School Daze(1988)

Name: School Daze
Director: Spike Lee
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Musical
Released: Feb 12, 1988
Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Giancarlo Esposito, Tisha Campbell, Kyme, Joe Seneca

Columbia Pictures

R
2h 1m

Release Date: Feb 12, 1988

A not so popular young man wants to pledge to a popular fraternity at his historically black college.

Release Details

Original Release | Feb 12, 1988

View Advanced Data

Box Office Results

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$1,280,354
Total US & Canada:
$14,545,844
Total Worldwide:
$14,545,844

Current Showtimes

orround

Sat Aug 22
Sun Aug 23
Mon Aug 24
Tue Aug 25
Wed Aug 26
Thu Aug 27
Fri Aug 28

Director & Top Cast

Spike Lee
Director

Laurence Fishburne
Dap Dunlap

Giancarlo Esposito
Actor

Tisha Campbell
Actor

Kyme
Actor

Joe Seneca
Actor

Ellen Holly

Actor

Art Evans

Actor

Ossie Davis

Actor

Bill Nunn

Actor

James Bond III

Actor

Branford Marsalis

Actor

Kadeem Hardison

Actor

Eric Payne

Actor

Spike Lee

Actor

Anthony Thompkins

Actor

Guy Killum

Actor

Dominic Hoffman

Actor

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo

Aspect Ratio: 1.85 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United States

Language: English

Summaries

Plot Summary

Friday....On Homecoming Weekend at the historical African-American university, Mission College in Georgia, the militant senior Vaughn "Dap" Dunlap (Laurence Fishburne) leads a protest rally regarding the school's involvement with apartheid in South Africa. However, the fraternity Gamma Phi Gamma and their pledge class, the Gammites, arrive to interrupt the demonstration. Julian "Big Brother Almighty" Eaves (Giancarlo Esposito), Gamma leader and Dap's former friend, informs Dap he does not agree with his protest. Upset, Dap and Julian began to fight, but Student Government Association president Virgil Cloyd (Gregg Burge) breaks up the rally.At the administration building, Board of Trustees Chairman "Cedar Cloud" (Art Evans) orders College President Harold McPherson (Joe Seneca) to stop Dap from protesting. Later, Julian taunts Gammites pledge Darrell "Half-Pint," (Spike Lee) saying he will drop out of pledging just as his cousin Dap did years earlier.In the evening, Dap asks his activist friends, Grady (Bill Nunn), Monroe (James Bond III), Jordan (Branford Marsalis), Edge (Kadeem Hardison), and Booker T. (Eric A. Payne), to return with him to the administration building to protest. Although supporters of Dap's cause, they want to complete their college education and get good jobs in the future.Meanwhile, the Gamma Rays, the Gamma women's auxiliary led by Julian's girlfriend Jane Toussaint (Tisha Campbell) - mostly light-skinned black women with straightened hair - clash with some of their non-Greek classmates, including Dap's girlfriend Rachel Meadows (Kyme) - mostly dark-skinned black women with natural hair - over skin color and hair politics.Unsuccessful in courting any female students, Darrell and the pledges are hazed.Dap and Rachel have a falling out when she plans to rush a sorority, and she accuses him of colorism.Saturday.....The weekend's festivities begin, and the Gamma brothers nearly come to blows with Dap and his fellow protesters at the homecoming parade.A little later the big homecoming football game is held. After the Mission football team suffers an embarrassing loss, Cloud and McPherson call Dap into their office where they threaten him with expulsion if he continues his activism.Dap and his friends drive into town to eat at a local KFC, where they are harassed by locals who resent them as privileged college boys. Returning to campus, Dap confronts Julian about Darrell's pledge status.Sunday....At the Greeks' step show, a performance by Dap and his friends leads to a brawl with the Gammas. Seeking out Rachel, Dap is humiliated by her dorm neighbors, but he and Rachel reconcile.That evening, Half-Pint and the Gammites complete their pledging and finally become fraternity brothers. During the celebration with the Gamma Ray sorority, Julian becomes annoyed with Jane. Singling out Half-Pint, Julian orders him to sleep with Jane as a final test. Although Half-Pint is uncomfortable with Julian's request, Jane insists she would do anything for Julian. Afterward, Julian accuses Jane of loving the fraternity and his position as leader "Big Brother Almighty" instead of him, and breaks up with her.Meanwhile, Half-Pint brags to Dap that he slept with Jane by Julian's orders. Seeing his cousin turned into an entitled Gamma, Dap runs to the center of the campus quad. As the sun comes up, Dap wakes the entire campus from the previous night's debauchery by ringing a large bell. A tearful Julian arrives and stands eye-to-eye with Dap, who breaks the fourth wall to tell the audience directly, "Please, wake up".

Storyline

In the South of the United States are taking place confrontations between two groups of students who have different ideas and are not able to accept the one of the opponent. — Volker Boehm A contemporary comedic look at black college life. Dap (Fishburne) and Big Brother Almighty (Esposito) conflict over the greek frat system while the Wanna-be's and Jigaboo's conflict over self-identity and self-esteem. — Sandra Hall