Above the Rim (1994)

Director:

Jeff Pollack

Writers (WGA):

Jeff Pollack (story) &
Benny Medina (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 March 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

The Hardest Part Of Winning Is Choosing Sides.

Plot:

Story of a promising high school basketball star and his relationships with two brothers, one a drug dealer and the other a former basketball star fallen on hard times and now employed as a security guard.

Plot Keywords:

Basketball | High School | Drugs | Drug Dealer | Security Guard

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Duane Martin	...	Kyle Lee Watson
Leon	...	Shep
Tupac Shakur	...	Birdie
David Bailey	...	Rollins
Tonya Pinkins	...	Mailika
Marlon Wayans	...	Bugaloo
Bernie Mac	...	Flip
Byron Minns	...	Monroe
Wood Harris	...	Motaw (as Sherwin David Harris)
Shawn Michael Howard	...	Bobby
Henry Simmons	...	Starnes
Iris Little Thomas	...	Waitress
Michael Rispoli	...	Richie
Eric Nies	...	Montrose
Bill Rafferty	...	Himself (as Bill Raftery)
James Williams	...	Speedy
Richard Ray Kirkland	...	Phil Redd
Tyrone Batista	...	Tyrone
Cinnamon Paige	...	Young Woman
Debra Rubins	...	Hostess
Jesse Williams	...	Official
Robert Harvey	...	Official #2
Cuffee	...	Referee #1
Anthony Hargraves	...	Referee #2
Darien Berry	...	Younger Player
Lakeesha E. Allen	...	Monarch Cheerleader
Sherrese Clark	...	Monarch Cheerleader
Annie Charles	...	Monarch Cheerleader
Aspen Davis	...	Monarch Cheerleader
Charlene Levi	...	Monarch Cheerleader
Tameeka McKinney	...	Monarch Cheerleader
Dannell G. Ruiz	...	Monarch Cheerleader
Leslie Terrero	...	Monarch Cheerleader
Kenneth Bantum	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Howard Bond	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Troy Bowers	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Roger Brooks	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Dorian Graham	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Marion Jenkins	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Gill K. Kimble Jr.	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Shabar Lassen	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Franklin Martin	...	Bombers & Birdmen (as Frank Martin)
Troy Trusdale	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Tracey Walston	...	Bombers & Birdmen
Sam Worthen	...	Bombers & Birdmen
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cindy Birch	...	Birdie Girl (uncredited)
Robert Garcia	...	Basketball player (uncredited)
Scott Andrew Miller	...	Basketball Player (uncredited)
James 'Speedy' Williams	...	Orange team player (uncredited)

Directed by
Jeff Pollack

Writing credits (WGA)
Jeff Pollack		(story) &
Benny Medina		(story)
Barry Michael Cooper		(screenplay) &
Jeff Pollack		(screenplay)

Produced by
James D. Brubaker	....	executive producer
Steve Greener	....	associate producer
Mara Manus	....	associate producer
Benny Medina	....	producer
Aaron Meyerson	....	associate producer
Jeff Pollack	....	producer

Original Music by
Marcus Miller

Cinematography by
Tom Priestley Jr.

Film Editing by
James Mitchell
Michael Ripps

Casting by
Ellyn Long Marshall
Maria E. Nelson

Production Design by
Ina Mayhew

Set Decoration by
Paul Weathered

Costume Design by
Karen Perry

Makeup Department
Larry M. Cherry	....	key hair stylist
C. Romania Ford	....	additional makeup artist
Diane Ford	....	additional makeup artist
Andrea Miller	....	additional makeup artist
Ellie Winslow	....	makeup artist

