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Dangerous Minds

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For other uses of "Dangerous Minds", see Dangerous Minds (disambiguation).
Dangerous Minds
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn N. Smith
Written byRonald Bass
Novel by LouAnne Johnson
Produced byDon Simpson
Jerry Bruckheimer
StarringMichelle Pfeiffer
Music byWendy & Lisa
Distributed byHollywood Pictures
Release dates
United States August 11, 1995
Australia November 24, 1995
United Kingdom January 16, 1996
Running time
99 min.
Country United States
LanguagesEnglish
Spanish
Box office$179,519,401 [1]

Dangerous Minds is a 1995 drama film loosely based on the book My Posse Don't Do Homework by LouAnne Johnson. The book is an autobiographical account of her experience as a Marine who left her career to become a teacher at a well-off high school attended by bussed-in students from a ghetto. The film, starring Michelle Pfeiffer, focuses on the challenges of growing up in the city of East Palo Alto, California and of the efforts of a dedicated teacher to allow her class to learn basic elementary education.

The success of the film was followed by a short-lived television series with the same name.

Synopsis

When a retired U.S. Marine, LouAnne Johnson (Michelle Pfeiffer), arrives at Parkmont High School (Carlmont High School, Belmont, CA) with poor, angry minorities from East Palo Alto, California, she finds a class of tough, street-wise kids, involved in gangs and drugs, whom Johnson quickly dubs the "rejects from hell." Her initially meek demeanor, small stature, and white skin earn her the nickname "white bread" from her students. Determined to have them trust and respect her, she quickly changes her presentation, wearing leather jackets, teaching karate to her students and cursing in the classroom. Creating her own curriculum for her "socially challenged" and extremely antagonistic class, she starts having them read poetry, using Bob Dylan lyrics to teach symbolism. Johnson rewards her students for their hard work by giving them candy bars to say good job, toy prizes and trip to a boardwalk theme park. Along with helping her students with school work, she also provides emotional support to several students, including a couple of wise-cracking boys who are too caught up in street politics for their own good, and a teen who's dealing with the reality of being pregnant in high school. Although she intends to leave at the end of the year, the students quote the lyrics of a Dylan Thomas poem that they learned and insist that she's their "light" and refuse to let her leave. Touched, she agrees to stay.

Production

Johnson taught in Carlmont High School in Belmont, California. Filming took place at nearby Burlingame High School and Carlmont High.

The role of Louanne Johnson was originally written for Sigourney Weaver in mind. Later, it was rewritten for Anjelica Huston until Michelle Pfeiffer took the part.

Music

The rap-based music score is written by Soldier Slim, who also wrote one of the theme songs. The soundtrack album also featured the Grammy Award-winning song "Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio.

Legacy

The film became a box office success grossing a total of US$179,519,401.54 in its worldwide revenues and went on to inspire a number of films including Freedom Writers, One Eight Seven and a parody High School High. It also spawned a short-lived spinoff TV series, which features Johnson's further adventures at the school. However despite its box office success, the film was critically mixed, scoring a 31% on Rotten Tomatoes, but scoring 5.8/10 on IMDB.

The appearance of Skye Bassett, playing the minor character Jody, in the movie, and her eventual death some time after its premiere, is described in Dave Eggers' memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.

Criticism

Roger Ebert criticised the film for having LouAnne Johnson teach using Bob Dylan's lyrics, instead of the rap lyrics used in the book the film was based on, saying "What has happened in the book-to-movie transition of LouAnne Johnson's book is revealing. The movie pretends to show poor black kids being bribed into literacy by Dylan and candy bars, but actually it is the crossover white audience that is being bribed with mind-candy in the form of safe words by the two Dylans."[2]

Box office

  • Total domestic grosses: $84,919,401
  • Total overseas grosses: $94,600,000
  • Total worldwide grosses: $179,819,401[3]

Cast

Actor Role
Michelle Pfeiffer LouAnne Johnson
George Dzundza Hal Griffith
Courtney B. Vance George Grandey
Robin Bartlett Carla Nichols
Wade Domínguez Emilio Ramírez
Renoly Santiago Raúl Sanchero
Bruklin Harris Callie Roberts
Richard Grant Durrell Benton
Roberto Alvarez Gusmaro Rivera
Marisela Gonzales Angela
Toni Nichelle Buzhardt Nikki
Paula Garcés Alvina
Norris Young Kareem
Rahman Ibraheem Big 'G'
Desire Galvez Taiwana
Wilson Limpo Roderick
Raymond Grant Lionel Benton
Veronica Robles Stephanie
Marcello Thedford Cornelius Bates
Michael Archuleta Oso
Deshanda Carter Tanyekia
Ebony Jerido Deanne
Brandi Younger Grip
Asia Minor Pam
Karina Arroyave Josy
Ivan Sergei Huero
Mark Prince Edwards PJ
Ismael Archuleta Lalo
Skye Bassett Jody
Beatrice Winde Mary Benton
Gaura Vani Buchwald Warlock
Cynthia Avila Mrs. Sanchero
Roman J. Cisneros Mr. Sanchero
Camille Winbush Tyeisha Roberts
John Neville Waiter
Al Israel Mr. Santiago
Brian Anthony Joey
Jason Gutman Adam
Lara Spotts Dianna

See also

References

  1. ^ "Boxofficemojo.com". Dangerous Minds Box Office Gross.
  2. ^ http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19950811/REVIEWS/508110301/1023
  3. ^ "Boxofficemojo.com". Dangerous Minds Box Office Gross.
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