Filmography

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freeing of Nelson Mandela. Giancarlo Esposito plays Julian, the president of the Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity who strongly opposes any interest in aiding South Africa. Tisha Campbell and Ellen Holly play Jane and Rachael, Dap and Julian’s girlfriends.

Higher Learning opens showing the campus of Columbus University, located in southern California. It is the beginning of fall semester and we find Malik has just arrived and is locating his dorm while walking through the main courtyard area of the University. While this scene is taking place Singleton introduces us to Christine, a young white female freshman who also is making her way to her dorm. The two eventually find themselves on the same elevator. Malik being a black male of average weight and build and Christine’s female character is somewhat shy and relatively small. She looks her fellow schoolmate over with nervous eyes and then clutches her purse a little tighter. Of course, Malik notices this motion and gives her a long stare, then looks away as if to say “how typical.” With this in-your-face scene, Singleton introduces you to the race, gender and class issues in this film.

In comparison, the opening scene of School Daze also takes place in the main university courtyard. Dap is leading a rally to gain support from other students to protest apartheid in South Africa. The tension addressed in this scene doesn’t focus on black versus white, but does identify the internal-race conflict of black versus black. Julian, president of the Gamma Phi Gamma fraternity, and his pledges, interrupt the group demonstration. This leads to the first of many clashes between these two characters. What is key with this scene is that during the conflict both of their girlfriends are involved and s...