Production Management
James D. Brubaker	....	unit production manager
Diane Conn	....	production supervisor
Elizabeth Fox	....	post-production supervisor
Deborah Moore	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Parnes Cartwright	....	second second assistant director
Howard McMaster	....	assistant director
Mary Rae Thewlis	....	key second assistant director
Brian A. York	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Anthony Baldasare	....	on-set dresser
Diana Burton	....	property assistant (as Diane E. Burton)
Suzanne E. Cestare	....	set dresser
Sarah G. Conly	....	scenic artist
Warren Drummond	....	storyboard consultant
Arthur Dworin	....	scenic artist
Douglas Fecht	....	set dresser
Stephen Finkin	....	set dresser
Nancy Griffith	....	property master
Laura Iler	....	property assistant
Mikhail Ivenitsky	....	scenic artist
Diane Lederman	....	assistant property master
Amy Martin	....	art department assistant
Jeff Naparstek	....	lead man
Glen Pangione	....	construction coordinator
Dominic Toto	....	property assistant
Mitch Towse	....	set dresser
Steven P. Duchscherer	....	property master: third unit (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barosky	....	production sound mixer
Craig Berkey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Craig Berkey	....	supervising sound editor
Tim Boggs	....	adr editor
Mark Cookson	....	sound effects editor
Louis Creveling	....	dialogue editor
Lisle Engle	....	sound effects editor
Robert Friedman	....	foley walker
Sean Garnhart	....	digital sound transfer engineer
Ginger Geary	....	foley walker
Danielle Ghent	....	foley editor
Patrick Giraudi	....	sound re-recording mixer: restoration
David Grant	....	dialogue editor
Daniel S. Irwin	....	dialogue editor
Dan Jamele	....	dialogue editor
Darryl Linkow	....	production sound mixer: additional photography
Tommy Louie	....	boom operator
Derek Marcil	....	adr mixer
David Melhase	....	dialogue editor
Piero Mura	....	sound effects editor (as Piero Murg)
Stewart Nelson	....	sound effects editor
Darren Paskal	....	sound facility
Paige Pollack	....	foley walker
John Ross	....	sound re-recording mixer
Craig Sadler	....	sound effects editor
Joshua E. Schneider	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Scoville	....	dialogue editor
David Torres	....	foley mixer
Paul Urmson	....	sound effects editor
Mathew Waters	....	sound effects editor (as Matt Waters)
Cory Coken	....	additional adr artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Harold Baines	....	stunts
Richard Colbert	....	stunts
Jake Crawford	....	additional stunts
Kiante Elam	....	additional stunts
Ousaun Elam	....	additional stunts
Jalil Jay Lynch	....	stunt youth #1
Monty L. Simons	....	additional stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunt coordinator
Keith Leon Williams	....	stunts (as Keith Hickles)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dana Altomare	....	additional first assistant camera
Bob Brennan	....	grip
Jonathan Burkhart	....	additional first assistant camera
Bill Cassidy	....	grip
Joseph F. Coffey	....	additional camera operator
Joe Collins	....	additional second assistant camera
Craig DiBona	....	camera operator: "a" camera
John Dolan	....	grip
Liz Dory	....	additional second assistant camera (as Elizabeth Dory)
John Finnerty	....	grip (as John 'Spike' Finnerty)
Thomas Ford	....	best boy electric (as Tom Ford)
Brad Goss	....	best boy grip
Jeff Hand	....	additional first assistant camera
Jonathan Herron	....	additional camera operator
Kevin Janicei	....	electrician
Miguel Jimenez	....	electrician
Roberto Jiménez	....	electrician
David Knox	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Richard C. Kratina	....	additional camera operator
Richard C. Kratina	....	director of photography: second unit
Ondrej Kubicek	....	camera trainee
Gábor Kövér	....	additional camera operator
Gábor Kövér	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Sal Lanza	....	grip
Eric Liebowitz	....	still photographer
Deborah Lipman	....	additional second assistant camera
Lauren Loughin	....	additional second assistant camera
Edward W. Lowry	....	dolly grip
Frances 'Buddy' McBride	....	rigging gaffer
Charles Meere III	....	electrician (as Charles E. Meere III)
Robert Merk	....	electrician (as Rob 'Gel Master' Merk)
Peter Morei	....	additional second assistant camera
Larry Orlick	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Lawrence Orlick)
Douglas Pellegrino	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Ronald Plant	....	key grip (as Ronnie Plant)
Paul Postelnicu	....	additional second assistant camera
George Potter	....	electrician
Chris Primavera	....	grip
Frank Rinato	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Daniel Sanabria	....	additional first assistant camera
George Santo Pietro	....	additional dolly grip
Gerard Sava	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Joseph Sciretta	....	electrician
Susan Starr	....	additional first assistant camera
Rian Stocking	....	electrician
Phillip Todd	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Jon R. Tower	....	gaffer
Robert Wagner	....	director of photography: second unit

Casting Department
Yolande Gerai	....	extras casting
Keith Gunthorpe	....	extras casting assistants
Ulysses Terrero	....	extras casting assistants

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer L. Bryan	....	wardrobe supervisor
John Corbo	....	additional wardrobe supervisor
Lynne Maureen Curtis	....	assistant costume designer
Katrina Jeffries	....	additional wardrobe
Estella Marie	....	seamstress
Barry Mazurek	....	assistant wardrobe supervisor
James Wilcox	....	additional wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Elizabeth Castro	....	assistant editor
Joe Fineman	....	executive in charge of post-production
Vartan Nazarian	....	apprentice editor
Michael Ripps	....	senior editor
Matvey Shatz	....	color timer
James Stellar Jr.	....	assistant editor
Amy Tompkins	....	additional editor
Lynne Whitlock	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Anita Camarata	....	music supervisor
Toby Emmerich	....	executive in charge of music: New Line
Earl Ghaffari	....	music editor
Benny Medina	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Will Jam Baker	....	driver
Tom Beathe	....	driver
Timothy P. Cassella	....	driver
Albert Colella	....	driver
Bob Donavan	....	driver
John Featherstone	....	driver
Michael Fennimore	....	driver
Gus Fiein	....	driver
William K. Gaskins	....	driver
John P. Jones	....	driver
Leonard Luizzi	....	driver
Avie Shwartzbach	....	driver
Charles Spillane	....	driver
Barry Stanton	....	driver
Barry Sweeney	....	driver
George Washington	....	driver
Carlos Williams	....	driver

