Boyz N the Hood

Reviewed by:
Paul Ulane

Before Larry Fishburne Morpheus-ed into “Laurence,” before Ice Cube got fired on his day off, and before Cuba Gooding Jr. took the last Boat Trip out of respectability, the three came together with unknown USC film student John Singleton and made the defining movie about South Central L.A.’s brutally violent neighborhoods (nicknamed “hoods” in the urban community) of the early ’90s. Recognizing the film’s significance is this two-disc DVD set that examines Hollywood before Boyz N the Hood broke things open for black actors, directors, and white executives exploiting black actors and directors. A thorough analysis of the film’s evolution—from the original script to the riots outside theaters where it opened—relies on interviews with cast and crew in “Making of an Urban Legend.” Even better are the tales of terror-stricken Columbia Pictures employees recounting the drive-by threats of local gangs during filming, attributable to Cube’s straight-out-of-Compton status. Oh, and how could we forget the music video for Tevin Campbell’s “Just Ask Me To”? It’s the perfect parallel, aligning a movie as enduring as Boyz N the Hood and a musician who’s work remains equally relevant.

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