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Do the Right Thing
Monday June 29, 2009
Filed Under: African-American, civil rights, do the right thing, dvd, movie, ossie davis, race, spike lee
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Remembered loving this film when it first came out ... and re-watching now didn't dampen my enthusiasm a wit. It's the movie where every ounce of Lee's talents -- the idiosyncratic soundtracks, the combustible characters, the colorful set design .. everything came together as one.
He hasn't made a film since then that comes anywhere near as close to "Do the Right Thing," and to me that's the biggest surprise - and disappointment.
Thanks, Christian. I agree -- this movie holds up very well. That opening credit sequence is amazing and each of the characters is so vivid and compelling. I'd add "Malcolm X" and "School Daze" as among his best, and still hope that he will deliver an even better one some day.
I recently saw this movie after hearing that it was the 20th anniversary. My dad saw it twice in theaters, so i thought it was probably worth a look. I was amazed at how great a movie it was. The cinematography was great and the colors really made the day seem hot. I agree about the characters. Even the characters who didn't have many lines or screen time, like Martin Lawrence's character, were very believable. And the thing i admired the most was how it didn't side with either Sal or Mookie, it just showed how complicated these situations were, and allowed you to analyze what happened. I wish more movies were as even handed.
Thanks, Robby -- agreed! I think it is this even-handed openness that has kept the film so vital and relevant.
I included Do the Right Thing in my list of the Nine Best Movies about Brooklyn.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1751748/the_nine_best_movies_about_brooklyn_pg3.html?cat=2
As a Brooklynite I saw Bed-Stuy change over the years. Hope it is changing for the better now. But in the movie it is used as a microcosm for the whole racial climate in the 1980s. Interesting as to how many small character roles were played by actors who became famous a decade later.
Great list! Our son lives in Brooklyn. It's a wonderfully rich environment. And you are right about the amazing cast of this film. Lee has a great eye for talent.
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