Do the Right Thing (1989)

AFI Top 100: 96

This movie is one of the strongest examples I have seen of utilizing angles and color in order to achieve the overlying mood of a film. This mood can be stated in one word: Tension.

The plot itself is simple, you have the streets of Brooklyn with all the different lifestyles that are seen within a few blocks colliding on the hottest day of the year. There is the Black community full of beat and anger towards their history and their place in society. You have the Italians trying to make an honest living while also trying to keep their traditions alive and struggling with the conflict of the two. Spike Lee also highlights some other ethnic groups but the main tension lies between the Italians and the Blacks. It is on this fault line that we are given our protagonist Mookie. He works for Sal's Famous Pizzeria but is trying to represent and defend his culture.

If that weren't enough dissonance in just the story world. Lee is able to create even more through the sharpness of his script, his camera angles and lens choices and the color saturation of the film. The dialogue is unforgiving in its blunt approach and the "up in your face" distorted angles provide the aggression that is being presented. In addition, the vibrancy of the color that he uses gives us a sense of heat but also of clashing cultures. The colors are eye catching and beautiful might not cohesive.

My one major qualm with this film is it leaves its message too ambiguous to be of use. I found even after seeing it a second time that Lee really gives us no clue whether he believes violence to be the answer or not. I am not saying that it had to be a squeaky clean everyone goes home happy kind of ending, but the ending that was provided left me wondering why I even bothered to watch this movie. I felt that I was at the same square I started at, I need a movie to give me more than that. I think it's purpose as a  film is to get you thinking about the issues instead of persuading you to one side. I think as a modern day American we are already knowledgeable about the issues, I wanted answers not just the question.

 Overall: It is a cinematographic masterpiece. I say watch it and appreciate that and how it deals with the subject matter. It may be a little outdated in its purpose but perhaps the fact that I think that is in and of itself part of the issue he is trying to show us. Something to consider.
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