List Price:   $14.98 Price:   $12.49 find out more information

Buy posters from this movie

This film was the first of its kind, a gang-centered picture of the lives some people lead. Tens of films have followed, some glorifying the darker sides of this life, some giving viewers gems. The east coast Fresh and west coast Boyz n tha Hood are stunning examples, telling universal tales and “validating” black cinema for investors. The history of distribution tells us that this will be a new era of blaxploitation films, but this is not the case. Mini industries have sprung up, and the music (now in 1999) tops sales of every other genre. Validation happens on a personal level. This is nothing short of forshadowing of vindication.

The film seemed to target a predominantly white audience. It is doubtful this audience was hit broadly enough to do what the film intended. It was anticipated and acclaimed, but it was a door few were willing to walk through. Ice T’s cover song says “..if you ran like a punk, it wouldn’t amaze me.” This statement is culturally prophetic, told in what has remained a black-performer-dominated musical style. The Machine was changing anyway, dear reader, and it continues to. There is nothing the traditional system (READ: WHITE DOMINATED) can do about it.

The Rodney King beating, trial and riots underlined the concept of territories wrung from oppression and growing anger. The riots seemed the say you and your paper can't own where I live. This everyday illustration in Colors, Fresh and Boyz’ makes white North Americans uncomfortable. The frankly quite banal view of how the system oppresses non-white-skinned people in the USA comes as a shock to white people who suddenly see how minorities must live.

The OJ Simpson trial and acquittal revealed how close together and how far apart black and white are in this country. Suddenly the veil is pierced; maybe it is really all about money, maybe it is all about fame, maybe it is all about justice, maybe it is all about being in the right place at the right time, maybe maybe maybe.

This film spawned a thousand-fold. It was a decent film, but more importantly, it was a public statement.

It was a North American cultural phenomenon. This film should be watched.

 del.icio.us    
link directly to this review at http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=1104&reviewer=95
originally posted: 06/07/99 09:06:14
 printer-friendly format