Higher Learning
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| Higher Learning | |
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.jpg) The movie cover for Higher Learning. |
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| Directed by | John Singleton |
| Produced by | John Singleton Paul Hall |
| Written by | John Singleton |
| Starring | Omar Epps Kristy Swanson Ice Cube Michael Rapaport Tyra Banks Jennifer Connelly Laurence Fishburne Jason Wiles Busta Rhymes Regina King Cole Hauser |
| Music by | Stanley Clarke |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | January 11, 1995 |
| Running time | 127 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Higher Learning is a 1995 drama film, starring an ensemble cast. It also featured supermodel Tyra Banks' first performance in a theatrical movie.
Laurence Fishburne won an Image Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture" for his performance; Ice Cube was also nominated for the award.
UCLA filled in for the fictional college, Columbus University. The exterior shots and outdoor scenes were shot on the campus.
In addition to "Higher", performed by Ice Cube, the soundtrack includes performances of newer material (at the time) by OutKast, Liz Phair, Tori Amos and Rage Against the Machine.
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[edit] Plot Summary
This drama examines the personal, political, and racial dilemmas facing a group of college freshmen as they begin their first semester at Columbus University. Malik (Omar Epps) is an athlete attending on a track scholarship; academics are not his strong suit, and he goes in thinking that his athletic abilities will earn him a free ride through college. Fudge (Ice Cube), a "professional student" who has been at Columbus for six years so far, becomes friendly with Malik and challenges his views about race and politics in America, while Professor Phipps (Laurence Fishburne), a black professor of political science, mentors Malik and lets him know that he will not be graded on a different standard either because of his race or his ability to run quickly. In Deja (Tyra Banks), Malik finds a girlfriend, a tutor, and a training partner all rolled into one.
Meanwhile, Kristen (Kristy Swanson), a naive freshman from Orange County, California, meets a boy named Billy (Jay R. Ferguson). After both have too much to drink at a beer blast, Kristen becomes a victim of date rape and involves herself with a campus feminist group to deal with the painful experience. While working with the women's group, Kristen gets to know Taryn (Jennifer Connelly), a strong but understanding lesbian, and she finds herself becoming attracted to her.
Remy (Michael Rapaport) is a confused young man from Idaho who feels lost in the multi-cultural atmosphere of Columbus. He is approached by Scott Moss (Cole Hauser), a member of a group of White power skinheads, who believe that Remy is a perfect candidate to help carry out his group's violent goals.
[edit] Cast
- Omar Epps - Malik
- Kristy Swanson - Kristen Connor
- Michael Rapaport - Remy
- Jennifer Connelly - Taryn
- Ice Cube - Fudge
- Jason Wiles - Wayne
- Tyra Banks - Deja
- Cole Hauser - Scott Moss
- Laurence Fishburne - Professor Maurice Phipps
- Bradford English - Officer Bradley
- Regina King - Monet
- Busta Rhymes - Dreads
- Jay R. Ferguson - Billy
- Andrew Bryniarski - Knocko
- Trevor St. John - James
- Talbert Morton - Erik
- Adam Goldberg - David Isaacs
- J. Trevor Edmond - Eddie
- Bridgette Wilson - Nicole
- Kari Wührer - Claudia
[edit] Soundtrack
- Ice Cube - "Higher"
- Ice Cube - "Something To Think About"
- Meshell Ndegeocello - "Soul Searchin' (I Wanna Know If It's Mine)"
- Mista Grimm - "Situation: Grimm"
- Raphael Saadiq - "Ask Of You"
- Tori Amos - "Losing My Religion"
- Outkast - "Phobia"
- Cole Hauser/Michael Rapaport - "My New Friend"
- Rage Against the Machine - "Year Of The Boomerang" (see Year of tha Boomerang)
- The Brand New Heavies - "Higher Learning/Time For Change"
- Liz Phair - "Don't Have Time"
- Tori Amos - "Butterfly"
- Zhane - "By Your Side"
- Eve's Plum - "Eye"
- Stanley Clarke - "The Learning Curve"
The film also featured the tune "Formaldehyde" by Sons of Elvis and Tire Me by Rage Against The Machine
[edit] Miscellanea
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- According to film critic/historian Roger Ebert, the name of Columbus University is an inside joke. The college is named for Christopher Columbus: a Dead White European Male whose "discovery" of America led to genocide and worse. After dark, it becomes unsafe to walk the University grounds due to muggers and the like. The motto of SNSS (Students for a Non-Sexist Society) is "Dead Men Don't Rape."
- Omar Epps played another character named Malik in the gangsta-movie spoof, Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood. Here, he was the first (and presumably only) African-American to go to college but was gunned down by a racist sniper on his first day.
- Ironically, most of the Nazi-Skinheads were played by Jewish actors (Andrew Bryniarski, Michael Rapaport, Trevor St. John, Talbert Morton, and Cole Hauser)
- Another irony: One of Remy's favorite bands is Rage Against the Machine, whose membership includes a Mexican-American lead singer (Zach De La Rocha), an African-American guitar player (Tom Morello), and a Buddhist drummer (Brad Wilk).
- Tupac Shakur was originally set to play the role of Malik but he was jailed shortly after getting the part and the role went instead to Omar Epps.
- John Singleton wanted Sidney Poitier to play professor Maurice Phipps. He was not available. Singleton's second choice for Professor Phipps was Samuel L. Jackson; the studio preferred Laurence Fishburne, who had worked successfully with Singleton in Boyz in the Hood.
- Originally John Singleton wanted Leonardo DiCaprio to play Remy, while Michael Rapaport was originally going to play Scott Moss. DiCaprio was cast, but unable to be in the film because of a scheduling conflict with The Quick And The Dead. So Singleton had Rapaport play Remy once Hauser was cast.
- Vivica A. Fox was the second choice for the role of Deja.
- The idea for the film came when Director Jonathan Demme approached John Singleton about making a movie about college racial issues throughout the country when they were in pre-production for Boyz N The Hood which was being developed at Orion Pictures with Singleton directing and Demme producing. Once the deal with Orion Pictures fell through, Singleton took the idea and began to develop it while at Columbia Pictures.
- According to John Singleton, this film is based on his college experiences while attending USC. Singleton says in the DVD commentary that the scene in which Remy walks up to Malik and voices his opinion about the T-shirt that he was wearing is based on an incident from his own life.
- Dustin Hoffman was originally considered for the role of the professor that becomes a mentor to Malik. Hoffman wanted the plot to revolve around the professor and the student, but Singleton refused.
- Drew Barrymore lost the role of Kristen.
- Morris Chestnut had a small role as a sprinter on the track team.
- The sniper scene was based on the Charles Whitman incident at the University of Texas in 1966.
[edit] External links
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