School Daze (1988)

A not so popular young man wants to pledge to a popular fraternity at his historically black college.

Director:

Spike Lee

Writer:

Spike Lee

Stars:

Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell-Martin

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Laurence Fishburne	...	Dap
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Julian
Tisha Campbell-Martin	...	Jane Toussaint (as Tisha Campbell)
Kyme	...	Rachel Meadows
Joe Seneca	...	President McPherson
Ellen Holly	...	Odrie McPherson
Art Evans	...	Cedar Cloud
Ossie Davis	...	Coach Odom
Bill Nunn	...	Grady
James Bond III	...	Monroe
Branford Marsalis	...	Jordan
Kadeem Hardison	...	Edge
Eric Payne	...	Booker T. (as Eric A. Payne)
Spike Lee	...	Half-Pint
Anthony Thompkins	...	Doo-Doo Breath

Storyline

In the South of the United States are taking place confrontations between two groups of students who have different ideas and are not able to accept the one of the oponent.

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Plot Keywords:

college | historically black college | african american | written and directed by cast member | feud | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 February 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aulas turbulentas

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,500,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$14,545,844 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

'Tisha Campbell' stated that she had no idea what a "jiggabo" was prior to joining the project.

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Goofs

During the "I Don't Wanna Be Alone Tonite" number, the black gloves that the Gamma Rays wear go from above the elbow to below the elbow and back again in between shots.

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Quotes

Rachel Meadows: [as the "Jiggaboos" and the "Wannabes" encounter each other in the hallway] The word is "Excuse me."
Jane Toussaint: No one told you to stand in the hall, either. "Excuse me."
Rachel Meadows: That's better, Ms. Thing.
Doris Witherspoon: [as Jane turns and flips her hair] It's not real!
Dina: [as the Jiggaboos laugh] Say what?
Lizzie Life: You heard
Rachel Meadows: It... ain't... even... real.
Jane Toussaint: You wish you had hair like this.
Doris Witherspoon: Girl, you know you weren't even born with blue eyes!
Lizzie Life: That's right. Blue contact lenses.
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer: School DaZe

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Soundtracks

"I Can Only Be Me"
Music and Lyrics by Stevie Wonder
Performed by Keith John
Produced by Stevie Wonder
Jobete Music Co., Inc./Black Bull Music, Inc. (ASCAP)

User Reviews

A Breath of Fresh Air

I am only 18 years old and I just saw the movie School Daze. I do not attend a H.B.C.U., but I have friends that tell me what goes on there. To the older people out there, can you believe that that type of stuff is still going on?! My friends and I were just talking the other day about how this guy on her campus would only date lighter skinned girls. If that is his thing, than it is, however, he would not date them because of their personality. He said they just "looked better on his arm." My mother and I always discuss the future of African-Americans and I am going to tell the truth. I am scared. We hurt each other more than any other race and we have to stop. I am a dark-skinned female and I just learnd to love myself. I thank Spike Lee for not being ashamed to call us out when we needed it. No, I do not think that the movie was an Oscar winner, but I do know that it was a mind opener and should be a lesson to all of us on how we allowed the European standard of beauty to shape our self-worth.