Remembering the Iconic Visuals and Creative Process of Spike Lee's School Daze
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Cast, Crew, and Costume Design of the 1988 Film
In 1988, Spike Lee released School Daze. Written and directed by Lee, the film centers on Dap Dunlap (Laurence Fishburne), a student and activist at the fictional HBCU Mission College. Dap hopes that he can one day convince the students to form a united front. On the other hand, Julian (Giancarlo Esposito), resident big man on campus and head of the school’s biggest fraternity, prioritizes rigid social order. And unlike Dap, his cousin Half-Pint (Spike Lee) wants to rush the frat.
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“We Often Have Dope Crew Jackets On My Joints. I Often See Them On Ebay For Big Money.”
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“I Still Got This Jacket.”
Woke Students of Mission College.
Da Fellas.
Wannabe Vs. Jigaboo.
“Good And Bad” Lyrics By Bill Lee. Daddy.
Da Gamma Rays. “Be Alone Tonight.”
Gammites Of Gamma Phi Gamma.
Big Brother Almighty Curses Out Half-Pint.
Big Brother Almighty And Gamma Ray Jane Toussaint.
“Wake Up!”
“When We Were Young.” Cast Photo. “Wake Up” Finale.
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From SPIKE by Spike Lee, published by Chronicle Chroma 2021. All photographs by David Lee. © 1988 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy of Columbia Pictures.
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson Spike Lee is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and professor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, based in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He has won numerous awards including two Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards, two BAFTA awards, and the Cannes Grand Prix. He is a graduate of Morehouse College and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where he is a tenured Professor of Film and Artistic Director.
