Boyz In The Hood broke an Oscar record that Citizen Kane held for 50 years

Boyz and the Hood It was John Singleton’s directorial debut and earned him a record Oscar that remained untouched for 50 years. Since its release, the film has been recognized as one of the most significant films of the 1990s, and Boyz and the Hood is credited with launching the careers of many of its actors. Boyz and the Hood has received several awards and currently has a 96% critical approval rating and a 93% audience rating on Rotten tomatoes.

The coming-of-age drama explores the lives of teenagers living in South Central Los Angeles and deals with themes of loyalty, friendship and love. Along with widespread praise for the actors and their script, John Singleton’s work on Boyz and the Hood earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director, breaking a record that Orson Welles had set 50 years earlier.

John Singleton became the youngest Oscar nominee for best director with Boyz N The Hood

Singleton was 24 when his film was nominated

At the 1991 Oscars, John Singelton was nominated for Best Director for Boyz and the Hood. At just 24 years old, Singleton became the youngest person to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Director and the first black director to be nominated. Singleton was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, but lost to Thelma and Luisa Callie Khouri.

Next to Boyz and the HoodBarry Levinson BugsyOliver Stone JFKand by Ridley Scott Thelma and Luisa were all nominated. However, the Oscar ended up going to Jonathan Demme for The Silence of the Lambs, which also won Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay, making it one of only three films to win the Big Five. Although Singleton didn’t win the Oscar for Best Director, he still made history as the youngest nominee and Boyz and the Hood continues to be as highly regarded as it was 30 years ago.

Orson Welles was previously the youngest Oscar nominee for best director, after Citizen Kane

Welles was 26 when Citizen Kane was nominated

Like Singleton’s Boyz and the Hood, Citizen Kane It was also Orson Welles’s feature film directorial debut. Citizen Kane premiered the same week that Welles turned 26, making him the youngest nominee for Best Director in 1941. The other nominees were Alexander Hall for Here comes Mr. JordanWilliam Wyler by The Little Foxesand Howard Hawks for Sergeant York. John Ford won Best Director for the film How green was my valley, a choice that is now considered strange given Citizen Kanelegacy.

Citizen Kane It is now considered one of the best films of all timebut, how Boyz and the HoodWelles was not very successful at the Oscars. Citizen Kane It received nine nominations, but only won Best Original Screenplay. Its other nominations include Best Film, Best Actor, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Production, Best Black and White Cinematography and Best Film Editing. However, many of the films that Citizen Kane lost because it did not have the longevity in popularity that Citizen Kane experienced.

What happened to John Singleton after his Oscar nomination?

John Singleton directed other successful films throughout his career

Although John Singleton never received another Oscar nomination after Boyz and the Hood, he directed several other popular and financially successful films. Your next film after Boyz and the Hood, Poetic Justicealthough not widely regarded at the time, it has gained cult popularity in the years since its release. In the second half of the 1990s, Singleton also directed the drama Higher education, which received mixed reviews, and the historical drama Rosewoodwhich received positive reviews but was not financially successful.

In the 2000s, Singleton turned more to popular action films. He directed Stemstarring Samuel L. Jackson, which was a sequel to the 1971 film of the same name. Singleton also directed 2 Fast 2 Furiousthe second installment of Fast and Furious franchise. His 2001 film boy was more like Boyz and the Hood and was critically well received. It marked a return to Singleton’s work with the musicians and rappers he was known for in the 1990s. John Singleton also directed episodes of several TV shows throughout the 2010s.

After a long and successful career, John Singleton sadly passed away in 2019 and was remembered by many of his friends in the film and music industry. Singleton’s films help pay homage to his talent and passion as a director, and Boyz and the Hood will continue to be indicative of the impressive legacy he left behind.

Source: Rotten tomatoes