1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:05,559 Yo, cousin. I I know why you got the car last night. 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:12,679 Shouldn't have been there in the first place. You don't want to come back 3 00:00:12,679 --> 00:00:23,879 to haunt. You ain't been up this early in a long time. Turned 4 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:34,560 on the TV this morning about about living in a violent, a violent world. 5 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:46,880 Showed all these foreign places, foreigners living on I started thinking, man, 6 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:59,359 either they don't know, don't show. I don't care about what's going 7 00:00:59,399 --> 00:01:11,159 on in the hood. They had all this form. I got no brother 8 00:01:21,519 --> 00:01:32,719 kind of mother need. In nineteen eighty nine, a first time filmmaker took 9 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:40,760 a newly discovered rap star and several other at the time unknown actors and actresses 10 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:46,480 and sought to craft a film that would show viewers the life in South central 11 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:52,599 Los Angeles. What came from this film was a powerful look at one of 12 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:59,799 the most notorious inner cities in America. That first time director was John Singleton. 13 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:06,760 In this week's film is his semi autobiographical debut, Boys in the Hood. 14 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:13,039 The film follows three men from grade school to high school. Trey Ricky 15 00:02:13,439 --> 00:02:20,199 in his brother dough Boy played by Cuba Gooding, Junior, Morris Chestnut, 16 00:02:20,599 --> 00:02:25,800 and Ice Cube, respectively, rounding out the cast. Is Lawrence Fishburne, 17 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:34,560 Angela Bassett in Nia Long. In our opening clip, ice Cube tells Trey 18 00:02:34,759 --> 00:02:39,199 about the problems of growing up in the hood, especially in their area. 19 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:45,840 Our next clip is from a nineteen ninety one episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show 20 00:02:46,319 --> 00:02:52,639 shortly after the film's release, where Singleton talks about how his real life experiences 21 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:57,159 played a role in the making of this film. There's a new movie that 22 00:02:57,240 --> 00:03:01,080 really cuts to the heart of an American crisis. Boys in the Hood. 23 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:07,000 It is an important movie. This movie was written and directed by a young 24 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,759 black man who is only twenty three years old. He's with us today. 25 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:19,560 Welcome John Singleton. You say, we're talking about this just briefly. John. 26 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,080 At the beginning of the film, before there's really any opening credits or 27 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:30,520 anything, the title comes up and it says, one out of seventeen black 28 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:34,719 American males will be murdered each year, and most of them at the hands 29 00:03:34,719 --> 00:03:38,159 of another black male. Is that why you did the film? Yeah? 30 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:45,159 Actually, I did the film actually to show how the difference between what a 31 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:51,039 responsible, you know, open minded black man would do and raising his son, 32 00:03:51,639 --> 00:03:54,000 and so I could contrast that to the way, you know, his 33 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:59,879 son's two friends would be raised just by their mother. And we were showing 34 00:03:59,879 --> 00:04:02,039 the film. You know, that's a mother in the film who raises her 35 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:06,199 two sons and one she overly loves and he becomes irresponsible and a teenage father. 36 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:11,159 Another one she doesn't love enough, and he becomes a gangster. And 37 00:04:11,159 --> 00:04:14,319 that's dope boy, that's cubes character. Is the story that you told in 38 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:16,879 Boys in the Hood your own story, well, well, the story of 39 00:04:16,959 --> 00:04:19,720 Boys in her It's just a catalyst for me when I went to live with 40 00:04:19,759 --> 00:04:23,040 my father. I went to live with my father when I was twelve years 41 00:04:23,079 --> 00:04:27,639 old. My father whipped me into shape, you know, straight up, 42 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,040 you know, made I did too i was fourteen. Does have a way 43 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,439 of doing that, you know. He made me mowd a line and take 44 00:04:33,439 --> 00:04:35,879 off the trash stuff like that. Actually, one of my faver had to 45 00:04:35,879 --> 00:04:39,399 do. You know. One of my favorite lines in the movie is when 46 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:44,439 this whole audience again as his seenior