Starring Lawrence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell, and Kyme
Directed by Spike Lee
Music and Lyrics by various
Spike Lee has been one of the most provocative directors in Hollywood since his first major movie, She's Gotta Have It, debuted in 1986. School Daze is his first of four musicals. Like many of his films, it's partially auto-biographical, based on his experiences at a real black men's college in the 1970's. This was also his first film with a larger budget, and it shows in the lavish musical numbers, fantasy sequences, and larger cast. What it has in common with his later movie is an often-searing look at the issues within the black community, many of which continue to be debated to this day. How does higher learning look in the decade of big hair and bigger dreams? Let's start with a rally at fictional Mission College in Atlanta, Georgia, and find out...
The Story: Vaughn "Dap" Dunlap (Fishburne) is a socially and politically-conscious student at Mission who has been involved in a series of anti-apartheid rallies. His activism is mocked by the head of Mission's leading Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity Julian Eaves (Esposito) as being overwrought. Dap thinks Eaves and his girlfriend Jane Toussaint (Campbell) are shallow and avoiding the issues that face black students. Dap's earthy girlfriend Rachel (Kyme) thinks even less of Jane and her friends in the Gamma women's auxiliary, with their tight dresses and chemically straightened hair. Dap's cousin Half-Pint (Spike Lee) just wants to pledge the Gammas.
Their rivalry comes to a head during an especially wild Homecoming week, and then at the school dance. Rachel wants to join a sorority, but Dap doesn't approve. He's not happy when college president Harold MacPherson (Joe Seneca) tells him to cool it on the rallies, either. His continuing antagonism with Eaves ends with the two of them and their friends and fraternity brothers in a brawl after a dance-off at a pep rally. Darrel finally gets the woman of his dreams the night of the school dance, but it doesn't go at all like he expects, prompting his furious cousin to demand that the staff and students of Mission College finally "wake up" to the troubles around them.
The Song and Dance: Fishburne and Esposito are the stand-outs in this exploration of many issues within the black community in the late 80's, too many of which continue to be relevant to this day. Fishburne's powerful performance would make him an actor of note in the early 90's. Lee's eager Darrel makes you wish he starred in more of his own films. The ladies do almost as well, with Campbell standing out here as Eaves' sweetheart who is accused of dousing her identity in an attempt to imitate whites.
The most interesting thing about this is watching the all-black cast interact with one another. There's no white lens here, and none needed. I enjoy seeing a rarely-discussed group - black college students - and their stories. It's a call to be proud of one's heritage, no matter what that heritage may be, to "wake up" to what's real in the world and within one's own community.
Favorite Number: We open over the credits with the stirring spiritual "I'll Build Me a Home," performed by the Morehouse Glee Club and Tracey Coley, over a montage of African-American history, from freed slaves to the Civil Rights Movement. Kyme, Campbell, and their like-minded friends have a dance battle over hair that's "Straight & Nappy" in a very 80's lavender fantasy hair salon with neon all around. "Be Alone Tonight" is the Motown spoof, with Campbell and her friends (including Jasmine Guy) performing the ballad in gorgeous tight black and gray ruffled gowns ala the Supremes.
"I Can Only Be Me," performed by Keith John on the school stairs, accompanies a montage of Rachel and Dap making love contrasted with a girl being crowned homecoming queen. "Perfect Match" is the sexier version as Julian and Jane have their own lovemaking session. Mission's football team may not be winners, but their band and cheerleaders can sure encourage them to "Kick Out the Tigers" anyway. The big dance routines at the pep rally starts well with "Ice Baby" featuring some amazing leaps from the Gammas, but it degenerates into the ladies tossing insulting chants about their hair over them. Fishburne and his buddies show up in vintage suits for their own big step routine...before punches are thrown and it turns into a huge brawl.
The hit from this was the dance routine "Da Butt," performed by Experience Unlimited at the big party. Everyone does sexy, sensual moves wearing nothing but bathing suits and bikinis. This is somehow followed up by the far classier ballad "Be One," complete with singer Phyllis Hyman in a beaded 40's-style suit and gown accompanied by a saxophonist and a lot of very, very close dancing.
Trivia: Look for many stars-to-be among the cast, including Guy as one of Jane's Gamma Ray friends and Samuel L. Jackson as the head of the angry locals who confront Dap and his friends and accuse them of ignoring real black issues.
Lee arranged for the groups of actors to be housed in separate hotels, with the Gammas and their ladies in a better one than the others. This encouraged the realistic tension in the movie...to the point where the fight that broke out during the pep rally was not scripted. It really happened during a take, but it fit so well with the story, they kept the cameras rolling.
What I Don't Like: The "wake up" ending doesn't really resolve much. In fact, this is the second college movie I've watched in a row that basically has no ending. There's a lot of loose threads left unresolved, like whether or not the school ever pulled out their investments in South Africa. Also, many of the issues here may resonate more strongly with black audiences than with others. Some may not understand what all the fuss is about; others may wish the movie dove even further into these topics. Not to mention, there's the dated portrayal of the ladies, especially when Julian forces Jane into having sex with Darryl in the end.
The Big Finale: While this isn't said to be Lee's best work, I'm impressed enough to want to check out more of his other movies, including his remaining three musicals. Highly recommended, especially for black college students who just returned to school and are likely grappling with many of the subjects discussed here.
Home Media: Easily found in all formats.
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