Search - Shaft [Widescreen] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Profanity Movie Release: 2000 DVD Release: 12/12/2000 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English, French Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 39 mins Studio: Paramount Total Copies: 59 Genres: Action, Crime, Action Thriller, Crime Thriller, Police Detective Film See Also: Shaft [Circuit City Exclusive] [Checkpoint], Shaft

This action drama puts a new spin on Shaft, one of the key "blaxploitation" films of the 1970s. John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson), the namesake nephew of the legendary private eye (Richard Roundtree), is a street-smart police detective who with his partner Carmen Velez (Vanessa L. Williams) has been assigned to a racially motivated murder case, in which a black college student was killed in front of a restaurant by Walter Williams Jr. (Christian Bale), the sociopathic son of a New York construction tycoon, who then fled the country rather than face prosecution. Diane Palmieri (Toni Collette), a waitress on a smoke break, saw the murder, but she doesn't want to talk to the police. Two years later, Walter is forced to return to New York, but without Diane's testimony, the city doesn't have much of a case. Soon, Shaft, Walter Junior, and Walter Senior's goons are all looking for Diane, with Junior enlisting the help of Peoples Hernandez (Jeffrey Wright), a small-time drug dealer who will do anything to move into the big leagues. Shaft and Carmen find Diane, but discover that she had a good reason for being on the lam for the past two years. Amidst all this activity, John gets frequent advice from his uncle, with whom he ponders the idea of quitting the force and opening a detective agency. Shaft was directed by John Singleton, from a screenplay by Singleton, Richard Price, and Shane Salerno. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Samuel L. Jackson - John Shaft
Vanessa Williams - Carmen Vasquez
Jeffrey Wright - Peoples Hernandez
Christian Bale - Walter Wade Jr.
Busta Rhymes - Rasaan
Dan Hedaya - Jack Roselli

John Singleton's remake of Shaft comes to DVD with a widescreen anamorphic transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. An English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a French soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Surround. English subtitles are accessible. Supplemental materials include cast and crew interviews, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a theatrical trailer, and music videos from Isaac Hayes and R. Kelly. This is a great-looking, great-sounding release from Paramount. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide