Historical Texts

"1 in 21 African American males will die of murder in thier lifetime""Most will be killed by other African American males"
Boyz N The HooD 1991 by John Singleton
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101507/ - just shows general information.

A few facts about the making of the film

• Was shot before the 1992 Los Angeles Riots
• Depits life in the "crime ridden South Central" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyz_In_The_Hood
• John Singleton was the youngest to be nominated for the best director award and was also the first African American to be nominated aswell.
• 2002, Library of Congress named it "culturally significant" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyz_In_The_Hood

Synopsis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boyz_In_The_Hood#Plot_summary

The opening starts with the following two messages which probably convey the meaning of the film.: "1 in 21 African American males will die of murder in thier lifetime"
"Most will be killed by other African American males"

Tre Styles a young African American male is walking to school with his two other friends the year is 1984. Tre and his friends notice a crime scene with police tap, gunshot holes in the walls and puddles of blood on the ground. The first incident happens in school when Tre, is finding it hard, to concentrate and misbehaves. His mother is studying for her masters degree and is informed that her son is suspended from school for 3 days for getting into a fight. She decides to send him to Crenshaw- where his father lives, Jason 'Furious' Styles.

Tres' first day is hard with his father, he orders him to do household duties but the reason him being responsible is so he can grow up to be a man and not be dead or in jail, hence referring to the beginning messages. They then, later on, go on a fishing trip where Furious teaches him about sex and the precautions of unprotected sex. They return to Crenshaw where Doughboy and Ricky are being arrested and sent off to juvenile halls, for stealing.

The story jumps 7 years ahead when the boys are at school Tre and Ricky are in class and they are in the middle of a English test. Furious educates the boys that the test is culturally biased and that Maths is fair. We see that Ricky has 110 points higher in Maths then in English. Furious drives the boys to Compton and leactures not only them but citizens of Compton that

"explaining how violence and drug use divide the black community by decreasing property values, allowing real estate companies to buy the land cheaply from black residents and sell it at a profit to developers. The influx of white investment money raises property values and taxes, pushing out the remaining old residents in the process. Furious tells the crowd that the rest of the nation will not help the urban poor because they are not personally affected by the violence the blacks must themselves end the cycle of murder and violence plaguing the neighborhoods."

There is a battle now, Doughboy a drug dealer is left in the streets whereas Tre and Ricky look for a future. On the way home Tre and Ricky are in the middle of a gang riot where Ricky is shot in Tres arms and is taken to Doughboy. Both Ricky and Doughboy plus few other members go to find the opposing gang to sortout the problem of Rickys death. Tre and Ricky are in the parking lot and Tre decides to leave the car, Doughboy accepts. A big riot kicks off and the opposing gang are injured before the credits role the viewers find out that Doughboy is killed 2 weeks after Rickys death. Tre and his girlfriend go to college.

Themes

The following themes are seen in Boyz N The Hood ; Tre being the strong father figure on young black males : "Any fool with a dick can make a baby, but it takes a real man to be a father to his children." Said to Tre.

The theme of urban lifestyle and the surroundings they are in gun shoots, a deprived area, drug abuse and culturally biazed in school standerizing tests.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMbgb-CHlkk- trailer.