISSAPOINTED BY THIS SEQUEL. THIS TIME, SHAFT INVESTIGATES THE MURDER OF AN OLD FRIEND. SOMETHING THAT MADE THE FIRST FILM SO ENJOYABLE IS SIMPLY JUST MISSING FROM THIS ONE. THIS FILM IS MEDIOCRE AT TIMES, BUT THANKS TO RICHARD ROUNDTREE'S LIKABLE PERFORMANCE, AND THANKS TO THE EXPLOSIVE FINAL HALF HOUR, THIS FILM IS WATCHABLE. ONCE AGAIN, THE THEME SONG IS A HIGHLIGHT. FOLLOWED BY SHAFT IN AFRICA.

Nu Yawk's Koolest
Back in prehistoric times, John Shaft was the role model if you was a nice guy, Priest from Superfly was the man if you was dreaming of livin' the life. Shaft's Big Score the followup to the Cool Black crimefighter series, is a slickened up version of the much more grittier original. Still, the bad ... gets off. The climatic chase has been "rescene" in dozens of later films from Hollywood and around the world and Mr. Parks still doesn't get the proper props for bringing to the screen a cultural icon that despite time and Singleton's "nephew" is still the Man. The late Reverend O.C. Smith is too countrified for singing a Big City theme but the powers the be didn't want to pay Isaac"Black Moses-Voice of ... Reason Chef from South Park" Hayes asking price. But there is a tease of what it might of been in the club scene where somebodys' girlfriend swirls to the early '70s funk. Never mind the usher pass the joint and hand me the gin Shaft Big Score is smokin' Jim.

Shaft Is Back !! With Good Action Scenes and Sexy Smile
Because of the success of the original "Shaft," MGM upgraded the series, giving more action scenes and less nudity; so this time Shaft in the opening credits drives a car in the midnight New York while in the previous film he was walking down the street.

The basic of the story is not particuarly original. It is about the missing money from the safe of Shaft's friend and insurance broker. As Shaft starts his investigation, a crime syndicate is looking for the money while it tries to kill him, but of course, it's a very, very wrong idea. Our Shaft, keeping the police and Bumpy (Moses Gunn re-appearing from the original) at bay, gets what he wants, as always!

Gordon Parks (who had a long remarkable career as photographer, and himself appearing as a croupier here) demonstrates he is also good at presenting impressive action scenes, especially the chase scenes at the end of the film. However, by the today's standard, they might look too long and stretched. Actually, the stunts themselves are impressive, but if the editing had been tighter, they would be much better.

Richard Roundtree looks as sexy as ever, and entertains us with his suave way of talking to girls. Other characters are drawn better than original "Shaft." Charismatic Julius W Harris is cast effectively as a detective, and the idea of clarinet-playing gangster is interesting. And Drew Bundini Brown's Willy is a standout. The movie is a satisfactory, if not perfect, action thriller.

Effective Sequel
When a friend of Shaft is killed in an explosion, the super-slick private dick tries to track down the killer. During Shaft's investigation, he once again crosses paths with Bumpy Jones, the Harlem mob boss from the first film, as well as another ganster, Gus Mascola. Again Shaft begins to play all sides against each other, in order for him to get what he wants, revenge, and a big chunk of change! This film was rushed into production to cap on the success of the first film, and the hurried production shows in the film. The plot is kinda weak, and the classic dialogue from the superior predecessor is sorely missed. However, the awesome chase scenes at the end of the film, as well as the increases in both sex and the body count make this an over all fun ride. Followed by Shaft in Africa.

Shaft 2 is 2
Shaft's Big Score was the second entry of the series. The main let down was the music that was provided with O.C. Smith's vocals. It had some gems of dialogue like the elderly lady scene at the elevator. Being a vehicle showcasing black actors, it was a conversation piece for the African American while playing card or during breaks at work or school. It was a thrill to watch then and still is fun now. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Gordon Parks (The Learning Tree) directed this 1971 detective story about John Shaft (Richard Roundtree), an African American private eye who has a rocky relationship with cops, an even rockier one with Harlem gangsters, and a healthy sex life. The script finds Shaft tracking down the kidnapped daughter of a black mobster, but the pleasure of the film is the sum of its attitude, Roundtree's uncompromising performance, and the thrilling, Oscar-winning score by Isaac Hayes. Parks seems fond of certain detective genre clichés (e.g., the hero walking into his low-rent office and finding a hood waiting to talk with him), but he and Roundtree make those moments their own. Shaft had a couple of sequels and a follow-up television series, but none had the impact this movie did. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Decent (not great) presentation of drive-in classic
Of course, if you're reading this, you probably already know that "Shaft" is an above-average blaxploitation flick with Richard Roundree as a private detective hired to track down a Harlem gang boss' missing daughter. With dialogue like "You got problems, Shaft?" "Yeah, two of 'em. I was born black and I was born poor." you really can't lose.

So on with the DVD. The film itself is nicely letterboxed (I think for the first time), and while it's not made from the greatest print (there are a couple scratches), it's a perfectly acceptable presentation.

Extras include trailers for all three Shaft flicks . This is great--I wish Warner had done the same with their "Dirty Harry" DVD. (They did with the VHS version.) There's also a 1971-produced short "Making of" film and the option to view the movie in French (a surreal experience, to be sure.)

