Wednesday, April 14, 2010

"...you know, I'm also from 'The Hood'..."

So, taking a different approach to this blog entry, I'd like to take this opportunity to talk a little bit about myself.

I myself grew up in SoCal in the early 90s and I definitely remember all of these types of experiences, portrayed in this film. It's a bit hilarious to think that I could almost have a root in that culture. In fact, I would hear stories from family members present at and around the time of my birth, that mostly included gang activity, stereotyping, drugs, and sex. The coolest thing, i think is the story of my mother witnessing gang activity and then experiencing the 1989 San Francisco Earthquake, all on the same day. You know all those famous pictures of that viaduct thing collapsing, trapping all of those cars and people? my mom was there somewhere, pregnant with me; she was safe outside the viaduct, thank goodness.

What sucks is that my own personal accounts of the early 90s, in general, is a bit fuzzy. Specific memories i really remember is like, the song "The Sign" by Ace of Base, the film Interview with a Vampire, and the first Casper movie starring a young Christina Ricci and Bill Pullman. That's about it.

Anyways, on to the film...

Getting over the fact that it was really dark, I think it was an awesome film, awesome, in the literal sense, that i was in awe. The music, the food, the clothes, everything, definitely came back to me. I found myself humming along whenever we heard music, laughing whenever i saw obvious 90s fashion, and felt a bit melancholy when i saw the food and such at the welcome home party. It took me back to another part of my life. My favorite and most strongest memory is walking down a sidewalk and hearing hip hop coming from houses and passing cars, a definite feature in the film.

one particular scene that caused me to stop and think was the scene where everyone takes Ricky's dead body home, causing everyone to scream and cry. Ricky and Doughboy's mother turns and cries hysterically in Doughboy's arms and then switches to anger and screams, "You did it! You did it!"

What i found most interesting is that, obviously, HE didn't kill him, but essentially, the TYPE OF PEOPLE Doughboy figuratively represents and generally models himself after, did. I thought that that was an interesting point.

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing these memories, Royce. Although it feels unfair for Doughboy's mother to blame him, your idea that she's blaming the culture rather than Doughboy specifically is one of the rare pieces of insight for her in this film.

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  2. Lol I love Ace of Base!!! While I could see how Doughboy's mother was blaming the culture rather than just her son I actually think that it was a little of both. While she subconsciously knew that Doughboy didn't shoot his own brother I kind of though that she was blaming his actions and involvements with other 'hood boys' for Ricky's death. Rather than Ricky being targeted for a minor confrontation the mother say it as retaliation against Doughboy for some action he committed and Ricky was just the unlucky substitute.

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  3. that's interesting about the earthquake and hearing first hand accounts of it and ahh I know what you mean about the nostalgia of the 90s! and on doughboy i agree it seemed unfair and her just lashing at him because he was a part of that culture and personified that image and you can't really blame the rest of the world but it's easy to blame doughboy who is right there.

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