John Shaft is a fictional character created by schoolteacher/screenwriter Ernest Tidyman as a sort of African American version of Ian Fleming's James Bond. He was portrayed by Richard Roundtree in the original 1971 film and its two sequels, with Samuel L. Jackson portraying his nephew (also named John Shaft) in the 2000 version of the film. The blurb on the paperback on which the original film is based states Shaft is "Hotter than Bond, cooler than Bullitt."
Read more about John Shaft: Books, Films Based On The Character, Television Series, Future, Parodies in Other Films, John Shaft in Other Media, Shaft-isms, Reception, Literary References
Famous quotes containing the words john and/or shaft:
“The very fact that there are experts may be intimidating; we hate to think that there must be one best way to handle any situation as parents and that we don’t know what it is. So as we get more and more advice we seem less and less sure of what we ought to do for our children.”
—C. John Sommerville (20th century)
“Lord, crack their teeth! Lord, crush these lions’ jaws!
So let them sink as water in the sand;
When deadly bow their aiming fury draws,
Shiver the shaft ere past the shooter’s hand.
So make them melt as the dishoused snail”
—Bible: Hebrew Psalm LVIII (Paraphrased by the Countess of Pembroke)