Do the Right Thing

DO THE RIGHT THING - 1989
DIRECTED BY SPIKE LEE

1) Relate what was discussed in class or the text to the screening.

On a hot, humid, hazy day tensions in one Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood in Brooklyn are at a high. The day’s heat seems to bring both thermometers and the regressed resentment of its residents to a boil. All the pressure comes to a head in what can only be described as chaos -- all surrounding a simple pizzeria, its owner, and its patrons. That is the basic premise behind Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, but the film does so much more. The film was ground breaking and received two academy award nominations (one for Danny Aiello – Best supporting actor, and Spike Lee – Best Screenplay) but sadly didn’t win in any of the categories. It can be seen as another example of the Academy not getting it right; Driving Miss Daisy received the voter’s adulation that year, yet it is Do the Right Thing that still reverberates as powerfully influential even today.

The story was commanding and touched down on the bigotry that can be found in many of us, despite outward appearances. Rather than turn the film into a statement on the evils of the “white man”, Lee is honest in presenting all of us – black, white, Asian and Hispanic – as being susceptible to intolerance. He does so with finesse. The characters are real, some likeable some not so much, but their types can be found in many of our streets. His dialogue is humorous and honest, but his camera work is wonderful. Wonderful camera work – tracking shots, the dolly cloud effect, and worm’s eye views for example – are executed to full effect. He also utilizes a haze effect and uses warm color schemes making the heat almost jump off screen. It was a good film, despite mixed views on the final confrontation between Mookie and Salvatore, that presented themes many of choose to ignore and brought them to the forefront of our minds.   

2) Find a related article (on the film, director, studio, actor/actress, artistic content, etc.) and summarize the content.  You may use the library or the internet.  

Cite the article or copy the url to your journal entry. Summarize in your own words the related article but do not plagiarize any content.

Fighting The Power: "Do the Right Thing" 20 Years Later

                        by Anthony Kaufman

Kaufman’s article, written on the 20^th anniversary of the film presented a look back on Spike Lee’s efforts to get the film made, beyond mere funding, but to get the film he wanted made. He went on to discuss the many independent film makers that took note of Lee’s work and have been inspired by the Do the Right Thing. According to Kaufman, 1989 seemed to be an epochal year for independent films.

Jon Pierson, who funded Lees earlier film She’s Gotta Have It, for 10,000 went on to say … "You had these people with some degree of success and it was like let's take it to the next level," he says, citing directors like the Coen brothers and Spike Lee. "Some of the smarter young studio execs were forward-thinking, like this is the new wave, let's see if they can make 'real' movies that still have an edge."

This was prior to studios having subdivisions, like Universal’s Focus Features, as an outlet for smaller films. At the time the studio had invested roughly 6 million into the film (a drop in the bucket compared to today’s big budget affairs) but was still concerned with both the budget and the films reception. Despite the reluctance the studio took a chance and during a screening for the anniversary Lee opened up his introduction by thanking former Universal president Tom Pollock for not falling to the pressure and backing the director.

The film inspired indie directors like Lee Daniels and Sam Kitt and serves as a testament to aspiring film makers of every ilk to pursue their careers and to make the films they want, rather than adhering to “studio standards”. The obstacles that were overcome should serve as a testament to many film students to continue to strive to bring the many ideas rattling around in their brains to the screen.    

3) Apply the article to the film screened in class.   How did the article support or change the way you thought about the film, director, content, etc.?

It’s relatively easy for young filmmakers to be dissuaded from making the film they want. It is an extremely hard business to break into, and why would you want to contradict the very people who are handing you the money you need to make your film. Regardless of the many obstacles that while undoubtedly present themselves you have to toe the line between placating the powers that be and making something you actually care about. When employees, filmmakers, or artists (whatever moniker suits you) decide to “phone it in” on a project the results speak for themselves. You can almost see the lack of effort in the work. In contrast, when you are passionate about a project, that effort also manages to shine through.

Do the Right Thing is a perfect example of the little film that could. It doesn’t always take a lot of money to be thrown at a film to equal quality – cough, John Carter of Mars. Quality, care, and gumption can go a long way. Do the right thing was a great film made for a fraction of the cost of many of today’s big budget blowouts. Yet, Spike Lee’s arguably best picture will still have a greater impact on cinema.

4) Write a critical analysis of the film, including your personal opinion, formed as a result of the screening, class discussions, text material and the article.  I am less interested in whether you liked or disliked a film, (although that can be part of this) than I am in your understanding of its place in film history or the contributions of the director.

Many films of the past are barely edgy by today’s standards – Midnight Cowboy or the Graduate for example. Nevertheless it’s these types of films that opened up the door for other films with similar subject matter to be made in the first place. Do the Right Thing is one of those movies. Granted, the passing of time of brings with it new outlooks, a new zeitgeist. We are far more open minded today than in the past, but to pretend that bigotry and intolerance are non-existent would be a gross miscalculation. Do the Right Thing came from Lee looking at was going on in the world around him and addressing it through film. A film can serve many functions – entertainment, escapism, or in this case artistic critique. He did so with cinematic flair. One scene in particular showcases the diverse residents of Mookie’s neighborhood spewing racial diatribes while looking directly at the camera. Even today the scene makes you cringe; in that case it did its job.

Lee’s cinematography is also in full effect. We get extreme close-ups when a character is in middle of hate filled monologue, their emotions taking front seat. At times the film looks misty and somewhat out of focus, as if the heat (a metaphor for the rising tension) is almost tangible. He uses a warm color scheme to make us feel the rays of the sun beating down on us.

His dialogue is both humorous and poignant, but never over the top and uncharacteristic. The music seems perfectly executed, catering to the emotion of the scene at hand, I dare you to watch this film and not have Public Enemy’s Fight the power running through your mind. Is this a perfect film? No, that doesn’t exist. You can point to the awkward closing conversation between Mookie and Salvatore and find yourself scratching your head. The film doesn’t pretend to have all the answers but shines a light on the many problems.     

Plagiarism Statement:  Attach this to the end of every journal assignment.

CHECKLIST FOR PLAGIARISM

1) ( x ) I have not handed in this assignment for any other class.

2) ( x) If I reused any information from other papers I have written for other classes, I clearly explain that in the paper.

3) ( x ) If I used any passages word for word, I put quotations around those words, or used indentation and citation within the text.

4) ( x ) I have not padded the bibliography. I have used all sources cited in the bibliography in the text of the paper.

5) ( x ) I have cited in the bibliography only the pages I personally read.

6) ( x ) I have used direct quotations only in cases where it could not be stated in another way. I cited the source within the paper and in the bibliography.

7) ( x ) I did not so over-use direct quotations that the paper lacks interpretation or originality.

8) ( x ) I checked yes on steps 1-7 and therefore have been fully transparent about the research and ideas used in my paper.

Name: Benjamin F. M. Novoa              Date: 3/1/2014