In last week’s class, we watched Spike Lee’s 1988 film, School Daze. I said something similar about Shaft last week, but this has to be my favorite film we have watched so far, so much so that I watched it again myself. I really like Lee’s style, especially his writing. I thought it was interesting that this film shared some cast with ‘89’s Do The Right Thing, which is one of my all time favorite films and I really enjoyed getting to see more of Radio Raheem’s actor. Even though it covers some serious issues and has some heavy moments, it manages to be very funny as a comedy. I thought the ending especially was very thought provoking. I have been thinking a lot about its meaning in the past week, and every time I consider a different angle. I also love how Spike Lee is unapologetically a black film maker and in the three films of his that I’ve seen, he has not once stopped and pandered. He has a distinct style and voice as a filmmaker in all of his movies and it really adds to the films and a lot of the time it makes them what they are. I thought it was interesting that this is another one where Lee acts in it. He is a pretty good actor, but is overshadowed by a lot of the cast acting wise. I also thought it was interesting because in a later film of his that I watched, Bamboozled, Lee does not appear as an actor in it but he is name dropped in a conversation with an executive. I also thought the imagery in the good and bad hair sequence was interesting, namely when the lighter skinned women hold up signs of a mammy character toward the darker skinned women. Overall, it was a very interesting watch, covering a lot of issues such as class, protestors vs non protestors, colorism, and it provided some very funny satire on Greek life and hazing.
Excellent response. So glad you felt compelled to rewatch it! You might want to look up some reviews to supplement your understanding of the films we are watching.