Higher Learning (1995)

Director:

John Singleton

Writer (WGA):

John Singleton (written by)

Release Date:

11 January 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

Question The Knowledge

Plot:

People from all different walks of life, encounter racial tension, rape, responsibility, and the meaning of an education on a university campus.

Plot Keywords:

College | Racism | Scholarship | African American | Skinhead

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Omar Epps	...	Malik Williams
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 (as Busta Rhymez)
Jay R. Ferguson	...	Billy (as Jay Ferguson)
Andrew Bryniarski	...	Knocko
Trevor St. John	...	James
Talbert Morton	...	Erik
Adam Goldberg	...	David Isaacs
J. Trevor Edmond	...	Eddie
Bridgette Wilson	...	Nicole
Kari Wuhrer	...	Claudia (as Kari Salin)
John Walton Smith Jr.	...	Coach Davis
Randall Batinkoff	...	Chad Shadowhill
Malcolm Norrington	...	Cory
Antonio Lewis Todd	...	Adam (as Antonio Todd)
Tim Griffin	...	Orientation Advisor
Patricia Forte	...	Counselor
Sheila Ward	...	Counselor
George LePorte	...	Starting Judge
Warren Olney	...	TV Reporter
D-Knowledge	...	Himself
Skip O'Brien	...	Security Guard
Joe Bugs	...	Security Guard
Bill Evans	...	Security Guard
Ernie Singleton	...	Fudge's Homie
Dedrick D. Gobert	...	Fudge's Homie
Bruce Williams	...	Fudge's Homie
Richard D. Alexander	...	Big Shorty
Michael B. Silver	...	Frat Member
Graham Galloway	...	Frat Member
Paul Kropfl	...	Frat Member
James W. Smith	...	Race Official
Walton Green	...	Race Official
Mary Bakjian	...	Race Official
Mista Grimm	...	Drunk Student
Alicia Stevenson	...	Monet's Friend
Colleen Fitzpatrick	...	Festival Singer (as Colleen Ann Fitzpatrick)
Robby Parker	...	Dogman
Pola Maloles	...	Flyer Girl
Ingrid Walters	...	Party Girl
Kiante Elam	...	Black Pepper
Jamie Jo Medearis	...	White Salt
Rick Avery	...	Guard Beats Malik
Tony Donno	...	Gay Victim
Cole McLarty	...	Gay Victim
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sebastian Feldman	...	Frat Boy (uncredited)
Maximilian A. Mastrangelo	...	Sleeping Student In Classroom (uncredited)
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Student (uncredited)
Shawn Michael Perry	...	Native American Student (uncredited)
Ark Sano	...	Pianist (uncredited)
Rayder Woods	...	Fraternity Vandal (uncredited)

Directed by
John Singleton

Writing credits (WGA)
John Singleton		(written by)

Produced by
Paul Hall	....	producer
John Singleton	....	producer
Dwight Williams	....	co-producer (as Dwight Alonzo Williams)

Original Music by
Stanley Clarke

Cinematography by
Peter Lyons Collister		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bruce Cannon

Casting by
Jaki Brown		(as Jaki Brown-Karman)
Kim Hardin		(as Kimberly Hardin)

Production Design by
Keith Brian Burns

Art Direction by
Richard Holland

Set Decoration by
Michael C. Claypool

Costume Design by
Carol Oditz

Makeup Department
Linda Arnold	....	hair stylist
Sheila Evers	....	makeup artist
Alvechia Ewing	....	makeup artist
Kelcey Fry	....	makeup artist
Pauletta O. Lewis	....	hair stylist
Beverly Jo Pryor	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Chantal Feghali	....	post-production supervisor
Roger Joseph Pugliese	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Algric Leo Chaplin	....	second second assistant director
Albert Cho	....	first assistant director: second unit
Bruce Franklin	....	first assistant director
Sandra M. Middleton	....	second assistant director
Todd Y. Murata	....	dga trainee
Peter A. Ramsey	....	second unit director

Art Department
Craig B. Ayers Sr.	....	greensman
Charles Daboub Jr.	....	set designer
Dennis DeWaay	....	construction coordinator (as Dennis Dewaay)
Steven M. Levine	....	property master (as Steven Levine)
Michelle Millay	....	sculptor
James Robinson II	....	assistant property master (as James W. Robinson II)
David Russell	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Willy Allen	....	sound editor (as Willie Allen)
Christopher S. Aud	....	sound editor
Bobbi Banks	....	adr supervisor
Bobbi Banks	....	supervising adr editor
Veda Campbell	....	sound mixer
Harry Cheney	....	sound editor
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dean Drabin	....	adr mixer
Greg Hedgepath	....	supervising sound editor
Mark L. Mangino	....	sound effects editor
Paul Massey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lary Moten	....	assistant sound editor
Gary A. Theard	....	boom operator (as Gary Theard)
Steven Ticknor	....	sound effects editor
David Williams	....	sound editor (as Dave Williams)
Matthew C. Beville	....	foley editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Irving E. Lewis	....	stunts: Malik (as Irving Lewis)
Bob Minor	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Mitchell Amundsen	....	camera operator (as C. Mitchell Amundsen)
Roy Bean	....	video assist operator
Anthony Lee Beverly	....	key grip (as Anthony Beverly)
Christopher Duskin	....	assistant camera
Christopher Duskin	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Sherman Fulton	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Elisha Harris	....	chief lighting technician
Shane D. Kelly	....	gaffer: second unit
Ron Kunecke	....	night light operator
Jesse Mather	....	lighting technician
Peter Mercurio	....	first assistant camera
Brian T. Pitts	....	second assistant camera
Ellis Reed	....	still photographer
Chuck Sorensen	....	electrician
Bobby Thomas	....	second grip
Stephen Welch	....	dolly grip

