Editing Shaft (1971 film) (section)

==Soundtrack==<!-- do not rename section without also updating forward reference in introduction -->
{{main|Shaft (Isaac Hayes album)}}
One of the greatest factors contributing to ''Shaft'''s wild success and lasting appeal is its memorable [[Film score|musical score]], "a revolutionary [[funk]]/soul masterpiece".<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/isaac-hayes-shaft-isaac-hayes-by-trevor-maclaren.php|title=Isaac Hayes: Shaft|last=Maclaren|first=Trevor|date=July 3, 2006|access-date=May 25, 2016|archive-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623010336/https://www.allaboutjazz.com/isaac-hayes-shaft-isaac-hayes-by-trevor-maclaren.php|url-status=live}}</ref> Hayes auditioned for the role of [[John Shaft|Shaft]] but was asked to compose the musical score instead.<ref name=":3" /> "Vulgar, shallow, and crudely done, ''Shaft'' distinguished itself mainly by having the best musical score of the year. Isaac Hayes's sensual, moody [[background music]] added to the texture of the film…"<ref>{{Cite book|title=Toms, coons, mulattoes, mammies, and bucks : an interpretive history of Blacks in American films|last=Bogle|first=Donald|publisher=Viking Press|year=1973|location=New York}}</ref>

Hayes' soundtrack was recognized for its unique and catchy sound. "Instead of laying out a series of lengthy, chilled-out raps and jams, the episodic nature of a movie structure obliged him to focus on shorter [[instrumental]]s, featuring laid-back, [[jazz]]-infused riffs and solos."<ref name=":8" /> For example, from the '[[Theme from Shaft]],' "The instrumental section, played by the Bar Kays and Movement, deploys pulsating [[Bass guitar|bass]], stuttering wah-wah [[guitar]], Hayes's own distinctive [[piano]] playing, a descending four-note horn motif, ascending flute runs and the now famous [[Pearl & Dean|Pearl and Dean]]-style blasts of [[Brass instrument|brass]] and [[String (music)|strings]]."<ref name=":3" /> "Thirty five years on, ''Shaft'' may sound dated, but it's a sound that inspired a generation of soul musicians. Hayes' laid back vocal delivery and the gorgeous arrangements by [[Johnny Allen (arranger)|Johnny Allen]] are still breathtaking, and the album remains a quintessential slice of '70s soul."<ref name=":8" />

The soundtrack received praise and awards. Only a few weeks after the release of the film, the [[soundtrack]] album had earned $2&nbsp;million and had gone [[Music recording sales certification|platinum]].<ref name=":0" /><ref group=Note>The soundtrack to '''Shaft''' did not go platinum a few weeks after the release of the film. No recording could have gone platinum in 1971, as the category was not introduced by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] until 1976. The soundtrack was certified gold by the RIAA in 1996. [https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=shaft#search_section RIAA gold and platinum retrieved 22 May 2023.]</ref> "The ''Shaft'' theme became so popular that it was heard everywhere, from [[nightclub]]s to halftime at [[American football|football]] games." (Guerrero 1993) Hayes was also nominated for two [[Academy Awards]] for Best Original Dramatic Score and for [[Best Original Song]] with the '[[Theme from Shaft]].'.<ref name=":3" /> When he won for [[Best Original Song]], it was the first time an [[African Americans|African American]] [[composer]] had won an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]].<ref name=":8" /> "The 45-single release of the record topped the US charts, hit number 4 in the UK and is still popular today, enjoying a new lease of life as a cellphone ring tone."<ref name=":3" />