Other crew
Anton Austin	....	production intern
Carolyn Annette Benjamin	....	production intern
Wayne 'jo-bear' Bristo	....	set production assistant
Theodor A. Brown	....	teamster captain
Cassandra Butcher	....	unit publicist
Sharron Cannon	....	assistant: Mr. Pollack
Sharron Cannon	....	product placement consultant: New York
Eric E. Clark	....	set production assistant
Edwin Davis	....	production assistant
Kimberly Demek	....	production intern
Maurice A. Dwyer	....	production intern (as Maurice Dwyer)
Helena Echegoyen	....	creative executive
Maurice 'pee-wee' Edwards	....	assistant parking coordinator
Avy Eschenasy	....	production attorney
Courtney Fain	....	production assistant
Mary Garvey	....	production intern
David Graham	....	assistant location consultant
Timothy Gray	....	production executive
David 'Cajun' Guilbeau	....	craft service
Shannon M. Hawkins	....	set production assistant
Tony Hoffman	....	product placement
Lys Hopper	....	location consultant (as Lysbeth Hopper)
Deirdre Horgan	....	script supervisor (as Deirdre Horgan Aska)
Jay Horne	....	assistant location consultant
Kevin Jackson	....	set production assistant
Rena Jordan	....	production intern
Joe Kelly	....	location assistant
William Keys	....	production assistant
Richard Ray Kirkland	....	technical basketball advisor
Isabelle Kostic Crosley	....	location assistant
Scott Allen Logan	....	location manager
Scott Allen Logan	....	location manager: additional photography
John 'yayha' Lyons	....	key set production assistant
Jennifer Madeloff	....	production intern
M.J. Magbanua	....	assistant production office coordinator
Richard Mancuso	....	assistant production accountant
Ginny Martino	....	contracts administrator
Margaret Ann Mccourt	....	production accountant
Rafael Osorio	....	set production assistant
Sharon Parker	....	set production assistant
David Price	....	production intern
Daniel Ramirez	....	key office production assistants
Exile Ramirez	....	office production assistant
Terry 't-bone' Rhodes	....	parking coordinator
Dawn Murphy Riley	....	production office coordinator
Gingi Rochelle	....	set production assistant
Holly S. Rymon	....	assistant production accountant
Peter Schön	....	key office production assistant
Alan James Scott	....	cast liaison
Felicia Standel	....	production intern
Hasson Javieor Taylor	....	production assistant
Vincent Taylor	....	location assistant
Neal Thompson	....	title designer
Adolfo Vasquez	....	production intern
Rick Washburn	....	weapons coordinator
Katreniah L. Washington	....	assistant: Mr. Brubaker
Cecil Watkins	....	technical sports consultant
Sandra West	....	production intern
Adam G. Williams	....	locations department
H. Spencer Young	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema

Distributors

• New Line Cinema (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• VMP (1995) (Germany) (VHS)
• Asso Film
• Capital Filmes (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong language, and for violence

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (Certificate #32601) | Australia:MA | Germany:12 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

At the start when Shep awakes from the nightmare, you hear the intro to Tupac Shakur's "Pain" - "I Couldn't help but notice your pain" - "My pain?" - "It runs deep, share it with me!". This voice-over is from Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989).

Goofs:

Continuity: During the final basketball game Birdie's bandanna changes positions multiple times.

Quotes:

Shep:Excuse me? You think you can just kiss me anytime you feel like it?
Mailika:Yeah, that's right.
Shep:I guess that answers that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 1995 Source Hip-Hop Music Awards (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Holler If Ya Hear Me

Above the Rim is another drama about life in the streets that offers a more hopeful message than what I've seen recently

After about 18 years, I finally watched the entirety of Above the Rim on YouTube. In this one, Shep (Leon) has nightmares of the time his buddy Nutso (Matthew Guletz) was killed when they played basketball on the roof of an apartment. Several years later, he becomes a guard for various high school basketball games in which one Kyle Lee Watson (Duane Martin) is the star player who's in danger of becoming too arrogant for his own good to the chagrin of his coach Rollins (David Bailey) and his mother Mailika (Tonya Pinkins). In addition, he and his friend Bugaloo (Marlon Wayans) are hangin' with a drug dealer named Birdie (Tupac Shakur) who we find out is Shep's brother. Other somewhat important characters include a bum named Flip (Bernie Mac) and an associate of Bridie's named Motaw (Wood Harris). I'll stop there and just say this was quite a compelling drama with some humorous scenes involving both Mac and Marlon, not to mention Iris Little Thomas as a waitress who tries to come on to Shep. And unlike some other films that I watched recently that dealt with ghetto life, this one seems to lean toward a more hopeful ending for some of the more deserving characters. So in summary, I quite enjoyed Above the Rim. P.S. Both Ms. Pinkins and Harris are natives of my birthtown of Chicago, Ill.