Shaft

Directed by Gordon Parks
(USA, 1971, 35mm)
Presented to complement the exhibition Gordon Parks: Stokely Carmichael and Black Power

Introduced by ethnomusicologist Flash Gordon Parks, who participates in a post-film discussion about the Shaft soundtrack with Peter Lucas, guest programmer of the MFAH “Jazz on Film” series

The second feature film from director/photographer Gordon Parks, Shaft helped to launch the blaxploitation genre. Private eye John Shaft (Richard Roundtree) finds himself in the midst of a turf war between rival gangs when he is hired to rescue the kidnapped daughter of a Harlem mob boss (Moses Gunn).

“A gritty 1970s time capsule that has inspired sequels and reboots galore, studded with indelible elements from Roundtree’s sleek leather fashions to the iconic funk and soul score by Isaac Hayes.” —Criterion Collection

Visiting Guidelines Masks are recommended in Museum auditoriums. Advance tickets are also recommended. In the interest of your personal safety and community health, please observe all precautions set forth by the MFAH—learn more here. Doors open 30 minutes before the screening starts. No late entry.

Accessibility The MFAH strives to provide a welcoming and accessible experience for all guests by offering a range of accommodations—learn more here.