Menace II Society (1993)

Directors:

Albert Hughes
Allen Hughes

Writers:

Allen Hughes (story) &
Albert Hughes (story) ...

Release Date:

26 May 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

This is the truth. This is what's real.

Plot:

A young street hustler attempts to escape the rigors and temptations of the ghetto in a quest for a better life.

Plot Keywords:

Street | High School | Ghetto | Watts Riots | Black Man

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Tyrin Turner	...	Caine
Larenz Tate	...	O-Dog
June Kyoto Lu	...	Grocery Store Woman (as June Kyoko Lu)
Toshi Toda	...	Grocery Store Man
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Tat Lawson
Anthony Johnson	...	Tony
Brandon Hammond	...	Five Year Old Caine
Glenn Plummer	...	Pernell
Reginald Ballard	...	Clyde
Khandi Alexander	...	Karen Lawson
Eugene Lee	...	Man #1
James Pickens Jr.	...	Man #2 (as James Pickins Jr.)
Nancy Cheryll Davis	...	Teacher (as Nancy Cheryl Davis)
Jullian Roy Doster	...	Anthony
Jada Pinkett Smith	...	Ronnie (as Jada Pinkett)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, drug use and language.; Rated R for strong bloody violence, drug use and pervasive language. (director's cut)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (FotoKem)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Iceland:16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:R | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | USA:R (certificate #45390) (director's cut) | Australia:R | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | France:-16

Filming Locations:

Compton Avenue, Watts, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Tupac Shakur was originally attached to play Sharif, but was fired after a physical fight with director Allen Hughes.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Kane goes to the BBQ he pulls up to see a red civic, he sees the girl and stops behind her, when he's talking to her outside of the car the civic is black, then when he says that he will call her later and walks off the car is red again.

Quotes:

Ronnie: You need to be glad that you graduated from high school, and that you're alive at eighteen, and you need to do something with yourself before you end up like he did.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tupac: Resurrection (2003)

Soundtrack:

DEDICATED

powerfully good

Extremely brutal, but gripping and compelling story of a volatile, alienated young teenager growing up in the violent atmosphere of the L.A. Watts District and, against the advice of family and friends, makes no effort to transcend the harshness and ignorance of his surroundings, instead choosing to head down a dead-end path. Violent, almost unbearable at times, but faultlessly acted by the cast, and filled with powerful, authentic scenes. Tate is an absolute powerhouse as Turner's young, but extremely impulsive and cold-blooded pal. Obviously not for all tastes, but a monumental achievement regardless, thanks to a superior cast of actors. ***½