Do the Right Thing :K.Reed

When Do the Right Thing came out in 1989, Spike Lee, author and director, was hoping to show a very powerful message to Americans. “Wake up! Wake up. Up you wake!” Senor Love Daddy tells us in the first lines of the movie. Not only is this for the first of the morning on the radio, but also for people watching as well as the characters in the movie. For this movie, the ideology would be explicit because as defined by Giannetti in Understanding Movies, these are, “Thematically oriented movies aim to teach and persuade as much as to entertain.” In this movie we see a problem in a community and how they try to solve it, which really just makes everything worse. As Professor Permenter notes in her commentary, “This film is framed with Love Daddy telling people to get along, cool down, and just to try and love each other. At the beginning and at the end.” Love Daddy sends to message throughout the whole movie while the violence and hate is there to entertain.

Spike Lee along with cinematographer, Ernest Dickerson, did a fabulous job with the shots and mise en scene. Used in the film often were extreme angles, such as low angles, which were used sometimes when they felt some character was speaking some truth or wisdom. Oblique angles were also used very often throughout the film to, “…make us realize something is off; sense of discomfort” (Professors commentary). And that’s just it. Watching the movie for the first time I was confused because the shot was tilted. In the film, the mise en scene you see often is red, white, and blue representing American, wanting us to feel as one nation and have peace.

Radio Raheem, who plays the song, “Fight the Power,” all day everyday. This lyric could not be truer for society. Fight the power of racism and hate in the world. There are so many hidden words, phrases throughout the film that we should listen for. In Emerson’s review, he says, “There are no uncompromised heroes, no clear-cut villains here…” Sal isn’t a hero because he loses his temper very easily and isn’t nice about everything, but he also isn’t a villain because he never did anything wrong in the first place; he is just running his business and making something of his name and some kids around the neighborhood simply didn’t like some things he did. Radio Raheem isn’t a hero because he simply brought trouble and started things with Sal just because he wouldn’t let him play music, but he isn’t a villain because he loved his music and just wanted to be able to play it. In Ebert’s review, he said, “The neighborhood is black, but two of the businesses aren't.” Near the end of the fighting scene and the burning of Sal’s, they all go to the Korean’s but they are trying to get them to stay away. He then says we are the same. The town people continue to say, “No we are black. You are not black.” But the Korean wasn’t looking at it like that. This I think was another message hidden because we are all the same no matter the skin color.

Although this movie came out 26 years ago, the message can still be heard and should be within our society. Everyone has lost the sense of peace in the world and has gone straight to violence to solve their problems. So, Wake up America! We need to find more love in the world rather than hate.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind- Philip Agostinelli

Philip Agostinelli


Film Analysis


Dr. Permenter 


6-26-15

Blog #3

This is a movie that will leave you speechless, whether you enjoy it or are left in a blank confusion. As I finished the movie I had a rough idea of the message behind the film, but it intrigued me so greatly I went out and did more research on the film and that helped me fill in the holes that were left by confusing format of the film. This confusing format I feel was necessary in creating the true emotion and excitement of the film, if it was cut and dry and everything was spelled out for you, it would loose so much. You are supposed to think about the movie come to your own conclusion, from your point of view. The confusion creates curiosity. Curiosity is important in keeping an viewer involved in the film. The first moment that made me shake my head like "wait a second what just happened?" was when the movie ran for 18 minutes before the opening credits. And The series of events during this scene, where Joel's emotions and reactions show clementine is now gone and you're wondering "what and when did things go wrong?" This is an instant attention grabber, now you are drawn in and have to know what's going on. As stated in the review provided in the module David Edelstein "The laws of time and space are constantly flouted, yet the film moves along an unbroken thread of memories—a filament that's white-hot with emotion." Although it isn't your typical film in order of sequence of event, I agree it is overflowing with emotion and energy. There is something so fluent about the way he organized the series of events, it makes you feel like if something like this were real, this would be a spot on representation, you would feel, see, and have the exact same experience in real life as the film would depict. That is a very special quality this film has, most if not all films I have seen have some aspect that makes you feel like "oh that only happened because it's a movie, that wouldn't actually happen." There was something almost mystical the way Kaufman panned their relationship out in reverse. It made it more poetic and gave you a completely different perspective. Instead of watching a relationship crumb and getting the typical depressing feeling that relationships don’t work they waste your time and break your heart. You get a unique beauty formed watching the ruins of a relationship piece back together. And you realize the wonderful parts of their relationship and think it was time well spent, "I can't imagine not having all the old wonderful memories", and the concept that you shouldn't regret of want to forget the past, but learn from it and let it build you. We are who we are because of the event that happen in our lives. That can be taken in a very cynical or very positive way, but this movie because of the back track in his memories truly emphasizes the beauty in everything that happens to us, whether we think it is beautiful at the time or not. The message behind this film is very philosophical. That even once they know their relationship is going to crumble from right underneath them and they know they won’t be able to stop it, they still want to go through that experience. “Why would they do that?” is a common thought when this scene happens, but it’s not about the relationship lasting or failing, it’s not about retrying in hopes of a better result. It’s about the experiences the emotions the memories that you can’t imagine living without. Life isn’t similar to an obstacle course race. It’s not about the stroll across the finish line, it’s about everything that you experience before that finish line, the memories, the obstacles, the highs and lows of life.

Do The Right Thing - S. Bihary

     

        As the Roger Ebert review states, Do the Right Thing is a very controversial film. Many people could quickly be turned away from the movie by just assuming it is about race and violence. This is a movie that could cause a lot of problems if people take some of it too far. Some people could just simply be offended that the people buying food are the African Americans and the ones selling it are everyone but African Americans. Another example of this is the way that the different cultures interact with each other. An example of this is how the white man scuffs the black man's shoes and does not really apologize or anything. He just says it is his right to be there.

            Like the Washington Post review states, a lot the movie is left for the viewer to interpret it. For example, a lot of the different actions could be seen in different ways. Going back to the scene where the man's show got scuffed, you can interpret that in two different ways. The first way being it was an accident the man truly did not mean to mark up the other man's shoe. The next way being he did it on purpose. But then, why did he do it on purpose? I think this scene could be seen different depending on the viewer's race.

            The last review states that there is not a clear cut villain. I agree with this. There is not one single person that is the bad guy. I think there is a point in the movie that everyone did something bad that they should not have. This raised the tension immensely.

One film technique that made the movie seem very "real" would be the oblique camera angles. It really made the viewer feel uncomfortable which they most likely would have been if they were viewing it in person as well. Also, low angle shots were used effectively in the film. I interpreted it as everyone feeling like they had the power in the neighborhood. 

            Going back to the shoe scene, it is a great use of mise en scene. When the two men are arguing afterwards, mise en scene really kept the emotions up. This really helps the audience feel the tension that would have been going on in real life. 

Works Cited

Ebert, Roger. "Do the Right Thing." All Content. N.p., 30 June 1989. Web. 09 July 2013.

Emerson, Jim. "Do the Right Thing." Do the Right Thing. Cinepad, n.d. Web. 09 July 2013.

Howe, Desson. "Do the Right Thing." Washington Post. Washington Post, 30 June 1989. Web. 9 July        2013.

Do the Right Thing, D. Crawford

            

Do the Right Thing by Spike Lee was a film with very mixed views and opinions. Spike Lee has always been known for his different styles of filmmaking and plots. His ideas and perceptions of “what is and what was” are shown throughout many of his modern day and current day films. “Of course some of the characters are sympathetic and others are hateful. And of course some of the likable characters do bad things. Isn’t that the way it is in America today?” Ebert on his interpretation of Do the Right Thing. When you look at Spike Lee’s artistic style, camera, and shot angles, shadows, and sound, what stands out more than anything is the acting. Like Ebert reflected on, the acting done in this film can be reflected upon what America really is. Spike Lee directed this film in order to better portray what were current events during that time, and his views on America. When viewing this film to many viewers, as well as myself this film had no since of direction or plot. In many cases with the stereotypes and racist remarks throughout the film it looked as if Spike Lee placed actors, and actresses together and told them to “be themselves”. As a viewer, when the plot began to move in more of linear direction you start to see how powerful this film really was and the genius ideas of Spike finally coming to life. Spike directed this film in order for the viewer to have his or her own interpretation. Unlike many other films where the majority of the time the film is straight forward to the point, where at the end one either liked the film or hated it. This particular film was either liked or hated because of what it represented, not because of how it was directed or produced.

Throughout the film you see many Korean immigrants, Latinos, African Americans, Whites, and Italians living in one community together, a “black community” as Buggin’ Out stated in the film. I think this film is so powerful because it showed the many problems that went on between different races at that time and the struggles America went through to become “one”.  You watch as many African Americans gave police officers stern hard looks throughout the film “what a waste” which was displayed by close up and extreme close up shots to show the hatred they had for each other. The film cinematography effectively added definition to the plot and linear direction the film was moving in. Spike Lee used the weather to help show how significant temperature played with the actions and attitudes of people. Typically hot weather called for many angry people “hot tempered” as if the good in them was sucked out. Warm and bright colors were displayed throughout the film, vibrant red, yellow, and orange displayed in almost every scene and surrounded every character. “In both School Daze and Do the Right Thing, those words Wake Up, are aimed directly at the movies characters and audiences” Emerson wrote. Lee uses his films as a voice to the public. Wake up, a meaning in my opinion that can still be used today as it was by Lee back then to the public. Desson Howe explains how Spike Lee uses race in New York and stereotypes, along with political messages and gripping drama to develop a film with “sheer power and originality”. In my opinion Lee used camera angles more than anything to help create such a masterpiece of work.

The scene that stood out to me the most was when Sal broke Radio Raheem’s radio in the pizza shop. The first thing that stood out to me was the music. I noticed how Spike Lee used background music “hip hop” during the most important or significant scenes in the movie. Inside the pizza shop you notice Spike use low angle shots when Raheem’s face was displayed to help give him a more intimidating look. You see extreme close up and mid angle shots during the argument between Sal, Raheem, and Buggin’ Out at the counter. We are able to see many cuts throughout this scene to help display the setting and the environment around the argument. I noticed mid shots of the background characters and sometimes a zoom on the characters faces. The movie went from bright colors, sunny, and clear to the inside of the pizza shop, which were dark shadows, and a blur of pictures and colors on the wall. As soon as Sal broke the radio it was complete silence as if the broken radio symbolized the broken hearts of African Americans at that time. Music was something that African Americans were able to easily relate to, and was something that was part of their culture. Once Sal broke the radio it was almost like something went missing in the lives of the characters.

Works Cited

·      Ebert, Roger.  "Do The Right Thing."  Rogerebert.com.  Chicago Sun Times, 30 June 1989. Web.  8 July 2013.  

·      Emerson, Jim.  "Do The Right Thing."  Cinepad.com.  Web.  8 July 2013.

·      Howe, Desson.  “Do The Right Thing."  Washingtonpost.com.  Washington Post, 30 June 1989. Web.  8 July 2013.

Do the Right Thing- Bologna, M.

            “It’s clear that everyone in the movie could use a cold moral shower by the end of the day” (Howe).  This movie was created knowing that there would be mixed feelings.  There is an immense amount of racism for African Americans, Asians, and Caucasians.  They each struggle to live in their neighborhood together.  Their compromises are unspoken but assumed until one side is unhappy, which is most of the time.  They deal with problems concerning money and fairness.  In this movie money is a large part of how these characters get by in life.  Money seems like an odd concern for people that are not financially struggling but Sal uses money as a solution to the trouble makers who stop by his store by paying them to leave him alone.  But Mookie on the other hand uses money to solve financial issues with his family and for personal use.  The last scene is even based around money.  Sal pays Mookie to leave him alone and take his trouble with him and Mookie takes it knowing that it is his and he needs it to help his family.  The clashing cultures also struggle with compromising.  They find every decision to be unfair when its really society that is unfair.  The characters are one minded letting you understand how they each feel but we have a far enough distance to stay mutual while we can relate with our own instances in certain situations.  Lee uses colors to emphasize our mood in certain moments.  From the second the film begins, we are given the image of heat.  There is a red tint to just about every picture.  Then we are given the news that it will be a hot summer, which combines with the color red to emphasize the sweat running down each character’s neck.

  

          In this clip Radio Raheem is in the shot by himself.  The camera is just a bit lower to give him a larger more powerful angle than his already larger body.  Because the camera is placed at a high angle, Radio Raheem looks as large as the buildings behind him.  Even his hands look larger than the car with the close up shot that only captures half of his body.  Lee even uses the bright colors on Radio Raheem’s shirt to capture the audiences eye’s attention to the center of the scene along with the glare of light coming off of his rings.