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PHILL BOOGIE'S TAKE: PASSING WITH HONORS
Who didn't get a little sad when they shot Ricky? "Boyz N the Hood" is a classic. When I saw this film, I expected to just have some mindless fun. I had no idea, I'd leave the theater talking about urban decay. Years later when I moved to L.A., I couldn't wait to get to Crenshaw and to a Fat Burger. Whether you like the film, or not, you can't argue that it cemented an image of South Los Angeles that still resonates today.
RANDY BANDIT’S TAKE: PASSING WITH HONORS
I remember seeing this movie in a packed theater. It was more of an experience than just catching a flick. And like Phill said, you could hear a mouse piss on cotton when Ricky got shot. It was quite an experience—and eons from how I grew up in West Point, Mississippi. I have to admit that the black-on-black murders associated with L.A. scared me when I saw this movie. Back then, my town only had an occasional accidental or natural death, so seeing people pulling out weapons like that on regular street corners opened my eyes to a totally different way of life.
Years later, I would see Cooley High and marvel at the similarities between the two films. I’m thinking that if I saw Boyz N the Hood at an older age, with the benefit of having seen Cooley High first, I can’t say how much different my reaction would have been.
Overall, it was awesome film and ten times better than the films that would soon imitate it.
1 comment:
Boyz N the Hood” was a movie that I had heard mentioned a few times in conversation. I didn’t understand the true meaning of the reference until I experienced the movie myself one day after school. To me, it was like a typical day in the life of one of those 90’s west coast rappers (Ice Cube). I believe this was one point trying to be made. The music that people made was about real things. However, There is a second part to that thought that I will get to later on. The movie described a life that I had never seen and can’t really fathom because I was just never exposed to the lifestyle they lived. The small houses, sirens and gunfire at night, constant paranoia, and lets not forget the drug and alcohol use throughout the movie painted a picture of what Southern L.A. had become. Many stereotypes were portrayed in this film. Black people always disobeying the law, destroying their own communities, engaging in gang activity, and guys always trying to get a girl set the background for the film. There was a deeper meaning behind this film. One that you picked up on whether you were looking for it or not. When Cuba Gooding Jr and his father went to the site of the billboard and were talking about money and how to get out of that place, they were approached by some people who lived in that neighborhood. I don’t quite remember what happened after that but I know the father and soon were asked to leave, just not so politly. This, to me, made me realize how fortunate I was to not have to grow up in such an area. I believe this was a point the director was trying to make. He was showing how bad it was to live there and also showing what became of the black community. The part at the end when the football player was shot was definitly a sad scene. However,What came after it was profound to me. The fact the Cuba Gooding Jr’s character was responsible enough and was raised well enough to change his mind and not take revenge meant something to me. This gave me hope for the community. If one person can make the right decision perhaps all hope is not lost for that community. To sum up my point from earlier, the music that those west coast rappers of the 90’s were making was about real life and what they experienced. The thing that this movie brought out of me was why do they glorify this? I understand not forgetting where you came from but these songs made it good to kill and sell drugs. I can’t lie, I have bumped these songs more than once but the point remains. Does this benefit the black community? Does it benefit the view of the black community? No it does not. This movie was just an example of how bad things can be.
Nickntm
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