Part 1: The Tender Trio
There’s nothing more deflating than a revolution that peaks
before it can effect real change. So it
was with the Black film renaissance of the early 1990’s. That resurgence was largely spurred on by the
popularity of so-called “hood” movies. In
March of 1991, the Neo-Blaxploitation flick New
Jack City roared out of the gate with both guns blazing. Alarmist ravings from fear mongering media
pundits stoked audience curiosity, turning the film into a sizable hit. In July of that same year, Boyz n the Hood brought some much needed
prestige to the emerging subgenre. It
was honored with two Oscar nominations at the 64th Academy Awards. Seemingly overnight, Hood films had become
the order of the day. In May of 1993, a
bold new entry to that rapidly expanding cannon upped the ante to explosive
levels. What it lacked in subtlety, it
made up for with menace.