the film is when Tray goes to live 47 00:04:44,439 --> 00:04:46,040 his father and the little boys are out on the lawn and he offers them 48 00:04:46,079 --> 00:04:48,800 some money. The father offers him some money. Larry officers him some money 49 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,879 to cut the lawn and they say, and he offers them five dollars and 50 00:04:51,879 --> 00:04:57,480 they say, man, who you think we are cool to kinta? Well, 51 00:04:57,519 --> 00:05:00,439 I think that's what's so wonderful about your film is it is I think, 52 00:05:00,519 --> 00:05:06,160 just an excellent portrayal of a middle class black father. Not lots of 53 00:05:06,199 --> 00:05:11,680 money, not driving a bins, just just a strong black, hardworking brother 54 00:05:11,759 --> 00:05:15,120 that that cares for a son and you know, cares how a son is 55 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:19,680 raised. Mm hmmm. And we you know, we need more brothers that 56 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:21,959 that, you know, if they're going to have a child, they have 57 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:27,240 to look out for the well being of their of their children. As Singleton 58 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:32,600 stated his childhood, growing up with his father was an overwhelming influence. This 59 00:05:32,759 --> 00:05:40,040 film features a nice comparison of parenting. First, we hear dough boy and 60 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:45,240 Ricky's single mom be rate dough boy, who becomes a criminal and gang banger 61 00:05:45,399 --> 00:05:50,120 in his adult years in dotes on Ricky. Then, when Trey goes to 62 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:55,759 live with his father to learn how to be a man as a young child, 63 00:05:55,879 --> 00:06:01,040 we hear the teachings Furious played by Laurence Fishburne, gifts Trey in hopes 64 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:08,879 of him becoming a respected man and not a victim of the streets. You 65 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:15,439 ain't just like your dad. You don't do you never go down my All 66 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,279 you ever do around here is eat, sleeping, sh Look at this place 67 00:06:19,319 --> 00:06:23,600 where y'all ask. Y'all must think I'm the maid. It's not it, 68 00:06:23,759 --> 00:06:27,399 because hell no, it ain't it. It ain't it till I say it's 69 00:06:27,439 --> 00:06:33,639 it. Damn it is that it. Boy, don't get smart with me, 70 00:06:33,639 --> 00:06:40,120 because I'll knock your ass in the middle of next week. And where 71 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:56,639 you're going anywhere you look. You're furious this little boy at home? Yeah, 72 00:06:56,759 --> 00:07:00,639 boy, you look more and more like your dad every day. Sit, 73 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:02,319 tell me something. I'll come your daddy. Don't come over here and 74 00:07:02,319 --> 00:07:06,680 play cards with us and Imbut I don't know. I know you don't think 75 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:11,560 he better than the rest of us. Must be too busy shooting at people. 76 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:17,560 I heard what happened over that other night. Hm, he still got 77 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:27,480 that same girlfriend. You and Mama? Why you always play football, Cause 78 00:07:27,519 --> 00:07:35,959 that's what I'm gonna do. That's right. You na heard furi he shut 79 00:07:35,959 --> 00:07:42,759 at somebody last night. You get him? No now, Tray and furious? 80 00:07:43,519 --> 00:07:46,199 Alright, Tray, I gotta lay down the rules of the house. 81 00:07:46,439 --> 00:07:51,800 It's the same thing as weekends. You remember. Alright, then what are 82 00:07:51,839 --> 00:07:58,879 they clean? The bar through saint floor? And two I gotta clean that 83 00:07:59,079 --> 00:08:09,399 up? Yeah, clean my room water? Thank you? I ask you 84 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:18,680 something. What do you have to do around here? I don't have to 85 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:22,879 do nothing around here except for pay the bills, put food on the table, 86 00:08:24,399 --> 00:08:26,920 and put clothes on your back. You understand now, I have to 87 00:08:26,959 --> 00:08:31,480 pay no bills. You know, Trey. You may think I'm being hard 88 00:08:31,519 --> 00:08:35,600 on you right now, but I'm not. What I'm doing is I'm trying 89 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:39,120 to teach you how to be responsible. It's like your little friends across the 90 00:08:39,159 --> 00:08:41,320 street. They don't have anybody to show them how to do that. They 91 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:46,519 don't. You're gonna see how they end up too. I'm glad you hear. 92 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:52,559 Trey. You're a prince. You know that. Yeah, you're the 93 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:58,519 prince. I'm the king. Right now, the king says it's time for 94 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:05,080 the prince to go to bed, So get yourself together. See more. 95 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:11,159 Okay. The performances of Cube, Gooding and Long are heralded, as they 96 