Cooley High

This movie seems to always be compared to "American Graffiti" and, given that both end in a similar "Where are they now?" montage, feature a high level of period pop music and are generally show teenagers running around, having fun and encountering mishaps, it's fair to say that to some extent the film was intended as a black "American Graffiti". "American Graffiti" was an iconic and hugely popular phenomenon, and given that the title has 'American' in it but it essentially a story of only the white American experience, once can see how blacks might have desired a movie that could capture their own experiences during those magic moments as youth comes to an end.

"Cooley High" is also something of an answer to its white counterpart, though: simply by showing a typical black teenager experience in 1962 it is going to have to make some kind of social commentary. In "American Graffiti" the high crimes are drag racing and minors buying booze, while we see decidedly rougher characters in "Cooley High". The only two who stand out as three-dimensional are the leads, Cochise and Preach, but they have more depth than any of the characters in "Graffiti". Unfortunately, the other characters in the movie fall flat and you'll be very lucky if, after your first viewing, you remember the names of even half of them before they flash on the screen in the final sequence.

Cochise is the smart and college-bound student whose best friend Preach, despite being no less intelligent, seems to be destined to fail. Much of the movie is devoted to their high-spirited teenage adventures, in the spirit of "Graffiti", and the movie is entertaining enough as the gang skips school to go the zoo, crashes a party, inadvertently starts a brawl in a movie theater, and so on. Things pick up, though, and the final minutes of the film how the consequences of their fun in the first hour.

This movie is interesting and I'm glad it was made as a black counterpoint to "American Graffiti". However, the characters aren't quite as memorable in "Coolie High", and the stories just aren't as clever and fun either. This isn't to say "Coolie High" fails, it's just that "American Graffiti" had some pretty brilliant stories which it would be hard for any movie to equal. One exception is the romantic scene between Preach and Brenda which, although comic in nature, utterly transcends any racial boundaries and is a wonderfully honest depiction of the inherent awkwardness of the situation, something the audience can relate to far more honestly than the typical confident and lustful love scenes we usually see in movies.

The movie is uneven and, to this reviewer, can't quite reach the highs of the movie it is providing a counterpoint to. Still, I can very much relate to "American Graffiti" but what do I know about growing up in Cabrini Green? Some viewers might love this far more than "American Graffiti". This movie seems pretty forgotten, but it shouldn't be.

This film, which was the foundation for "What's Happening?", contains the very things that recent films about teens and high school lack: comedy, and true emotion. The film takes place in Chicago, 1964, and centers on a group of lower-class black kids, including Preach, a smart student, and his close friend, Cochise, a great athlete who's on the verge of getting a scholarship. While it does contain similarities to George Lucas' "American Graffitti", the film has a lot of energy and substance to easily overlook that fact. There are many funny moments, including a scene where the boys joyride with Preach behind the wheel; a scene where the boys cut class and head to the zoo, ending with a hilarious encounter with a gorilla; and a scene where Preach hides from gangbangers in an occupied bathroom. There's also romance in the film, as Preach attempts to woo classy beauty Brenda; the two even lose their virginity together in a truly tasteful scene. The movie ends in tragedy, and since the characters have depth, we feel the loss. I highly recommend this one to all; it's got more going for it than 99.9% of what's playing today (and it's got a great Motown soundtrack to boot!).

It's 1964 Chicago. Preach and Cochise are best friends in the black high school, Edwin G. Cooley. They with two other friends skip school to go to the zoo. In a different incident, Preach is throwing dice in a local diner. When he shows interest in Brenda, Cochise bets him a dollar to hook up with her. The two joins other guys in a joyride which gets them into trouble. Mr. Mason is a teacher trying to guide Preach.

This is a coming-of-age teen drama in black cinema. The performances are good with some future veteran actors. It's episodic in nature. There are some humorous moments. It needs to get into the joyride earlier in the first act so as to make it the central point in a three act movie. It's more like a series of incidents that forms the highs and lows of the two young men's friendship and a blossoming romance. This has a realism and the sense of place.

Takes place in and around the Cabrini-Green projects on Chicago's Near North Side. Cooley High was a real school that was demolished in the '80s. The interiors, though were filmed in Providence-St. Mel's several miles away. This film is a classic, and if you aren't hip to it, then either you've been living in a cave or just awakened from a 25 year coma. The stellar cast features Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, fresh from "Claudine", veteran of stage and screen Glynn Turman, pre-SNL Garrett Morris, Cynthia Davis (who seemed to disappear soon after the film was released), Steven Williams (currently of "Linc's), Corin Rogers and Jackie Taylor, who has made a name for herself as a writer, producer and director in Chicago theatre. This film also marked the screen debut of Robert Townsend. (He had two lines).

Now, I am not prone to much emotion, but I cried seeing this movie. It certainly has more appeal among blacks than other ethnic groups, but there is something here for everyone. The classic song "It's so Hard to Say Goodbye" really makes this one worth watching at least once.