After having seen and really liking SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT (1986), I can recall eagerly anticipating DO THE RIGHT THING and seeing it the week it opened. I can also recall leaving the theater and feeling blown away (a similar feeling after seeing such gems as PULP FICTION, BLUE VELVET, and SOMETHING WILD). From the wonderful opening shots of Rosie Perez dancing to Public Enemy's raucous "Fight the Power," I was instantly hooked. In fact, like his friend Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee is one of the best filmakers around in terms of music selection (something I realized again seeing SUMMER OF SAM).
Among the other highlights of DO THE RIGHT THING, which help to make it great:
1. Deeply moving performances by Rubie Dee as Mother Sister and and Ossie Davis as Da Mayor. 2. comical moments which are quite hysterical - Robin Harris's comedic riffs and friendly put-downs are extremely funny; Spike Lee also brilliantly deflates racial/ethnic stereotyping by showing how ludicrous and absurd is sounds as its being spouted, and gets us to laugh at it in the process. Seeing the rude sports car owner get his car drenched with hydrant water was a funny, satisfying moment. 3. Great direction and camera work, giving this the feel of an epic - despite the fact that it was set on a single city block. 4. Absolutely fine acting by the principles - Danny Aiello, John Turturro, Richard Edson, and Giancarlo Esposito were all superb. 5. Elements of great realism and topicality; e.g., the argument between Rosie Perez's Tina and her mom looked and felt like a real fight, "Sal's Famous" looked and felt like a real place, the mutual facial expressions of hostility between cops and neighborhood residents, etc. 6. An ending which continues to provoke debate. 7. The story line unfolding over the course of a singular day. 8. Nearly all the characters, including the minor ones, are well fleshed out and thus quite memorable.
Overall a great film. My rating = 10 (out of a possible 10)
Among the other highlights of DO THE RIGHT THING, which help to make it great:
1. Deeply moving performances by Rubie Dee as Mother Sister and and Ossie Davis as Da Mayor. 2. comical moments which are quite hysterical - Robin Harris's comedic riffs and friendly put-downs are extremely funny; Spike Lee also brilliantly deflates racial/ethnic stereotyping by showing how ludicrous and absurd is sounds as its being spouted, and gets us to laugh at it in the process. Seeing the rude sports car owner get his car drenched with hydrant water was a funny, satisfying moment. 3. Great direction and camera work, giving this the feel of an epic - despite the fact that it was set on a single city block. 4. Absolutely fine acting by the principles - Danny Aiello, John Turturro, Richard Edson, and Giancarlo Esposito were all superb. 5. Elements of great realism and topicality; e.g., the argument between Rosie Perez's Tina and her mom looked and felt like a real fight, "Sal's Famous" looked and felt like a real place, the mutual facial expressions of hostility between cops and neighborhood residents, etc. 6. An ending which continues to provoke debate. 7. The story line unfolding over the course of a singular day. 8. Nearly all the characters, including the minor ones, are well fleshed out and thus quite memorable.
Overall a great film. My rating = 10 (out of a possible 10)