It's a new millennium, and we're a long way from 1971-or are we? This summer, Paramount Studios managed to resurrect yet another relic of the era of skyrocketing gas prices and a scandal-plagued presidency. Shaft, like Santana, is still trying to be the man in 2000. But the question, has he gotten better with age? Recess sees how the two Shafts stack up.
"...a sex machine to all the chicks..."
Shaft2K approaches sex like a chore. He talks about it, but never actually gets around to any on-screen action other than the disappointingly suggestive opening scene. To quote the man himself: "It's my duty to please that booty."
The original Shaft loves to get it on. He handles more ass than a butcher cutting rump steak.
THE
Old Shaft. He'd never spend 2 hours onscreen with Vanessa Williams without making a move.
"Who's the man who'll risk his neck for his brother-man?"
The original Shaft was a revolution in Hollywood's portrayal of minorities. He was a black superhero who took care of business on his own terms. The film also earned the first African-American artist-Isaac Hayes-an Oscar.
New Shaft spends even more time bent out of shape about racism, and righfully so-every cracker in the flick is a bigot. Of course, nobody bothered to apply this sensitivity standard for Hispanics, who are mocked relentlessly through the overdone character of Peoples.
THE NOD:
Peoples. If anyone in these movies
"They say that cat shaft's one bad mutha..."
New Shaft is a bona-fide ass-kicker. He beats the crap out of nearly everybody in the movie. For instance, a mom doesn't want her kid dealing drugs, so Shaft obligingly beats the piss out of the local drug dealer. Seems that in New York, even former cops can brutalize random strangers!
Old Shaft can hold his own, no doubt.
THE NOD:
New Shaft, obviously. If there's one thing he knows besides clothes, it's how to beat somebody within an inch of their life-or kill them, for that matter.
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