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:16,399 should be. However, the performance of Fishburn is one of the best of 97 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:20,840 his storied career. In the role of furious styles. He shows what a 98 00:09:20,919 --> 00:09:26,440 father, not just for inner city youth, but all youth should be. 99 00:09:26,919 --> 00:09:33,000 He is firm, loving, protective, and brutally honest. In our final 100 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:39,360 clip, he talks to Ricky and Trey shortly after they complete their SATs about 101 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:46,799 a problem still plaguing in our cities, gentrification. Of note, hear how 102 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:52,559 his powerful speaking gets others in the area involved, and this causes something that 103 00:09:52,600 --> 00:10:01,799 this world desperately needed then as much as it needs now discussion and understanding to 104 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:05,240 resolve a difference of opinions. Want y'all take a look at that sign up 105 00:10:05,279 --> 00:10:11,039 there. See what it says, cash for your home. You know what 106 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:16,679 that is? It's a billboard board. What are y'all? Amos and Andy? 107 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:20,679 Are you stepping and he's fetching? I'm talking about the message. What 108 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:26,960 it stands for. It's called gentrifications. That's what happens when the property value 109 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:31,679 of a certain area is brought down. Huh, thank you listening. Yeah, 110 00:10:31,879 --> 00:10:35,440 they bring the property value down, they can buy the land at a 111 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:39,039 lower price. Then they move all the people out, raise the property value 112 00:10:39,039 --> 00:10:41,679 and selling at the property. Now, what we need to do is we 113 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:46,120 need to keep everything in our neighborhood. Everything black, black owned with black 114 00:10:46,159 --> 00:10:50,639 money, just like the Jews, the Italians, the Mexicans, and the 115 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:56,080 Koreans do. Ain't nobody from outside bringing down the property value. It's these 116 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:01,039 folks shooting each other and selling that. I think the crack rock gets into 117 00:11:01,039 --> 00:11:05,759 the country. We don't own any planes, we don't own no ships. 118 00:11:05,639 --> 00:11:09,919 But we are not the people who are flying and floating in here. I 119 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,679 know. Every time you turn on the TV, that's what you see Black 120 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,120 people. Yeah, selling the rock, right, pushing the rock, pushing 121 00:11:16,159 --> 00:11:20,720 the rock. Yeah, I know. But that wasn't a problem as long 122 00:11:20,759 --> 00:11:24,320 as it was here. Wasn't a problem until it was in Iowa and it 123 00:11:24,399 --> 00:11:26,679 showed up on Wall Street where there are hardly any black people. If you 124 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:31,559 wanna talk about, uh guns, Why is it that there's a gun shop 125 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:35,440 on almost every corner in this community? Why, dud tell you why? 126 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:39,639 For the same reason that there's a liquor store on almost every corner in the 127 00:11:39,639 --> 00:11:43,320 black community. Why they want us to kill ourselves. You go out to 128 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,600 Beverly Hills, you don't see that, but they want us to kill ourselves. 129 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:50,039 Yeah. The best way you can destroy your people, you take away 130 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,960 their ability to reproduce themselves. Yeah, who is it that's dying out here 131 00:11:54,000 --> 00:12:00,000 on these streets every night? Y'all? Yeah, young brothers like you said, 132 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:03,200 Else, what am I supposed to do? Full? Roll up? 133 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:07,000 Try to smoke me, shoot them? You don't kill me first. You're 134 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,559 doing exactly what they want you to do. You have to think, young 135 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:13,879 brother, about your future. Huh. This is the third year we have 136 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:20,759 covered films honoring African Americans for Black History Month. This film is a part 137 00:12:20,799 --> 00:12:26,200 of the quote unquote Big three of African American inner city films. We have 138 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:33,799 already covered Juice in Menace to Society the other two many include in this group. 