Analysis of Spike Lee’s ‘Do the Right Thing’

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When it comes to the movie ‘Do the Right Thing’ written and directed by Spike Lee, the movie has been focusing on how the people who were well known as the lower-class citizens, who have been living in Brooklyn, New York City. Many people from different nationalities such as African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians have been going through discrimination and many other culture disparities that causes the many of the characters such as Mookie, to lass out at all the negative actions that occur in the neighborhood. However, while watching the movie I saw how the same characters were able to figure out ways to overcome many of their obstacles, such as dealing with segregation, poor economic prosperities and racial resentments. The film also reveals a few elements for the audience to overlook. For example, one of the common themes in ‘Do the Right Thing’ is advocating the difference between love and hate and how it exists among the individuals in the neighborhood itself. This movie is showing the viewers of how the characters, such as Sai, who in the film have been known as an overpower round character who feels that his race is far superior than the others, don’t fully understand the meaning of what love and what hate truly are. It will always be the key step to how the movie has created its meaning. But most importantly, if anyone can fight the power of their opposite principles, then anyone, all over the globe, could learn the value that the power for life has for itself, is focusing on the right thing to do.

Watching the movie, I learned so much from these character’s motives, not only for their differences in their race but also, I could easily relate myself to those in their own unique way. For example, in the movieI noticed that it was showing the fact that it was extremely difficult for the black people to go about their daily lives without worrying about the police authority appearing to keep a discrimination eye on them. Some of those characters like Mookie, he was going through a lot of many different challenges that had him picking on which path he wanted to follow were fully able to truly recognize their different personalities, which can eventually lead them to a major power struggle, by having them openly insult each other through violence and destruction. While watching the movie, I also realized a few things. Whenever those characters get into a situation there are times that I was able to see some editing for the long shots, close up shots, and mid-shots throughout the whole film. For instance, when Raheem has shown the audience a powerful demonstration between the power of love and also the power of hate, just by looking on how radio Raheem is directed to the audience that scene was a mid-shot, and this goes to show that by doing a mid-shot, the audience would get the bigger picture that racism is still going on today, and even the racial jokes, either those jokes are out of jealousy or anger, continues to be told.

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This movie showed some real-life powerful, impactful elements in the scenes. For example, immediate social issues, but also a personal statement, by an upper-middle-class educated black man, trying to figure out what is the value of doing the right thing and most importantly. The movie has been focusing on the investigates towards building tensions that has been taking place in the Brooklyn neighborhood. According to the article ‘Do the Right Thing’, analysis written by Walker Valdez, he stated that “The camera pans up to Raheem’s serious face and the African medallion hanging on his neck once again shows iconography. While the movie camera was focusing on Raheem, the sound of the Puerto Ricans yelling that their salsa music is being drowned out is heard” (Valdez). This shows that the filmmakers who have major role-playing in this movie were able to use many cinematographic angle techniques so that the audience could be able to have a clear image of what type of shots they used. The camera movement is able to create a lot of distance from the characters, and allow the audience to be more involved with their point of view.

Besides the camera movement, Spike Lee also was able to include many different types of sounds and how it had a major big impact not just for me, but also for the rest of the audience. According to the article ‘Behind the Sound: Spike, Lee’s: Do the Right Thing’, written by Spike Lee, he let the audience know that “There were different types of sound at work on ‘Do the Right Thing’. These sounds shaped various scenes and the overall feel of the movie. The music that was placed into scenes perfectly completed the message is intended to get across in three basic categories of sound (dialogue, sound effects, and music)” (Lee). This shows that Spike Lee was able to use this editing technique to see whether or not the scenes should have either dialogue, non-dialogue, sound effects, or music for this movie. For example, when analyzing the movie, the only song that was playing during the movie was ‘Fight the Power’, with certain characters such as Raheem, who will keep on playing the song on his boombox, and shows no fear to everyone who would get in his way. One of my favorite scenes that were showing some dialogue and sound effects was when Mookie was hanging out with his girlfriend; there was some dialogue and a little bit of romantic music being played in the scene. This shows that Spike Lee's use of sound effects in this film was the key factor in how it received and set the mood for a very important reason, forgetting the audience’s attention.

In conclusion, when it comes to the movie ‘Do the Right Thing’ written and directed by Spike Lee, the movie has been focusing on how the people has been going through with society, racial intolerance of people who are often marginalized and oppressed, choose to handle that discrimination. While watching the movie I saw how the same characters were able to figure out ways to overcome many obstacles, such as dealing with segregation, poor economic prosperities and racial resentments. The film also reveals a few elements for the audience to overlook. For example, one of the common themes in ‘Do the Right Thing’ is advocating the difference between love and hate and how it exists among the individuals in the neighborhood itself.

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Analysis of Spike Lee’s ‘Do the Right Thing’. (2022, December 15). Edubirdie. Retrieved June 30, 2024, from https://edubirdie.com/examples/analysis-of-spike-lees-do-the-right-thing/
“Analysis of Spike Lee’s ‘Do the Right Thing’.” Edubirdie, 15 Dec. 2022, edubirdie.com/examples/analysis-of-spike-lees-do-the-right-thing/
Analysis of Spike Lee’s ‘Do the Right Thing’. [online]. Available at: <https://edubirdie.com/examples/analysis-of-spike-lees-do-the-right-thing/> [Accessed 30 Jun. 2024].
Analysis of Spike Lee’s ‘Do the Right Thing’ [Internet]. Edubirdie. 2022 Dec 15 [cited 2024 Jun 30]. Available from: https://edubirdie.com/examples/analysis-of-spike-lees-do-the-right-thing/
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