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IMDbPro

School Daze

  • 19881988
  • RR
  • 2h 1m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
7.4K
YOUR RATING
Laurence Fishburne, Spike Lee, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell, and Kyme in School Daze (1988)
Watch ’Official Trailer’
Play trailer1:43
2 Videos
29 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Musical
A not so popular young man wants to pledge to a popular fraternity at his historically black college.A not so popular young man wants to pledge to a popular fraternity at his historically black college.A not so popular young man wants to pledge to a popular fraternity at his historically black college.
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
7.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Spike Lee
  • Writer
    • Spike Lee
  • Stars
    • Laurence Fishburne
    • Giancarlo Esposito
    • Tisha Campbell
Top credits
  • Director
    • Spike Lee
  • Writer
    • Spike Lee
  • Stars
    • Laurence Fishburne
    • Giancarlo Esposito
    • Tisha Campbell
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 46User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
    • 52Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Videos2

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:43
    Official Trailer
    Three Movies That Changed Billy Porter's Life
    Clip 3:39
    Three Movies That Changed Billy Porter's Life

    Photos29

    Kyme and Joie Lee in School Daze (1988)
    Harold L. Boyd III, Robert L. Cole Jr., Donna Le Tourneau, Rod Hodge, Derek W. Jones, Joie Lee, Lester McCorn, William N. Ross, Reginald Tabor, and Keith Wright in School Daze (1988)
    Giancarlo Esposito and Tisha Campbell in School Daze (1988)
    Spike Lee and Giancarlo Esposito in School Daze (1988)
    Laurence Fishburne, Spike Lee, Giancarlo Esposito, Jasmine Guy, Darryl M. Bell, James Bond III, Edward G. Bridges, Tisha Campbell, Rusty Cundieff, Art Evans, Kadeem Hardison, Dominic Hoffman, Ellen Holly, Kyme, Cinqué Lee, Joie Lee, Kasi Lemmons, Branford Marsalis, Bill Nunn, Eric Payne, Joe Seneca, Roger Guenveur Smith, and Leonard L. Thomas in School Daze (1988)
    Giancarlo Esposito and Tisha Campbell in School Daze (1988)
    Laurence Fishburne and Bill Nunn in School Daze (1988)
    Art Evans and Joe Seneca in School Daze (1988)
    Spike Lee, Tisha Campbell, Erik Dellums, Kevin Rock, and Kirk Taylor in School Daze (1988)
    School Daze (1988)
    School Daze (1988)
    Laurence Fishburne, Spike Lee, Giancarlo Esposito, and Tisha Campbell in School Daze (1988)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Laurence Fishburne
    Laurence Fishburne
    • Dap Dunlapas Dap Dunlap
    • (as Larry Fishburne)
    Giancarlo Esposito
    Giancarlo Esposito
    • Julian 'Big Brother Almighty' Eavesas Julian 'Big Brother Almighty' Eaves
    Tisha Campbell
    Tisha Campbell
    • Jane Toussaintas Jane Toussaint
    Kyme
    • Rachel Meadowsas Rachel Meadows
    Joe Seneca
    Joe Seneca
    • President McPhersonas President McPherson
    Ellen Holly
    • Odrie McPhersonas Odrie McPherson
    Art Evans
    Art Evans
    • Cedar Cloudas Cedar Cloud
    Ossie Davis
    Ossie Davis
    • Coach Odomas Coach Odom
    Bill Nunn
    Bill Nunn
    • Da Fella Gradyas Da Fella Grady
    James Bond III
    James Bond III
    • Da Fella Monroeas Da Fella Monroe
    Branford Marsalis
    Branford Marsalis
    • Da Fella Jordanas Da Fella Jordan
    Kadeem Hardison
    Kadeem Hardison
    • Da Fella Edgeas Da Fella Edge
    Eric Payne
    Eric Payne
    • Da Fella Booker T.as Da Fella Booker T.
    • (as Eric A. Payne)
    Spike Lee
    Spike Lee
    • Gammite Half-Pintas Gammite Half-Pint
    Anthony Thompkins
    • Gammite Doo-Doo Breathas Gammite Doo-Doo Breath
    Guy Killum
    Guy Killum
    • Gammite Double Rubberas Gammite Double Rubber
    Dominic Hoffman
    Dominic Hoffman
    • Gammite Mustafaas Gammite Mustafa
    Roger Guenveur Smith
    Roger Guenveur Smith
    • Gammite Yodaas Gammite Yoda
    • (as Roger Smith)
    • Director
      • Spike Lee
    • Writer
      • Spike Lee
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Tisha Campbell said she had no idea what a "jigaboo" was prior to joining the project.
    • Goofs
      Toward the end of "I Don't Want to Be Alone Tonight", the audio is slightly ahead of the video.
    • 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.

      Dina: They're just jealous!

      Rachel Meadows: Jealous?

      Jane Toussaint: Rachel! I've been watching you look at Julian. You're not slick.

      Rachel Meadows: If that was true, he wasn't much to look at.

      [Snaps fingers]

      Doris Witherspoon: Mmm-hmm. Tell her, girl!

      Jane Toussaint: Picaninny!

      Doris Witherspoon: Barbie doll!

      Rachel Meadows: High-yellow heifer!

      Dina: Tar baby!

      Lizzie Life: Wannabe white!

      Kim: Jiggaboo!

      Rachel Meadows: Don't start!

      Jane Toussaint: We're gonna finish it!

    • Connections
      Edited into The Rays: Be Alone Tonight (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      I'm Building Me a Home
      Arranged by Uzee Brown (as Dr. Uzee Brown)

      Performed by Morehouse College Glee Club (uncredited)

      Solo by Tracy Coley (uncredited)

    User reviews46

    Review
    Top review
    Nostalgic treat
    I had not seen Spike Lee's School Daze in 13 years, the first weekend of its release. This movie has a very special meaning to African Americans like me who were college students in the 80s. The school setting acts as a microcosm of black life as a whole. The social issues it tackles are all too familiar to black life: light skin vs. dark skin, college kids vs. the surrounding economically disadvantage community, and the social responsibility of African Americans to Africans across the entire black diaspora among others.

    Watching it in 1988 I thought the dance sequences were too long, but in 2001 I now see their worth. The DVD is visually beautiful, while being gritty in spots where it should thanks to the beautiful work of the great Ernest Dickerson. This was a huge leap for Spike as a director, coming from a $175,000 budget for She's Got To Have It to School Daze.

    This film does a great job of giving us some of the inner workings of Black Greek letter organizations. It also shows what abuse people will go through to belong. I was actually living School Daze when I saw it in 1988, so I come from that perspective. It was thrilling to figuratively see myself on that screen in 1988.

    If you are looking for Academy Award winning performances, then this isn't the film for you, although there are some really fine actors in the film. If you haven't ever lived this existence, it is really hard to appreciate School Daze. I have a great appreciation for Spike, the era, and the story Spike has written and brought to the screen.

    Most folks don't get the ending "Wake Up" scene, but it absolutely belongs. The entire movie and most of Spike's works are wake up calls to America, but specifically to the black community.
    helpful•40
    1
    • stonedog23
    • Nov 12, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 12, 1988 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Okul Yılları
    • Filming locations
      • Atlanta, Georgia, USA
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $14,545,844
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,802,656
      • Feb 15, 1988
    • Gross worldwide
      • $14,545,844
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 1 minute
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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    Laurence Fishburne, Spike Lee, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell, and Kyme in School Daze (1988)
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