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Amazon.com
Spike Lee's 1991 story about an interracial relationship and its consequences on the lives and communities of the lovers (Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra) is one of his most captivating and focused films. Snipes and Sciorra are very good as individuals trying to reach beyond the limits imposed upon them for reasons of race, tradition, sexism, and such. Lee makes an interesting and subtle case that they are driven to one another out of frustration with social obstacles as well as pure attraction--but is that enough for love to survive? John Turturro is featured in a subplot as an Italian American who grows attracted to a black woman and takes heat from his numbskull buddies. --Tom Keogh
Product Description
Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, John Turturro. Director Spike Lee's exploration of an interracial relationship between a wealthy black architect and his white secretary. 1991/color/135 min/R/widescreen.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By L. Kelsey
Format:VHS Tape
One of Spike Lee's best films, "Jungle Fever" comments more on race relations in America, than on the subject of adultery. Spike is all over the place with his take on male/female relationships, the devastation wrought on a family and the Black community by crack cocaine, the "color line" in the Italian community and interracial relationships. But he seems to pull it all together to make a powerful film and one of the best of the '90s.
The acting is terrific with the standout performance being Samuel L. Jackson's as Gator, Wesley Snipes ill fated brother. He's charming, comical and evil all at once. And Wesley showed his range as an actor through his performance as Flipper, the "good son," who has a momentary lapse in character and has an affair with his secretary, Annabella Sciorra. All the performances are great and the actors get you to care about the characters they present. Wesley's performance came after the strong work he did as Nino Brown in "New Jack City" and I don't remember an actor "flippin' the script" on the movie going public like that, going from evil to good, in one year in a long time.
You could look at Flipper and Angie as symbols of Black and White America, trying to come together and the obstacles we face as a nation when we don't deal with the issue of race honestly. Something we're still going through. This film also deals with our dishonesty with dealing with the drug problem too, and this is where Spike deserves credit. No one is left unexamined by this tale of life and there are no happy endings either from Gator being murdered by his father, to Flipper and Angie breaking up.
I love how Spike begins and ends the movie. Spike shows in the beginning a couple, obviously in love, in Wesley and Lonnette Mc Kee, (in a strong, small supporting role as Drew) that leads you to believe nothing could tear them apart. When you get to the end, Wesley and Lonnette are trying to make a go at it, but through Lonnette's tears, you see she's just going through the motions, hoping to put away the pain through the lovemaking. When she tells him "he better leave now," you can tell the hurt she's experienced can't be "loved away" like he'd like.
Critics of this film usually state Spike should have stuck to telling one story. What must be said is that while Spike explores a range of contemporary issues in this film, he has made a film of power and emotion, that definitely draws an opinion out of you, one way or another. An underrated, overlooked masterpiece.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
To date, Hollywood has produced very few movies dealing with interracial dating or marriage. In Jungle Fever, director Spike Lee (who also co-stars in the film) tackles this complex issue and the controversies surrounding it. The main action revolves around a middle-class Black architect, Flipper Purify (played by Wesley Snipes), and his extra-marital affair with his white, Italian-American secretary, Angela (Anabella Sciorra). Flipper and Angela have a burning sexual attraction for one another, fueled by racist sexual stereotypes each has for the opposite race. These passions culminate in a one-night stand that eventually drags out for several weeks. In the meantime, both people are forced to deal with the social implications of their actions - Flipper for cheating on his wife and, equally, for sleeping with a white woman; while Angela becomes an outcast in her Italian-American neighborhood for sleeping with a black man.
Some people have attacked Spike Lee's Jungle Fever by claiming that Lee is condemning interracial relationships. This is nonsense. Lee is neither promoting nor condemning interracial dating...he is merely analyzing the strong stigma Americans (Black and White alike) attach to dating outside of one's respective race. In the film Lee gives equal time to the anger and hostility that many whites and blacks have against dating across racial lines.
Anyone who has ever been involved in an interracial relationship will be able to relate to this movie. The movie struck a personal note with me, as I have exerienced the stares, glares, heads shaking in disgust, and snide comments that whites, blacks, and Latinos alike have given me regarding interracial dating. This movie is brutally honest; it does not sugarcoat a sensitive topic.
As is typical of a Spike Lee joint, Jungle Fever is a mix of serious drama and comedy. The acting is superb, and Spike Lee uses many of his regulars such as John Turturro, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Rick Aiello, and Miguel Sandoval in the cast. Also of note...this was Halle Berry's first major role in a motion picture. Turturro delivers the best performance in the film as the owner of a newspaper cafe who has a romantic interest in a Black customer.
Fortunately, the DVD comes with some nice extras. Included are the original theatrical trailer and a short documentary on the filming of Jungle Fever where the cast discuss their experiences on the set and their thoughts about the film.
