Product Description

Directed by twin brothers, Allen and Albert Hughes, this critically acclaimed cinematic masterpiece brilliantly details real life in today's tough inner city. With the powerhouse performances by Tyrin Turner (Deep Cover), Larenz Tate (The Fresh Prince of Bel Air) and Jada Pinkett (A Different World), the film also features dynamite supporting roles by Charles S. Dutton (Roc) and Bill Duke (Predator).

DVD Features:
Interviews
Production Notes
Theatrical Trailer

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3543 in DVD
• Released on: 1997-10-22
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 104 minutes

Amazon.com
Tyrin Turner may not have broken out into stardom as was initially expected, but his work in Menace II Society is one of the more powerful cinematic debuts. The film, from the brother writer-director team of Allen and Albert Hughes, chronicles life in the Los Angeles 'hood. Similar territory was covered in the equally commanding Boyz N the Hood, but what makes this cautionary tale stand out is not only the Hughes brothers' forceful story, (written with their friend, Tyger Williams) and direction, but the naturalness of then-newcomer leads Turner as Caine, Larenz Tate as O-Dog, and Jada Pinkett as Ronnie. They are so credible--occasionally frighteningly so--that the repressive universe of violent ghetto life is captured effectively. Life as portrayed here--and no doubt accurately so--is both figuratively and literally narrow. As a very young boy, Caine witnesses his dad murdered over something inconsequential, and his mom OD. His is a world where respect comes from intimidation, power from violence. Despite his understanding of right and wrong (values passed on by a good friend, his kind grandparents, a caring teacher), his life and its entrapments are too much to overcome. --N.F. Mendoza

From The New Yorker
This inner-city crime melodrama, set in Watts, is a speedy, violent, adolescent-cynical take on the no-hope lives of young black men. The filmmakers-twenty-one-year-old twins Allen and Albert Hughes-aren't interested in the tragic irony of the classic gangster film; they aim, instead, for the throwaway, life-is-cheap tone of grimy fifties B-pictures. They move from horror to horror in a businesslike, deadpan way that reflects, with frightening conviction, the thoroughness of their characters' alienation. The Hugheses are so scrupulous, so comprehensive, in their refusal to do the usual things that they leave themselves short on expressive options. As the picture goes along, you actually start to wish it were a little squarer, that the filmmakers would give you something more to hold on to than the grinding pulp momentum that substitutes here for true dramatic structure. The Hugheses achieve some brilliant and memorable sequences, and the lack of sentimentality is a step in the right direction; but the movie winds up running in place. With Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate, Jada Pinkett, Vonte Sweet, Glenn Plummer, Bill Duke, Charles S. Dutton, and Samuel L. Jackson. Screenplay by Tyger Williams; cinematography by Lisa Rinzler. -Terrence Rafferty
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Menace II Society
Menace II Society is the story of Caine (Tyrin Turner) a young man living in Watts, Los Angeles. From the very beginning of the movie we follow Caine with an early flashback to his childhood to start . Caines narrative voice is found all throughout this movie. Things start off violent, and never really stop, from beginning to end there is bloodshed, but theres alot more than just violence in this movie, Caine lives a day to day existence, and its only in the end that he realizes whats important to him- Ronnie (Jada Pinkett), her son, his family and living. Other main character is Caines best friend 0-Dog (Larenz Tate) who is young, black and doesnt [care], his presence in movie is really a powerful one, and his lack of conscience contrasts with Caines. Movie also stars Vonte Sweet, Samuel L. Jackson and Glenn Plummer. Produced by Darin Scott & the Hughes Brothers. Tyrin Turner a still virtually unknown actor is excellent in this movie, and in my opinion deserves alot more credit than he has gotten.To say this movie is just powerful is an understatment, and to compare it to Boyz N the Hood is wrong too. There are some similarities, but Menace II Society is alot darker, and wasnt made to please the masses. Maybe thats why I like it so much, because the story is realistic and the makers dont play down the violence to get mainstream appeal. Would like to talk about some of key scenes but you dont do that when writing a review for people who havnt seen the movie, all I will say is this movie is definetly worth watching, and if your like me and really enjoy it, its worth having in the collection.

The Best Hood Movie? By Far.
"I'm gonna mess with this O.E." "You drinking that Ides?"
Probably one of the best scenes in Menace II Society, Cain and O-Dawg are buying a beer at the corner store and trobule springs when the Asian clerk makes fun of O-Dawg. Not all hood movies have as good as characters as Menace II Society or plot lines too. You do not really have to follow to much in this movie and it is not conufsing. Menace II Society is a powerful movie, but there is a little bit of comedy in it too. The only question I have and this really bothers me is, Why did someone have to come out and make fun of this classic along with Boys N The Hood and other hood movies ?(Juice, SOuth Central)Whenever I talk to someone about Menace II Society, they always say, "Oh yeah, Don't Be a Menace To South Central?" And I just shake my head, "No! Menace II Society!"

Powerful but not without it's faults
Menace II Society was the debut film from the directing duo of the Hughes brothers, released in 1993 at the height of popularity of "hood movies". As most other reviewers have stated the film is an extemely powerful look at growing up in L.A in the early 90's. The movie grabs your attention straight away with the robbery of the liquor store and the controversial shooting of the Korean owners, and the pace never lets up throughout. Caine (Tyrin Turner) is basically a bystander in the opening scene as O-Dog (Larenz Tate) goes on a rampage, and this continues throughout the film, Caine is a good person but very much a victim of his circumstances, whereas O-Dog just "doesn't give a f**k".

Without going into plot details the events in the film all conspire against Caine and it all catches up with him in the inevitable ending. There are also good performances from Jada Pinkett and MC Eiht and a small role at the start from Samuel L Jackson as Caine's father. While the film is very powerful and a sad and realistic take on ghetto life, it is not without it's faults, the main one being the lack of depth of some of the characters. They never really explain Caine's relationship with Parnell, though he regularly refers to him as "like a dad" throughout the film. Also several of the other characters are hard to sympathise with as their background is never really explained (something I felt was done better in Boyz N The Hood),and I find it hard to believe Parnell would be cool with Caine's relationship with his girl. Despite these minor faults the film is still great though and the ending in particular was tragic and inevitable. One of the better hood movies of the early 90's, if your into them you should definetely check this out.