Criterion Reflections – Episode 119 – Gordon Parks’ Shaft’s Big Score!

Criterion Reflections is David Blakeslee’s ongoing project to watch all of the films included in the Criterion Collection in chronological order of their original release. This fourth season of the podcast features conversations about movies that originally premiered in 1972 and were destined to eventually receive the Criterion imprimatur. In this episode, David is joined by Richard Doyle and Jason Beamish to discuss Shaft’s Big Score!, directed by Gordon Parks. We also discuss a bonus title from 1972, Top of the Heap, directed by and starring Christopher St. John. Both films were available on the Criterion Channel streaming service at the time of this recording.

Gordon Parks

• The Criterion Collection
• The Criterion Channel
• Letterboxd
• Wikipedia
• JustWatch
• The Gordon Parks Foundation
• ArtNet
• International Center of Photography
• Life Magazine
• National Gallery of Art
• New York Times (obituary)

Shaft’s Big Score

• The Criterion Collection
• The Criterion Channel
• Letterboxd
• Wikipedia
• JustWatch
• New York Times (1972)
• Roger Ebert (1972)
• Attack of the 50 Foot DVD
• Blu-ray.com
• Derek Winnert
• DVD Talk
• Expelled Grey Matter
• Marc Fusion
• Mondo Bizarro
• Rotten Reelz
• The Spinning Image
• TCM
• Vern’s Reviews

Top of the Heap

• The Criterion Channel
• Letterboxd
• Wikipedia
• JustWatch
• New York Times (1972)
• Cool Ass Cinema
• Marc Fusion
• Mondo Digital
• Outlaw Vern
• Shock Cinema

Ice-T’s Guide to Blaxploitation:

PREVIOUSLY:

THE WAY OF THE DRAGON

UP NEXT:

BEWARE! THE BLOB a.k.a. SON OF BLOB

MORE!

• Criterion Reflections blog (1922 – 1967)
• Criterion Reflections columns on CriterionCast (1968)
• The Eclipse Viewer
• A Journey Through the Eclipse Series

CONTACT US:

• David Blakeslee [ Website / TikTok / Facebook / Letterboxd / Instagram/ Twitter ]
• Jason Beamish [ Film Ruminations / Twitter ]
• Richard Doyle [ Letterboxd ]