Shaft, 12/15/12, Best Original Song, 1971
I've heard the theme song ‘The Theme from Shaft’ by Isaac Hayes, which won the Oscar for Best Original Song, many times, but have never seen the movie. Shaft is John Shaft (played by Richard Roundtree), a private detective in New York City who gets involved with some gangsters and later the Mafia. At the time the movie was released, the early 1970s, it was known as part of the ‘Blaxploitation’ genre of films; watching it forty years later, it just seemed like a gritty private eye movie. There are gun fights, fist fights, language and even a little sex. There are many instances when the race of John Shaft and the police lieutenant he spars with are raised; this was the early 70s after all, and it would be naive to ignore them. The theme song was competing with a song from Bedknobs and Broomsticks (one of my favorites) and Bless the Beasts and the Children; I think because Shaft opens the movie it really sets the scene for the action and drama, and the personality of John Shaft. Also, looking back, most people will know the song if you start singing it or doing the wah-wah effect of the guitar; I don’t think many people know of the songs from the other nominees. If you like PI movies, you will like this; I've been trying to watch Chinatown, borrowed from the library, but the disk is defective, but that’s another on the list.
Oh, You're a Vegetable
Oh, You're a Vegetable
