10 Movies & Shows Like Shaft (2000)

Description: A groundbreaking independent film with a rebellious spirit, showcasing a protagonist on the run from authorities through urban landscapes.

Fact: Melvin Van Peebles wrote, directed, scored, and starred in the film. It was financed in part by a loan from Bill Cosby and became one of the most profitable independent films of its time.

Description: A tense crime thriller that explores police corruption and street-level criminal operations with raw intensity and social commentary.

Fact: The title refers to the boundary between Harlem and other Manhattan neighborhoods. The Bobby Womack theme song was later featured in Jackie Brown.

Description: While a horror film, it shares themes of an outsider navigating urban environments and dealing with systemic forces, wrapped in genre storytelling.

Fact: The film spawned one of the first black horror franchises. William Marshall, who played Blacula, was a classically trained Shakespearean actor.

Description: This film shares a gritty urban setting and a focus on a charismatic antihero navigating the criminal underworld. Its stylish visuals and funk soundtrack contribute to a similar aesthetic.

Fact: The soundtrack by Curtis Mayfield became a cultural phenomenon, outselling the film itself. It was one of the first blaxploitation films to portray a drug dealer as the protagonist.

Description: A rise-and-fall crime story set in urban environments, featuring a determined protagonist climbing the criminal ladder while battling systemic corruption.

Fact: The film's score was composed by James Brown. It was inspired by classic gangster films but transposed to a contemporary black urban setting.

Description: Features a stylish, ass-kicking protagonist working outside the law to combat drug dealers and corrupt officials in an urban environment.

Fact: The lead character was modeled after Pam Grier's persona in other films. The movie's production design heavily featured 1970s afrocentric aesthetics.

Description: Features a strong, independent lead character taking justice into their own hands against corrupt systems, with plenty of action and revenge themes.

Fact: The character Foxy Brown was originally written for another film but got her own spin-off due to popularity. The movie was shot in just 18 days on a tight budget.

Description: An action-packed story about a bounty hunter navigating dangerous urban terrain, filled with colorful characters and violent confrontations.

Fact: Isaac Hayes starred in the lead role and also composed the film's score. The movie features one of cinema's first female crime lords as the villain.

Description: Combines crime drama with over-the-top humor and a larger-than-life protagonist who outsmarts the establishment through sheer charisma and street smarts.

Fact: The film was largely improvised due to its tiny budget and lack of a complete script. It became a midnight movie cult classic years after its release.

Description: A tough female lead returns to her urban roots to clean up the streets and confront criminal elements through direct action and confrontation.

Fact: This was Pam Grier's first leading role in an American International Pictures production. The film was shot on location in Louisville, Kentucky.