Editing Jungle Fever (section)

== Production ==
A few months after the [[Murder of Yusef Hawkins|murder of Yusuf K. Hawkins]] on August 23, 1989, [[Spike Lee]] began conceptualizing ''Jungle Fever'', jotting down ideas and eventually organizing them into scenes on index cards. Subsequently, he commenced writing dialogue with specific actors in mind, envisioning [[Wesley Snipes]], [[Ossie Davis]], and [[John Turturro]] for the roles of "Flipper Purify," "The Good Reverend Doctor Purify," and "Paulie Carbone," respectively. Lee reportedly crafted the character "Vinny," Paulie's tough friend, drawing inspiration from Joseph Fama, the teenager responsible for Hawkins' shooting. Additionally, certain aspects of architect Flipper Purify were influenced by cinematographer [[Ernest Dickerson]], Lee's longtime friend and collaborator, who studied architecture at [[Howard University]].<ref name="AFI">{{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/58919-JUNGLE-FEVER|title=''Jungle Fever''|website=[[American Film Institute]]|access-date=January 16, 2024}}</ref>

Principal photography began on August 20, 1990, in New York City, primarily in the Harlem and Bensonhurst districts. Additional scenes were shot in Brooklyn's Flatlands neighborhood, Greenwich Village, and at the San Gennaro street festival in [[Little Italy, Manhattan|Little Italy]]. The Manhattan offices of the Walker Group served as the backdrop for the fictional architecture firm "Mast & Covington." While expanding on the basic script, a significant portion of the film's dialogue was developed during production. In a scene where "Drew" and her friends discuss Flipper’s infidelity, the actresses' performances were largely improvised, creating an emotionally charged conversation that left a strong impression on critics, requiring three days of rehearsal and an entire day to film.<ref name="AFI" />

Lee initially filmed a prologue addressing racial issues, but at the encouragement of distributor [[Universal Pictures]], he decided to remove the "offending" scene from the $12.5 million production.<ref name="AFI" />