The cast and crew bios, however, are pretty meager, offering only a relatively complete portrait of Richard Roundtree. Where's Moses Gunn? Or Gordon Parks? The "Awards" option is pretty worthless as well, showing that the movie won the Oscar for "Best Original Song."

Oh, yes, and there's no commentary track with Director Parks as is described on the Amazon site. Forgivably, it's not mentioned on the DVD box, so this is probably just something that didn't pan out at the last minute.

It's still lots of fun, but not what it could have been.

A Winner!
This is the genuine original "Shaft" from 1971, with Richard Roundtree, that scored so well with inner-city (read: African-American) audiences that it spawned two sequels and created a new mini-genre, the grudgingly titled "Blaxploitation" films. As a kid living in a rural white area at the time, I missed this important and popular movie until I saw it last week in my VCR. And you know what? It's good.

Shaft is a private investigator who is hired by a local crime boss to find his beautiful, vulnerable daughter, who has been kidnapped by a rival ring from New Jersey. This is no small potatoes: a major drug war could break out between Jersey and Harlem if the problem isn't resolved soon. By the way, someone goes crashing through Shaft's very high office window in his presence, so Shaft has to bargain and barter with his only sympathetic contact in the NYPD to keep from being arrested on a murder charge. Shaft has to work on his own, under cover, without most of the advantages the police enjoy.

The performances in this film are wonderful. It shows how shamefully Hollywood has ignored black talent that actors the caliber of Moses Gunn didn't get steady work, and the situation is only marginally better today. The talent brings conviction to a gangster plot line that is really just an update of 1930s material, minimizing its formulaic quality and keeping it fresh. There are also sharp points made about the realities of urban black life. Example: A taxicab pauses, then zooms by well-dressed Shaft, only to stop 50 feet up the street to pick up a similarly dressed white guy. It's stuff like this that raises "Shaft" well above the movie-of-the-week level that infects so many routine and direct-to-video films.

I think that time may have actually improved "Shaft." The violence is just violence. Shooting a gun is just that, not an invitation to buckets of blood. A car crash is a car crash, not a fireball. One thing the writers or producers seem a little conflicted about is the level of swearing: a character will say "[bad]" in one sentence, use the s-word in the next, then revert to "[bad]" Ditto those well-worn terms about fornication. Well, 1971 was a confusing time.

For a generation raised on Joe Fridays, Shaft is quite an interesting character, a handsome leather-clad James Bond without all the high-tech gadgetry. He has a nice apartment and a loving wife, but he also keeps a sleek, tasteful bachelor pad that Hugh Hefner might envy. He must be quite the successful P.I.! I suppose this bit of fantasy was meant to serve as relief to the gritty urban drama played out on the streets. At any rate, I didn't mind it. If you're sitting on the fence about this movie, buy the tape; it's quite cheap.

The original
Gordon Parks created a sensation in Shaft with an ultracool performance by Richard Roundtree who went onto to do several films in this series. However none holds up as well as does the first film, which plays just as well today as it did in the 70's. Shaft was the quintessential rogue cop, taking orders from no one and tracking down the crooks no matter where they hid in the city. But what really makes this movie work is the feel Parks has for New York, capturing the quality of the inner city like few others have been able to do. One is carried along on the hip soundtrack by Isaac Hayes, taking in the mean streets of Harlem as Shaft fights both the corrupt police force and the underworld. Always one to do it his own way.

The mob wanted Harlem back. They got shaft...up to here.
That title is the films original tagline...and they got the shaft allright!

Shaft is a great 70's urban classic. The film is beautifully photographed and staged. The atmospheric camera work captures the streets of New York, always keeping the look of the film harsh and cold. The color scheme is typical 70's muted with acidic contrasts, but at the same time uses a number of blue tinges, especially in the outdoors, to suggest the cold environment the people are facing.

The DVD is presented in the film's original 1.85:1 theatrical aspect ratio as well as an open matte (fullscreen) transfer that adds some picture information at the top and the bottom of the screen. The transfers look pretty darned good for a 1971 flick. Audio is presented in the film's original monaural track and is fairly weak, though acceptable.

The DVD features includes a bonus documentary "Filming Shaft on Location", three trailers and cast biographies.

You gotta love Shaft & Richard Rountree. A great flick and a great DVD.

THE BEST OF THE BLAXPLOITATION FILMS
PERHAPS THE BEST BLAXPLOITATION FILM OF THEM ALL. JOHN SHAFT [RICHARD ROUNDTREE] IS HIRED TO INVESTIGATE THE KIDNAPPING OF A GANG LORD'S DAUGHTER. VERY INTERESTING MOVIE WIH LOTS OF GREAT MUSIC. THE FILM ALSO HAS A SHARP SENSE OF HUMOR. FOR A FUN TIME, CHECK OUT THIS CLASSIC 1971 ACTIONER. ISSAC HAYES WON AN OSCAR FOR THE SHAFT THEME SONG. FOLLOWED BY TWO SEQUELS, A TV SERIES, AND WAS REMADE [SORT OF] IN 2000. ... Read more