Jungle Fever
List Price:
Our Price: $4.28
You Save: $5.71 (57%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $3.18 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Annabella Sciorra, Wesley SnipesBrand: NBC Universal
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 132 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1998-12-15
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Jungle Fever
Movie Review: Brutally honest look at interracial relationships
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Summary of Jungle Fever
This critically acclaimed film from Spike Lee explores the provocative consequences of interracial relationships. Black architect Flipper Purify (Wesley Snipes) begins an affair with his working-class Italian secretary (Annabella Sciorra), which causes them to be scrutinized by their friends, cast out from their families and shunned by their neighbors in this moving view of inner-city life. Featuring an original soundtrack by Stevie Wonder, Jungle Fever stars a talented cast including Spike Lee, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Turturro and two-time Academy Award winner Anthony Quinn. Starring: Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Spike Lee, Anthony Quinn, Samuel L. Jackson, John Turturro, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Lonette McKee, Frank Vincent, Halle Berry, Tim Robbins, Brad Dourif, Queen Latifah Directed by: Spike LeeSpike 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
Similar DVD Movies
She's Gotta Have ItJOHNS,TRACY CAMILLA; Release date: 2008-01-15; Published: 2008-01-01; DVD
Best price: $3.78
Price in other shops:
Dead PresidentsBuena Vista Home Video; Release date: 1998-05-20; DVD
Best price: $5.96
Price in other shops:
BoomerangBoomerang; Release date: 2002-09-24; DVD
Best price: $4.14
Price in other shops:
Poetic JusticeSony; Release date: 1999-03-30; DVD
Best price: $3.17
Price in other shops:
Eve's BayouLions Gate; Release date: 2003-02-18; DVD
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
CrooklynNBC Universal; Release date: 1999-02-23; Published: 1999-02-01; DVD
Best price: $4.39
Price in other shops:
Jason's LyricPAYNE,ALLEN; Release date: 2000-01-18; DVD
Best price: $3.99
Price in other shops:
Do the Right ThingMCA; Release date: 2010-09-07; Published: 1998-07-01; DVD
Best price: $8.36
Price in other shops:
School DazeFISHBURNE,LARRY; Release date: 2001-01-30; DVD
Best price: $4.40
Price in other shops:
Mo' Better BluesUNI DIST CORP. (MCA); Release date: 2004-12-28; Published: 2004-12-01; DVD
Best price: $2.87
Price in other shops: