My favorite character in the movie is the city, and I think that few media can portray the architectural character of that era more effectively. New York was able to shrug off the ill effects of 9/11 with considerably less effort than the long degradation that was the hallmark of American urban centers in the 60's and 70's. But Shaft captures the inherent strength and fundamental beauty of Manhattan. Long streets flanked by solid, conservatively decorated buildings; storefronts catering to any human need; people and cars moving with a sense of purpose (my goodness! the cars, the cars are all the size of aircraft carriers....).
You selfish jerk. Ok, that's too strong. But I have long applauded the late 60's and early 70's as the golden age of American cinema. Even the comedies were drab and dripped of verisimilitude. Five Easy Pieces, Badlands, Bullitt. These are uneven examples, but you get my drift. By the way, nice post, despite my prickly intro.
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