INTRODUCTION:
This paper discusses the movie “Shaft” which was made in 1970.The detective film which was based on mystery and adventure and which gave a breath of fresh air to the detective films .The paper will discuss the following questions and their related answers will be provided:

1) Shaft is often referred to as a revisionist detective film, what does this mean?
2) In what ways does Shaft alter the conventions of the detective film?
3) In what ways does it mean true to genre?

A REVISIONIST DETECTIVE FILM:
Shaft as referred to a revisionist detective film means that before the making of this movie. The market of detective films was not flourishing the audiences of that time preferred to watch the romantic tales and stories. The detective films were not much appreciated at that time by the audiences. But, after the introduction of the movie Shaft in the year 1970, gave a new taste to the audiences After a period of many years the movie Shaft brought life to the area of detective movies.

Then started a trend of making detective films based on mystery and adventure. Gradually, after the introduction of this movie detective film came on the cinemas and directors were encouraged to make detective films. The movie Shaft strikes the audiences with its powerful story and an excellent screenplay, of course under marvelous direction. Many factors combined and then the result was such a great classic detective movie. To mention here are the works of the actors which were casted. The main lead was played by Richard Round tree, his personality, his way of talking and his dressing style best suited the role of John Shaft. This entire classic movie turned the vision of both the audiences and the moviemakers. Derived their attention towards the neglected area of movie making that is mystery and detective films .This is the reason that the movie Shaft is referred to as a revisionist detective film.
 

THE CONVENTIONS OF THE DETECTIVE FILM:
The movie Shaft was a fresh and daring step in the field of movie making as it formulated a new idea for the movie makers .The characteristics of the movie Shaft are mentioned below which have enable to alter the conventions of the detective film and these characteristics are:

-The look and sound of the film
- Vitality of New York in winter has been shown
- The song

THE LOOK AND SOUND OF THE FILM:
The best part of the film was the look which had been given to the movie and another distinguishing quality of Shaft was its sound system. Other detective films were not as strong as this movie was.

VITALITY OF NEWYORK:
The film had beautifully pictured the valleys and areas of New York in winter, the busy streets of New York were well pictured.

THE SONG:
The most important quality of this detective film was the soundtrack. “The opening theme over the credits, percussive and bluesy with a stuttering electric guitar, depicts the intensity of the film and the character of John Shaft”.
These are the basic qualities or characteristics of the film which has made it different from other movies as well as these qualities have altered the conventions of the detective films.

A FILM TRUE TO GENRE:
In order to answer this question a background is provided in this paer which shows that in the period of 1970 what the genre was, the paper will briefly state the art and practices which were followed in the 1970. The practices or style of art or literature which was followed in 1970’s was known as blaxploitation which suggest that a degree of cynicism was involved and the films were made in low rates and were financed by white producers.

Some of the other ways in which the movie Shaft proves to be true to genre, is the characterization of the hero John Shaft, who was a cool cop an African American private eye who was rockier with gangsters and had a sexy health life. These characteristics of the hero confirms with the courageous and bold image of the hero as was characterized in 1970’s.
Hence, one can conclude that the movie Shaft was true to genre, it confirmed with the norms and practices of that times .The practices of 1970’s were present in the movie.