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Shaft in Africa

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Shaft in Africa
Original theatrical release poster by John Solie
Directed byJohn Guillermin
Written byStirling Silliphant
StarringRichard Roundtree
Frank Finlay
Neda Arnerić
Vonetta McGee
Frank McRae
Edited byMax Benedict
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • June 14, 1973 (1973-06-14)
Running time
112 min.
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1,395,000 (US/ Canada rentals)[1]

Shaft in Africa, is a 1973 film directed by John Guillermin and is the third film in the blaxploitation trilogy of films starring Richard Roundtree as John Shaft. Stirling Silliphant wrote the screenplay.[2] The cost went up to $2,142,000, but the gross fell to $1,458,000. MGM quickly sold the property to television, but the television series was cancelled after just seven episodes.

Plot

At home in his New York City apartment, John Shaft is drugged with a tranquilizer dart, then kidnapped and persuaded by threats of physical force, the promise of money, and the lure of a pretty tutor to travel to Africa (much of the movie was filmed in Ethiopia), assuming the identity of a native-speaking itinerant worker. His job is to help break a criminal ring that is smuggling immigrants into Europe then exploiting them. But the villains have heard that he is on his way.

Shaft must pass a test before being hired for the job; the test involves him surviving in a small, overheated room without water, and a floor covered in deep sand, mimicking the supposed conditions of Africa. Shaft ingeniously covers himself with the sand, thereby avoiding heatstroke and winning the contract from his employer. Shaft must then embark upon a mission to infiltrate and destroy a human trafficking and slavery ring in West Africa and France.

Cast

Soundtrack

See also

Reception

Critics gave the film lukewarm reviews.[3][4]

References

  1. ^ "Big Rental Films of 1973", Variety, January 9, 1974, p. 60.
  2. ^ "70s rewind: john guillermin's shaft in africa". Twitch Film. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
  3. ^ Greenspun, Roger (1973-06-21). "Screen: And Now It's 'Shaft in Africa':Roundtree on Track of a Labor Smuggler". The New York Times. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
  4. ^ "Shaft in Africa". DVD Talk. Retrieved 2011-06-12.
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