Innovative filmmaker, Spike Lee (She’s Gotta Have It), brings to the screen a music-filled, offbeat contemporary comedy that takes an unforgettable look at Black college life. Amidst gala coronations, football, fraternities, parades, and parties, the stars of the film-Laurence Fishburne (“Dap” Dunlap), an intense student who encourages his buddies (“DaFellas”) to fight for his beliefs; Giancarlo Esposito (Julian “Big Brother Almighty” Eaves), out to strengthen the Greek system with his Gamma PhiGamma fraternity brothers; Spike Lee (“Half-Pint”), driven to become a “Gamma man”; and Tisha Campbell (Jane Toussaint), leader of the sorority, “Gamma Rays,” find themselves caught up in romance and relationships/rituals and rivalries during one outrageous homecoming weekend. With dynamic music, including EU’s hit “Da Butt”, and dance numbers choreographed by Otis Sallid (Fame), Lee successfully challenges viewpoints about self-identity and self-esteem in this original, contemporary musical comedy.
For thoughts on School Daze, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/xWdeP8yLjmQ?si=y1ac-g6ktm4GtqND&t=2538]
Video Quality
School Daze has been blessed with a 2160p 4K UHD upgrade with HDR/Dolby Vision that is presumably derived from the same restoration used for the gorgeous Blu-Ray release from 2018 for its 30th anniversary. This new release does not come with a Blu-Ray copy of the film, so be sure you are 4K UHD capable before snapping this one up. Since we own the previous Blu-Ray release, we can see that the differences are not night and day due to the original release being so strong, yet the improvements are undeniable when it comes to color saturation, stability, and fine detail. This 4K UHD disc delivers the desired amount of natural film grain which resolves consistently and never fluctuates unnaturally. This is a film filled with wonderful texture and detail on the outfits and within each environment thanks to this transfer.
The Dolby Vision delivers robust, nuanced colors throughout, most notably in the natural environments, some of the flashy costumes, the lighting, and other dazzling facets. Black levels are tremendous and allow the picture to harness a significant amount of depth and detail in shadowy environments. Highlights are brilliant and offer firm stability without veering into blooming. This transfer is a delight for fans of the iconic filmmaker. The skin tones appear to be natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a welcome amount of facial detail including facial hair and makeup. Any print damage or other such blemishes have long since been completely eradicated. The improvements are notable across the board, even if it is more of a refinement of what came before. Sony continues to really deliver with each upgrade.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc showcases a new Dolby Atmos track along with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track and a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track for the purists. Sony has made the wise decision to give consumers a choice when it comes to their audio journey. The Atmos track may not be a showstopping difference from the 5.1 presentation, but it does open things up in an effective manner. Things are more obviously different when it comes to the stereo track, which handles the original audio perfectly within its sonic ambitions. The track sounds full-bodied and natural even without the complete immersion of the Atmos track. Each of these tracks respects the material and feels perfectly in sync with the sonic ethos.
One of the most prominent aspects of the film is the music, and it flows through with peerless fidelity from the first number to the last. Dialogue is crisp and clear without ever getting overshadowed by the bustling campus environment. Exchanges stay grounded up front, but the activity extends to the surrounds, rears, and overhead speakers when it comes to the music and various environmental sounds to make the story feel more immediate and dynamic. The sounds up above do not take on the main sonic thrust, but they come alive when filling the room with music or when in a party atmosphere. Directionality is always deliberate when it comes to environmental effects. The subwoofer springs to life consistently thanks to the persistent use of music. No matter which track you choose, this disc delivers. There are optional English, English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentaries: Director Spike Lee and the cast members provide separate commentary tracks in which they reflect on the creation of this film, the difficulties of shooting certain sequences, memories of the performers, the moments that stand out most from production, and much more. The director commentary track is a bit dull, but the cast member commentary track is quite raucous and well worth a listen.
- Audio Commentary #1: Director Spike Lee
- Audio Commentary #2: Cast members Tisha Campbell, Rusty Cundieff, Bill Nunn, Darryl M. Bell, and Kadeem Hardison
- Anniversary of School Daze Q&A with Cast and Crew: A 33-minute post-screening Q&A with Writer/Director/Actor Spike Lee, Casting Director Robi Reed, and Actors Tisha Campbell-Martin and Kadeem Hardison in which they discuss some of the themes of the film, the legacy of the feature, the casting process, and much more that is a great watch.
- Birth of a Nation: A 24-minute archival featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the creation of the film, the direction of Lee, the great qualities of the cast, the college setting, the creation of the dance sequences, and more.
- College Daze: A 19-minute reflection by the cast and creative team about their own personal experiences in college and what was brought into this narrative.
- Making A Mark: Another 21-minute featurette that explores some of the same territory such as the themes and legacy of the film, Lee’s work both in front of and behind the camera, pivotal sequences in the film, and more.
- Music Videos
- “Be One” by Phyllis Hyman (4:36)
- “Da Butt” by EU (4:31)
- “Be Alone Tonight” by The Rays, Tisha Campbell, Jasmine Guy, Paula Brown, and Angela Ali (4:35)
Final Thoughts
School Daze is a passionate sophomore effort from the great Spike Lee that captures the ambition of youth even if it does come across as a bit messy at times. Lee seems to be exploding with ideas he wants to explore in-depth, but in doing so he does not give every element the necessary consideration to really knock things out of the park. Yet, when the film works, it is an incredibly vital and entertaining narrative that brings up so many issues that were rarely discussed on film at the time. Even with the thematic layer at hand, Lee does not forget to have fun as you get plenty of musical sequences and hilarious, biting dialogue that sticks with you long after the movie has ended. This is just as worthy of praise and consideration as some of his more widely embraced work. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and excellent special features. Fans of the film should add this to their collection. Highly Recommended
School Daze can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.