Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989)
2023 the number - another summer! Time to wash away this year's bitter film disappointments with a NYC fire hydrant. Not too many films out there are worth enduring the hot sticky evenings right about now. Thankfully, Spike Lee's classic social drama Do the Right Thing (1989) perfectly encapsulates the sweltering summer heat to its advantage.
Set in the hubbub of Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighbourhood on the hottest day of the year. Sal's Famous Pizzeria is the focal point for rising racial tension throughout the film when Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), one of the patrons of the restaurant, takes issue with Sal's Wall of Fame being exclusively adorned with pictures of Italian/Italian American celebrities. The film's central protagonist, Mookie (Spike Lee), a pizza delivery guy for Sal (Danny Aiello, AKA Madonna's dad in the Papa Don't Preach video) and friend of Buggin' Out, temporarily de-escalates the situation before it resurfaces during the remainder of the day.
Sadly, Do the Right Thing's social commentary is still relevant today. Amidst the blazing summer heat, the multi-cultural melting pot boils over it into violence following a horrific incident involving the police. What's truly remarkable about Spike Lee's film is its humanistic writing for its characters; including their strengths and weaknesses, sans the stereotypical Hollywood heavy-handedness. Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), who appears larger than life as a towering figure, endlessly blaring Public Enemy's Fight the Power on his boombox, exemplifies the duality inherent in the rest of the characters with his LOVE and HATE rings; an obvious homage to Robert Mitchum's tatoos from The Night of the Hunter (1955).
The sitdown conversation between Sal and his son Pino (John Turturro) is a powerful moment in the film. Despite all his hard work and passion, Sal's realises the pizzeria won't continue for long in the incapable hands of his sons; particularly the racist Pino. At this point, it's where Sal realises his pride for the business might have come at the expense of others. This is the pride before the fall that forshadows the film's volatile climax.
Ernest Dickerson's cinematography is absolutely gorgeous in the film. Not only does he capture the diverse vibrancy to the neighbourhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant and the colourful eighties apparel worn by the cast, but the intense humidity emanating off the screen feels very authentic. Beads of sweat in glistening detail on the cast and the stuffy urban atmosphere has you craving for an ice bath when the end credits start to crawl.
The rest of the supporting cast are also great with a memorable appearance of Samuel L. Jackson as the radio DJ Mister Señor Love Daddy rockin' both a kufi and a safari hat on his head throughout the film. Do the Right Thing also heralded the film debuts for both Martin Lawrence and Rosie Perez.
There's also the additional heat of Rosie Perez's dance sequence for the film's opening credits, which follows in the vein of a bygone trend in cinema. Well done to Spike Lee for capturing that classic sequence on celluloid. The ever so hands-on director was also committed to playing Perez's boyfriend in the film, by having the enviable task of rubbing ice cubes on her breasts to keep her cool from all the heat. This charitable endeavour might be another reason why Do the Right Thing came 24th in Sight and Sound's The Greatest Films of All Time poll.
Haven't seen every single one of Spike Lee's films, but Do the Right Thing does feel the like his most well crafted effort in his oeuvre. Still relevant today as it was over thirty years ago, which marks it as equally tragic as it is remarkable, but a sincere piece of art, regardless. Would rank highly in any great films set in NYC list "and that's the double-truth, Ruth!"
Dada Debaser Bonus Feature:
It's 1989 and if your humble blogger was the teenaged owner/manager of a restaurant - Spartan's Famous Souvlakia (because pizza in the summer is way too stodgy for my liking), I'm probably putting this lot on my Wall of Fame:
6 comments:
This is one I need to rewatch because I haven't seen it in over 20 years.
My '89 Wall of Fame would include Ice-T, De La Soul, Faith No More, Freddy, Christian Slater in Gleaming The Cube, the original Round The Twist cast, Bronwyn from Neighbours, and Treasure Island Dizzy.
Worth revisiting Do the Right Thing. Didn't realise Martin Lawrence's mate was the guy with the shades in Frank White's crew from King of New York.
I ought to have put Elvira on my Wall of Fame.
Definitely. Gotta add Winona Ryder to mine as well.
Great call.
Think her peak era was around Beetlejuice to Bram Stoker's Dracula, imo.
Finally rewatched this on a showing at my local. Glad I watched it in an air-conditioned cinema too because all the indoor scenes are so oppressive and sticky. Holds up like a motherfucker.
Totally forgot Frank Vincent was in it. R.I.P to an actor who made every movie better with the most minor roles.
Totally agree, the film has aged remarkably well after all these years. Perfect summer film.
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