Jungle Fever

Theatrical Release Date: 1991 06 07 (USA)

UPC: 025192042829

Studio: Universal Studios

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Strong Sexual Content, Not For Children, Adult Language, Profanity, Substance Abuse]

Summary: Spike Lee defines "jungle fever" as sexual attraction between members of two races. In his film Jungle Fever, he examines the repercussions of an interracial affair upon two very distinct communities. Wesley Snipes is Flipper, a happily married and successful architect, and Annabella Sciorra is Angie, an office temp. When she starts working in Flipper's Manhattan office, one day they look at each other and are soon having sex over a blueprint-strewn desk. Their liaison causes an explosion on both homefronts. Flipper's family consists of his father Doctor Purify (Ossie Davis), a former preacher; his mother Lucinda (Ruby Dee); his violent, crackhead brother Gator (Samuel L. Jackson); and his wife Drew (Lonette McKee), whom he loves, despite his sexual attraction to Angie. Angie's family is a typical Italian-American household from Bensonhurst. She's engaged to Paulie Carbonne (John Turturro), who works in a deli owned by his father Lou (Anthony Quinn). When the two families find out about Flipper and Angie's affair, their shock leads to recriminations and racial animosity. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Category: Drama

Awards: Jury Prize For Best Supporting Actor – Cannes Film Festival Best Picture – National Board of Review Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – New York Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor – New York Film Critics Circle

Features: Theatrical trailer
Featurette
Cast & filmmakers' bios
Web links
Production notes

Jungle Fever

Format: Digital Video Disc (DVD)

Release Date: 12/15/1998

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DDS Dolby Digital Surround

Runtime: 132 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Side #1 --
0. Chapter List
1. Main Titles [3:55]
2. Don't Wake the Baby! [5:25]
3. Angie [5:56]
4. After Work [5:23]
5. Gator Visits Mom and Dad [3:33]
6. Working Late [9:53]
7. The Candy Store [5:44]
8. Flipper Makes a Demand [4:09]
9. "Jungle Fever" [4:44]
10. Vivian and Gator [3:06]
11. She's White! [11:33]
12. How Did Drew Bust Me? [5:22]
13. Paulie [5:16]
14. Angie's Punishment [10:53]
15. The Ways of the World [6:20]
16. The Crack House [9:31]
17. No Babies [7:23]
18. I Need Money! [9:51]
19. End Titles [8:29]

Mark Deming

Focused on interracial relationships, Jungle Fever deals less with race than with how and why relationships go sour -- usually because people get into them for the wrong reasons and with the wrong expectations. Race is the main problem in the short-lived romance of Flipper Purify (Wesley Snipes) and Angie Tucci (Annabella Sciorra), but mainly because they deny that race forms almost the whole basis of their attraction. On the other hand, the budding romance of Paulie (John Turturro) and Nilda (Phillis Stickney) makes clear that race isn't an issue if two people love each other. While Lee looks at romance at its best and worst, he also examines a family in collapse, as crack addict Gator (Samuel L. Jackson, in a remarkable performance that won a special award at the Cannes Film Festival) betrays his family's trust to support his habit. In short, like most of Spike Lee's best films, Jungle Fever has a lot more to say than a one-line description would lead you to believe, and, as always, Lee puts across his message with intelligence, skill, humanity, and occasional (and welcome) humor. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Doug E. Doug  Actor 
Tiger Haynes  Actor 
Debi Mazar  Actor 
Scot Anthony Robinson  Actor 
Nicholas Turturro  Actor 
Tim Robbins  Actor 
Curtis Atkins  Actor 
Joseph D'Onofrio  Actor 
Joseph Giammarino  Actor 
Gina Mastrogiacomo  Actor 
Steve Randazzo  Actor 
Phyllis Stickney  Actor 
Yvette Brooks  Actor 
El-Shah Muhammad  Actor 
Rick Aiello  Actor 
Averell Curtle  Actor 
Frank Esposito  Actor 
Ewart Lauder  Actor 
Marilyn Nelson  Actor 
Charles Scorsese  Actor 
Suzanna White  Actor 
Michael Badalucco  Actor 
Talese Harris  Actor 
Randolph May  Actor 
Theresa Randle  Actor 
Mamie Louise Anderson  Actor 
Franc D'Ambrosio  Actor 
Shawn Lowenthal  Actor 
Anthony Nocerino  Actor 
Melvin Bethea  Actor 
Brad Dourif  Actor 
Michael Imperioli  Actor 
Miguel Sandoval  Actor 
Pamela Tyson  Actor 
Bob Adrian  Actor 
Danielle Coleman  Actor 
Richard Edson  Actor 
Queen Latifah  Actor 
Charlie Murphy  Actor 
Catherine Scorsese  Actor 
Terence Blanchard  Composer (Music Score) 
Spike Lee  Director 
Spike Lee  Producer 
Spike Lee  Screenwriter 
Stevie Wonder  Composer (Music Score) 
Jon Kilik  Producer 
Wesley Snipes  Actor 
Annabella Sciorra  Actor 
Spike Lee  Actor 
Anthony Quinn  Actor 
Ossie Davis  Actor 
Ruby Dee  Actor 
John Turturro  Actor 
Samuel L. Jackson  Actor 
Lonette McKee  Actor 
Frank Vincent  Actor 
Halle Berry  Actor 
Tyra Ferrell  Actor 
Veronica Webb  Actor 
Veronica Timbers  Actor 
David Dundara  Actor 

Country: USA