Crooklyn is a 1994 semi-biographical film co-written and directed by Spike Lee. The film takes place in Brooklyn, New York during the 1970s. Its primary focus is a young girl, Troy (played by Zelda Harris), and her family.
A distinctive characteristic of Crooklyn is its soundtrack, comprised completely of music from the 1970s, except the hit single "Crooklyn" by the Crooklyn Dodgers, a rap crew composed of Buckshot, Masta Ace and Special Ed. A two-volume release of the soundtrack became available on CD along with the release of the film.
Similar to Do the Right Thing and She's Gotta Have It, Spike Lee has a role in Crooklyn. He plays a bully and drug addict named Snuffy.
Crooklyn is one of only two films directed by Spike Lee to earn a PG-13 rating in the USA, the other being 1992's Malcolm X.
The film is loosely based on lives of Spike Lee and his siblings (who co-wrote the script).
The "disorienting" view when the family is in the country was created by shooting in widescreen without anamorphically adjusting the image.
None of the children on set had any idea how to play any of the street games their characters engage in - Lee had to personally instruct them.
Although no specific year is specified at any point in the movie, the events in the movie were most likely intended to take place in the spring and summer of 1973 for the following concrete reasons: 1.) The son who wore the glasses and was the Knicks fan chose to attend the final game of the NBA Finals instead of his father's concert. He half-heartedly told his family afterwords that the Knicks won, and the only years the Knicks won in the 70's were 1970 and 1973, but . . . 2.) "Soul Train", which the kids were seen dancing to towards the end of the film, made it's debut in 1971, eliminating the possibility that the child attended the 1970 NBA Finals.