Casting Department
Leah Daniels	....	casting assistant
Kevin Fitzgerald	....	casting associate
Chris Gray	....	extras casting intern
Winsome Sinclair	....	extras casting (as Winsome G.M. Sinclair)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Maritza Garcia	....	wardrobe: men (as Maritza L. Garcia-Roddy)
Lahly Poore	....	wardrobe: women

Editorial Department
Margaret Guinee	....	first assistant editor
Cynthia Harris	....	apprentice editor
David Orr	....	color timer
Eric Rigney	....	avid technician
Laura Rindner	....	assistant editor
Alexis Seymour	....	assistant editor: avid
Christy Richmond	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Danny Bramson	....	music supervisor
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer
Gary Jones	....	assistant music supervisor
Carlton Kaller	....	music editor
Denise Okimoto	....	assistant music editor
Darryl Pierce	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Al J. Hersh	....	transportation captain
Tim Hill	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Elaine Bass	....	title designer
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Mitchell Binder	....	assistant location manager
Cassandra Butcher	....	publicity consultant
Cassandra Butcher	....	unit publicist
Elisa Ann Conant	....	location manager
Joseph Doughrity	....	assistant to director
Dawn Gilliam	....	script supervisor
Noelle Green	....	assistant: Mr. Hall (as Noelle Chapin)
Jonathan Harris	....	production assistant
Randall C. Heyward	....	assistant: Mr. Singleton
Vien Hong	....	adr voice
Elyse Katz	....	production coordinator
Damon Lee	....	assistant: Mr. Williams
Toussaint Maxwell	....	production assistant
Chad Rosen	....	production assistant
Barbara Rosing Hoke	....	production coordinator
Barbara Rosing Hoke	....	production coordinator: re-shoots
Marge Rowland	....	production accountant
Armand M. Sears Jr.	....	production assistant
Christopher Starr	....	craft service
John Starr	....	craft service
Lamar Sulaka	....	lead stand-in
Dion B. Vines	....	production assistant
Lavern Whitt	....	production assistant
Christi Manders	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• New Deal Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1995) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Ízaro Films (1995) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1996) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  opticals
• D. Bassett & Associates  negative cutting
• Inter Video  computer and video playback
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)  foley
• Todd-AO/Glen Glenn Studios  sound re-recorded at

Runtime:

127 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:18A (Ontario) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:MA | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The film was heavily cut upon its release, eliminating much of the romantic relationship between Jennifer Connelly and Kristy Swanson's characters including the resolution to it, along with more scenes involving the Nazi's and the other groups activities and relationships going throughout the University.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Immediately after Malik leaves Prof. Phipps' office for the last time in the movie, the camera pans in on a plaque that reads "Columbus University: propter aurum quod autulerunt et propter sanguis quiem effuderunt." Apparently Columbus University's classics department doesn't live up to Columbus University's reputation as one of the nation's premier institutions of higher learning. The plaque is supposed to read, "Columbus University: propter aurum quod abstulerunt et propter sanguinem qui effudit." ("Columbus University: because of the gold that they have taken away and because of the blood that has flowed.")

Quotes:

Kristen Connor: Look, um... why don't I stay with you tonight? We could stay up and talk...
Taryn: Are you sure you're ready for that? Don't do it, just cause your fascinated. I want you to be sure.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "20 to 1: Sizzling Superstars (#8.15)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

SITUATION: GRIMM

Must have seen a different movie

I must have been watching a different movie to most of the people adding comments. I didn't see it as a film portraying African Americans as good and whites as bad but as a film in which all the factions were shown to have good and bad sides. Even the guy who becomes the Nazi skinhead was portrayed sympathetically in as much as he is clearly out of his depth in a social situation and becomes a recruit because only the skinheads will accept him when no-one else will. Overall, the African Americans come out as the most sympathetic but not by much.

I agree there are some fairly silly stereotypes, especially Fishburne's character, but they work in the context of the movie. Most refreshing was the fact that an American college is portrayed as a place with real issues like racism and date rape and drunken behaviour. It's refreshing because colleges are usually shown as places where nice middle-class kids never have any problem bigger than being dumped by their boyfriends before everything is resolved in the last reel.

An overly maligned movie. Not perfect but better than a million other college movies. Loved the ending too.