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Writer: Spike Lee
Starring: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Rosie Perez, Spike Lee
Now that's some great urban cinematography in that screen shot! Spike really shot his film well. I liked those three older guys and their commentary on stuff going on in the community. The three older men worked like a Greek chorus in classic Greek theater. By that I mean, they cue us in on the happenings and do so in a semi-omnipresent way. Which worked brilliantly as they then anchor the film for the viewer.
I have to say Spike Lee was brilliant in his film making casting choices. Right at the start we get Rosie Perez dancing to Fight the Power...At first I'm thinking, 'hey, she can really move', but then after my 10 second attention span waned she kept dancing....and dancing and dancing! Her moves and the music was frantic! Just when I thought she was finally done, the scene changes to nighttime and now she's dancing/boxing at the camera and looking quite hostile too! Which set me on edge...AND THAT IS BRILLIANT, because Spike Lee had that all planned out.
And he continues that pressure cooker effect with the ever present heat wave and craziness. He makes us feel the craziness by introducing one character after another and they're all yelling or ranting about something. So by the time we get to the pizza parlor I'm as worked up as the denizens of the street block were. I think Spike Lee did something special here!
You know what the difference between Tarantino and Spike Lee is? Spike can actually act and Tarantino sucks when he's a character in his own films. Spike as the actor was as good as Spike the director, he made for a very interesting character, kind of like a black Woody Allen.
There were a lot of colorful characters in Do the Right Thing, Rosie Perez with her nasal jaw poppin whine and her profanity spewing, drove me bonkers through out the film and so did the stuttering guy...BUT that's exactly what Spike intendeds these characters to do to the audience...make us crazy!
I could wrote a book about the movies examination of racial and social problems in this poor inner city neighborhood. I'm sure the film can be interpreted a 100 different ways. For me I'll sum it up, I think Spike Lee wanted to show how it is, and in my book he succeed.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Director: Spike LeeWriter: Spike Lee
Starring: Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Rosie Perez, Spike Lee
Now that's some great urban cinematography in that screen shot! Spike really shot his film well. I liked those three older guys and their commentary on stuff going on in the community. The three older men worked like a Greek chorus in classic Greek theater. By that I mean, they cue us in on the happenings and do so in a semi-omnipresent way. Which worked brilliantly as they then anchor the film for the viewer.
I have to say Spike Lee was brilliant in his film making casting choices. Right at the start we get Rosie Perez dancing to Fight the Power...At first I'm thinking, 'hey, she can really move', but then after my 10 second attention span waned she kept dancing....and dancing and dancing! Her moves and the music was frantic! Just when I thought she was finally done, the scene changes to nighttime and now she's dancing/boxing at the camera and looking quite hostile too! Which set me on edge...AND THAT IS BRILLIANT, because Spike Lee had that all planned out.
And he continues that pressure cooker effect with the ever present heat wave and craziness. He makes us feel the craziness by introducing one character after another and they're all yelling or ranting about something. So by the time we get to the pizza parlor I'm as worked up as the denizens of the street block were. I think Spike Lee did something special here!
You know what the difference between Tarantino and Spike Lee is? Spike can actually act and Tarantino sucks when he's a character in his own films. Spike as the actor was as good as Spike the director, he made for a very interesting character, kind of like a black Woody Allen.
There were a lot of colorful characters in Do the Right Thing, Rosie Perez with her nasal jaw poppin whine and her profanity spewing, drove me bonkers through out the film and so did the stuttering guy...BUT that's exactly what Spike intendeds these characters to do to the audience...make us crazy!
I could wrote a book about the movies examination of racial and social problems in this poor inner city neighborhood. I'm sure the film can be interpreted a 100 different ways. For me I'll sum it up, I think Spike Lee wanted to show how it is, and in my book he succeed.