Jungle Fever
September 27th 2006 18:34
Yes, Lee has drawn his share of critics for his unabashed views on race relations, gun control and Hurricane Katrina... but what keeps the movie-going public happy are his earnest films about Black America and the fringes beyond them, with the heartstopping characters and silky smooth dialogue.
After Jungle Fever tore a black hole through the box office, English society adopted the phrase 'jungle fever' to mean a guy/girl that's interested in doing a little dance, makin' a little love and getting down tonight with a member of African blood.
And why not? I'd walk face down through piles of broken glass to have dinner with Halle Berry, Tyra Banks or Lena Horne.
Note to self: Lena Horne is pushing 80... don't order the extra-spicy vindaloo, and pass on the shots of tequila.
What makes Jungle Fever so watchable is that the false community that Lee has created onscreen appears to actually exist. From the Italian brothers to the racist black brothers, there's a definite three dimensionalism that has been very accurately crafted.
Notable for launching the careers of both Samuel L. Jackson and Halle Berry, who both play a couple of crack addicts, this movie is a veritable buffet of fantastic actors. It's hard to top Halle Berry asking to 'suck [a] dick' for $5 - before her X-Men days.
At its core, Jungle Fever is about the relationship between a black man and an Italian girl, but there's definitely more at work. The love scene is shocking for the stark contrast in colour, but it's the effect of the relationship around the lovers that makes you question our culture. Why is it so taboo?
We'd like to think that we're beyond this kind of prejudice, but those lines still exist, Lee shouts from behind the camera. Sure, he might only be 5' 4", but he's got a loud megaphone and a box to stand on.
I say: See it while eating a Philly Cheese Steak. That's thinly sliced beef, cooked with onions and ketchup, on a toasted roll with a slice of cheese.
See it for: I said it before: Halle Berry pimping herself out for $5. It's funny, especially considering that she's got that Oscar in her pocket, but even more startling is the fact that she looks scorchingly hot, even when she's on crack.
* the movie poster image is taken from the Wikipedia page on Jungle Fever.
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Comment by Chantal
You bring up some good points, we like to think we're all PC now but films like this wouldn't be cutting edge if we were!
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
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Especially these days, when there's all this global tension going around...
Comment by Stanley