On a side note...Spike Lee decided to film Jungle Fever shortly after the real-life murder of Yusuf Hawkins, a black youth, who was killed in an Italian-American section of New York City after it was discovered that he was dating a white female. Spike's critics acuse him of race-baiting and playing the race card...I say Spike depicts the reality of the world in which we live.
Some people have attacked Spike Lee's Jungle Fever by claiming that Lee is condemning interracial relationships. This is nonsense. Lee is neither promoting nor condemning interracial dating...he is merely analyzing the strong stigma Americans (Black and White alike) attach to dating outside of one's respective race. In the film Lee gives equal time to the anger and hostility that many whites and blacks have against dating across racial lines.
Anyone who has ever been involved in an interracial relationship will be able to relate to this movie. The movie struck a personal note with me, as I have exerienced the stares, glares, heads shaking in disgust, and snide comments that whites, blacks, and Latinos alike have given me regarding interracial dating. This movie is brutally honest; it does not sugarcoat a sensitive topic.
As is typical of a Spike Lee joint, Jungle Fever is a mix of serious drama and comedy. The acting is superb, and Spike Lee uses many of his regulars such as John Turturro, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Rick Aiello, and Miguel Sandoval in the cast. Also of note...this was Halle Berry's first major role in a motion picture. Turturro delivers the best performance in the film as the owner of a newspaper cafe who has a romantic interest in a Black customer.
Fortunately, the DVD comes with some nice extras. Included are the original theatrical trailer and a short documentary on the filming of Jungle Fever where the cast discuss their experiences on the set and their thoughts about the film.
On a side note...Spike Lee decided to film Jungle Fever shortly after the real-life murder of Yusuf Hawkins, a black youth, who was killed in an Italian-American section of New York City after it was discovered that he was dating a white female. Spike's critics acuse him of race-baiting and playing the race card...I say Spike depicts the reality of the world in which we live.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
PLEASE NOTE:
In preparing to write my own review for this film I happened to read The New Yorker's review posted on this site and realized that it took the words right out of my mouth, so please, forgive me if this sounds a tad repetitious.
On with the review...
I finally got around to watching `Jungle Fever' last week. I have to admit that all week I've been singing `Jungle Fever' to just about everyone I see, and at times even to myself (that song is just so catchy) but when it came to actually dissecting the film I realized that as a whole there isn't much to remember. Knowing that the basis of this film is a heated affair between a married black man and his white (Italian) co-worker you'd think that there would be a lot to write home about, but the affair is really only here to spark heated debate about whether or not the white women are stealing the black men. Once Flipper (yeah, that's his `real' name) and Angela `do the deed' they seem to become detached and uninterested with one another and the film spars off in another direction completely.
Spike Lee has always been a director for racial controversy, and for the most part his studies work (they tower above the mediocrity that is Tyler Perry, that's for sure) but `Jungle Fever' seems to get lost in its own opinions and ideals. Lee doesn't seem to be able to transfer his feelings on the subject of `race relations' in a coherent and tactful way. Everyone's conversations on the matter are completely one sided and only prove to further embellish stereotypes, which is not something I expect from Spike Lee's work.
In moments, `Jungle Fever' reaches `Crash' depths of racial shallowness. What `Jungle Fever' does have on its side is its age. Whereas `Crash' was trying to paint every situation as racism in a time that has advanced so much in that department, `Jungle Fever' has the advantage of being from a time (early 90's) when racism was a lot more prevalent and so when Flipper is passed over for partner because of his skin color it is believable.
That said; it still tends to go a little too far in moments.
In fact, when you remove the stereotypes and racial approach to the film you find the most intriguing and effective aspect of the film; Flipper's brother Gator (I know, seriously?). Gator is a crackhead living on the street and constantly taking advantage of his family. While his story has nothing to do with `interracial dating' he actually makes the loudest statement in the film. In fact, his subplot is by far the most interesting, and his interactions with his mother and Flipper are the highlights of the film.
The performances here are also very well done. Samuel L. Jackson is the scene stealer (and really should have been Oscar nominated for this) as Gator. He has a difficult job of making his `humorous' character more than just a walking cliché, and he does just so (especially as his characters sub-plot reaches its climax). Ruby Dee is also magnificent as Lucinda, Gator and Flipper's mother. The scene at the dinner table with Flipper and Angie is brilliant, especially when she leaves to breakdown in the kitchen. John Turturro and Frank Vincent and Anthony Quinn and Veronica Webb all deliver memorable supporting performances and Lonette McKee is sympathetic as Flipper's jilted wife. Spike Lee should stay behind the camera for he's not nearly as charismatic in front of it, and while Ossie Davis's character is somewhat the pinnacle of the films morale he delivers his lines in such an excruciatingly dry manor that I found him a bore.
And then there is Halle Berry in one of the funniest cameo performances I've ever seen; period.