139 00:12:33,799 --> 00:12:39,200 I have said many times that this film has an after school special feel 140 00:12:39,279 --> 00:12:45,879 to it. I realize that could diminish its power and classification as a great 141 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:52,039 film, which this film truly is. It is the first look at life 142 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:58,200 in a real inner city done by someone who lived it. It is tragic, 143 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:05,159 and it also provides a ray of hope. Nearly thirty three years after 144 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:11,159 its release, its influences still fell. It helped launch the careers of Fishburn 145 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:18,080 Long, Chestnut Bassett, not to mention the acting career of Ice Cube. 146 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:22,960 His experiences making this film led to him writing the comedy Friday, which has 147 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:28,879 also been covered here on Classic Film Reviews, to show the good times in 148 00:13:28,919 --> 00:13:33,679 the inner cities. The issues this film presents are still prevalent today, not 149 00:13:33,799 --> 00:13:39,360 just for inner city youth, but all youth. Racism, police abuse, 150 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:46,960 gentrification, economic disparity, single parenting, and crime are all temptations in pitfalls 151 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:52,080 the youth of America faces today. That is why this film still into ears 152 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:56,879 thirty plus years after its release. I hope you will join me next week 153 00:13:56,320 --> 00:14:03,639 when you look at Spike Lee's irreverent look if blackface and cinema. Next week's 154 00:14:03,639 --> 00:14:09,120 film is Bamboozle for W. M. N H and Matt Connorton Unleashed. 155 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:13,759 This has been a classic film review with Eric Pilcher. How does Sabama South 156 00:14:13,879 --> 00:14:18,080 Central for a place? Go button the captain funder pencil Note you can't find 157 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:22,200 the rules in a hand book. Take a coach, look at a crack 158 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:26,440 hook ring number one, number gun, a nine in your butt of beef, 159 00:14:26,559 --> 00:14:30,639 cum keep it in your cluff apartment attack us. There's nothing to get 160 00:14:30,639 --> 00:14:33,879 a start. Nephew White, You could trust the pone leash, but if 161 00:14:33,879 --> 00:14:37,759 your black. They ain't nothing but people watch out butt and killed. Don't 162 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:41,440 make the boss and give your hands on the stand. W don't just mort 163 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:46,759 that's all questions. And that's the first present on standing live and south Shi 164 00:14:46,960 --> 00:15:07,720 will be. That's how it's a fun. This is harm mandous. This 165 00:15:07,879 --> 00:15:13,120 is Los Angeles who number two, don't trust no body, especially a girl 166 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,320 with a hook. This botch coup. It ain't nothing but a crack and 167 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:20,720 big males and get your jack to kick man you wind up dead. And 168 00:15:20,919 --> 00:15:26,360 just to be saying, don't wear no golfwear because most people get caught and 169 00:15:26,519 --> 00:15:31,039 neither la who come the north? What talk black human fields? So I 170 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:33,320 think a better skip the sight saying and if you're not put a mark, 171 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,679 make sure that's in into a dork. But if you need some affection, 172 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:41,679 man, make sure the girl ain't a section next just if so that's a 173 00:15:41,759 --> 00:16:22,000 money rich house and you want somebody in South Sex. Number three, don't 174 00:16:22,039 --> 00:16:26,639 get caught up because brothers aren't doing anything that's caught up. And they got 175 00:16:26,639 --> 00:16:30,360 a fight on everything from dunting, this stole the merchant, we the shurn 176 00:16:30,759 --> 00:16:34,759 just op six Well wait it's one thing turns Wait boy, brother like dude 177 00:16:34,759 --> 00:16:40,639 and catching the seas it starts singing pe doing down the cut water booms brock 178 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:45,080 and there sther out of town's summer. So don't take your life for grat 179 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,440 because mister craziest place on the flat and now lay here. Rolls don't fight 180 00:16:48,519 --> 00:16:52,440 through the sky storms and they live behind the ball. So everybody's doing a 181 00:16:52,519 --> 00:16:56,200 little dirt and this the youngster's putting in the most what to be at lunch. 182 00:16:56,279 --> 00:17:02,600 They come as you even did enough. You stay. The strong survive. 183 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,960 Damn, the strong even die in South six and you know that. 184 00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:11,240 And you know that South six win not ulf. And I gotta say what's 185 00:17:11,319 --> 00:17:15,880 up to the fifth the only fip certain tickets in the house. I gotta 186 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:21,000 say what's up to my man team bot he talks in that house. Lets 187 00:17:21,039 --> 00:17:30,640 you k yo, I see it right down with a mouth yup. This 188 00:17:30,759 --> 00:17:32,680 is Los Angeles.