I saw this movie back in 1993 it sparked my interest because of its main focus on interracial dating and the woes that can come with it. This movie also directs our focus, and attention to drugs and its dangers along with the horrible effects in can have on family life. I also like this movie because of its writer, and director Spike Lee. Spike Lee has a beautiful, and unique way of sending a strong social meaning to his movies. In ’’Do the Right Thing’’ Spike Lee sends many important messages of police brutality, and racism.
His messages are always wholesome; they leave the viewer with long lasting thoughts. In this movie ’’Jungle Fever’’ Spike Lee takes a grim look at interracial relationships, and the negative effects they have on blacks and whites. He also takes a grim look at drugs, and its devastating effects on human nature, and family life. This movie was released in 1991 it is directed and written by Spike Lee.
The Story
Ossie Davis, and Ruby Dee provides excellent performances in their lead roles as the parents of two sons this family is African-American. One son is a successful illustrator (Wesley Snipes, Blade), and the other is a drug addict who lives in the streets (Samual L. Jackson, Shaft). The illustrator is happily married with one child. He later meets a white woman (Annabella Sciorra, The Hand that Rocks the Cradle) while at work and they have an affair. His life takes many turns while in this relationship, he’s confronted by two white police officers who thinks he’s attacking his white lover, his wife throws him out of their home when she finds out of his affair, he quits his job when his bid for partnership in the company is denied.
Meanwhile, his new found love meets a terrible fate with her father when he finds out she’s involved with a black man. His brother makes his mother miserable every time he visits home, his father has told him not to return home because of his drug addicted life style. He’s always asking for money, he’s stolen the family television, and later attempts to rob his mother. His final fate with his father is dreadful, and heart braking.
Final Thoughts on ’’Jungle Fever’’
Spike Lee does an excellent job with this thought- provoking urban movie. The script is written with an excellent directed focus on life’s experiences as it relates to the social make up of race relations between whites, blacks, drugs, and its negative affects on human nature. The myths, and stereotypes of blacks, and whites are addressed with intelligence in this movie. Spike Lee’s excellent taste when using these distinguished characters to lay out his strong message is very clear, and concise. As for the casting and direction the on location urban settings are excellent. As for acting, Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Samual L. Jackson, Ossie Davis, and Ruby Dee provides excellent, and well-crafted performances in this movie. Overall ’’Jungle Fever is an excellent movie.