That leaves us with Wesley Snipes and Annabella Sciorra, the films stars. Snipes is not the greatest of actors. He's an action buff who has a hard time joggling a weighty film (in my opinion obviously). Here he does better than I expected, but not as good as he should have. He seems almost disinterested with Angie, his eyes parading this guilt that makes his relationship with her feel forced and faux. Sciorra was drastically different, engaging her character marvelously. Despite the fact that Lee grew tired of the interracial relationship almost as soon as it began, Sciorra never grows tired of fleshing out her character. Every time she is on the screen she is working it, and doing so brilliantly.
The film is not a brilliant character study, but it works to a certain extent. I don't think that it carries Lee's message in the proper way, and at times can come off amateurish in its delivery (the dialog is a mess in parts). Some brilliant performances elevate the script, and the overall feel of the film is not one of total disappointment. I can see why so many like this movie, but truth be told, it could have been a masterpiece.
In preparing to write my own review for this film I happened to read The New Yorker's review posted on this site and realized that it took the words right out of my mouth, so please, forgive me if this sounds a tad repetitious.
On with the review...
I finally got around to watching `Jungle Fever' last week. I have to admit that all week I've been singing `Jungle Fever' to just about everyone I see, and at times even to myself (that song is just so catchy) but when it came to actually dissecting the film I realized that as a whole there isn't much to remember. Knowing that the basis of this film is a heated affair between a married black man and his white (Italian) co-worker you'd think that there would be a lot to write home about, but the affair is really only here to spark heated debate about whether or not the white women are stealing the black men. Once Flipper (yeah, that's his `real' name) and Angela `do the deed' they seem to become detached and uninterested with one another and the film spars off in another direction completely.
Spike Lee has always been a director for racial controversy, and for the most part his studies work (they tower above the mediocrity that is Tyler Perry, that's for sure) but `Jungle Fever' seems to get lost in its own opinions and ideals. Lee doesn't seem to be able to transfer his feelings on the subject of `race relations' in a coherent and tactful way. Everyone's conversations on the matter are completely one sided and only prove to further embellish stereotypes, which is not something I expect from Spike Lee's work.
In moments, `Jungle Fever' reaches `Crash' depths of racial shallowness. What `Jungle Fever' does have on its side is its age. Whereas `Crash' was trying to paint every situation as racism in a time that has advanced so much in that department, `Jungle Fever' has the advantage of being from a time (early 90's) when racism was a lot more prevalent and so when Flipper is passed over for partner because of his skin color it is believable.
That said; it still tends to go a little too far in moments.
In fact, when you remove the stereotypes and racial approach to the film you find the most intriguing and effective aspect of the film; Flipper's brother Gator (I know, seriously?). Gator is a crackhead living on the street and constantly taking advantage of his family. While his story has nothing to do with `interracial dating' he actually makes the loudest statement in the film. In fact, his subplot is by far the most interesting, and his interactions with his mother and Flipper are the highlights of the film.
The performances here are also very well done. Samuel L. Jackson is the scene stealer (and really should have been Oscar nominated for this) as Gator. He has a difficult job of making his `humorous' character more than just a walking cliché, and he does just so (especially as his characters sub-plot reaches its climax). Ruby Dee is also magnificent as Lucinda, Gator and Flipper's mother. The scene at the dinner table with Flipper and Angie is brilliant, especially when she leaves to breakdown in the kitchen. John Turturro and Frank Vincent and Anthony Quinn and Veronica Webb all deliver memorable supporting performances and Lonette McKee is sympathetic as Flipper's jilted wife. Spike Lee should stay behind the camera for he's not nearly as charismatic in front of it, and while Ossie Davis's character is somewhat the pinnacle of the films morale he delivers his lines in such an excruciatingly dry manor that I found him a bore.
And then there is Halle Berry in one of the funniest cameo performances I've ever seen; period.
That leaves us with Wesley Snipes and Annabella Sciorra, the films stars. Snipes is not the greatest of actors. He's an action buff who has a hard time joggling a weighty film (in my opinion obviously). Here he does better than I expected, but not as good as he should have. He seems almost disinterested with Angie, his eyes parading this guilt that makes his relationship with her feel forced and faux. Sciorra was drastically different, engaging her character marvelously. Despite the fact that Lee grew tired of the interracial relationship almost as soon as it began, Sciorra never grows tired of fleshing out her character. Every time she is on the screen she is working it, and doing so brilliantly.
The film is not a brilliant character study, but it works to a certain extent. I don't think that it carries Lee's message in the proper way, and at times can come off amateurish in its delivery (the dialog is a mess in parts). Some brilliant performances elevate the script, and the overall feel of the film is not one of total disappointment. I can see why so many like this movie, but truth be told, it could have been a masterpiece.
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