MovieChat Forums > Shaft (1971) Discussion > Great Ending

Great Ending

posted 17 years ago by sherlock-37
4 replies | jump to latest

This movie has a brilliant way of wrapping up, the way the theme tune, which is only heard at the beginning and end, comes in - first, as the police siren winding down and the first cop comes, as Shaft leaves the building and enters the telephone booth, the the high hat and characteristic / wah wah pedalled rhythm guitar sneaks in. The groove is established, you've heard it before, the cellos and the bass. The lighting seems natural, only from the street lights and car headlights, just enough to illuminate the hero smart talking to the police. And the laugh at the end, it's pure Shaft. Very swiftly done.

I don't hear any James Bond theme in it at all. They both use brass sections, and flutes, but that's about all. The rhythms are different, the harmony different. The melody takes it's time to unfold. The Bond tune swings, while Shaft is more sixteenths and straight eighths. The Bond tune uses the famous minor triad with a major seventh. No where is that here in the score. The flutes in Shaft use the fall - off which is another touch that makes this a special score.

There is a mistake in the backup female chorus. I really think it's a wrong choice in the score, because one of the backups go with where you'd think it goes. The second time around they get it right. I guess they didn't have enough time or money to rehearse enough or fix it. The singers are great anyways.

Doug
Toronto

[–] grybop 10 years ago

Would you like to elaborate on your point in the last paragraph? What exactly is the mistake you're talking about?

[–] sherlock-37 10 years ago

I had a chance to listen to the DVD again. In my copy, it happens at 27:17 . This is the scene where Shaft starts his investigation after taking on Bumpys case. It's a slow Soul song. The error is just after the words "... unless you take the walk with me.." The chord progression is G minor seven to C minor seven. The background vocals mistake the first C minor seven as a C seven and twist it major, for a moment - you can hear they realize the error and bend it minor by the end of the note. They get it right on each subsequent repetition.

When I first heard this part, I myself expected a usual II to V like a Bert Bacharach tune of the era, the V chord being a dominant seven chord - but they didn't do it that way. The mood is sad and reflective, so no II to V. They're both minor chords all the way. I bet that tune was added on at the end and they just ran out of time for another take.

My accountant says, "1 + 1, 40% of the time, equals divorce".

[–] grybop 10 years ago

OK, my knowledge in music theory is limited, but I listened to that bit again and something sounds a bit off indeed, I guess it's what you so thoroughly explained - thanks for that.

[–] ThePlayerhater 10 years ago

You better close it yourself, 5hitty!