Do The Right Thing (1989) (theater, Danny Aiello, watch, theatre)
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The message was, "it's ok to riot and vandalize someone's place of business because the police brutalized someone who was being unruly and belligerent in that place of business". When Lee was asked whether or not his character "did the right thing" by tossing a garbage can through the window and inciting a riot, he responded with "only whites ask that question, and those that do value a white man's business over a black man's death".
I think that Spike Lee's character Mookie was irresponsible so therefore his actions were so. I've never been a fan of rioting one's own neighborhood regardless of who's place of business it is. However his actions (Mookie) were understandable although skewed by youth and emotions. I don't condone it but I understand.
Mookie was probably the one character that everyone would have listened to, and he probably could have tried to get people to listen to reason. Instead, he did something irresponsible, and everything went to h#ll in a handbasket. I always looked at the ending as Mookie's actions could have pulled everything from the brink...
Lol I loved this movie. As many times as I watched it I've never thought "was he right in throwing the trash can through the window"...my line of thought was "they didn't have to kill Radio Raheem".
Anyway Spike Lee movies deal in stereotypes. He goes right to the base of stereotypes and puts it in your face with no filter. Radio Raheem was always shot from below to make him look like the big scary black man. People who are uncomfortable having stereotypes shoved in their faces won't like Spike Lee films.
The old man told Mookie to "do the right thing" earlier in the film. During the climax, what does Mookie do? He throws the trash can through the window. He knows that Sal's life might be in danger. So he does this to create a "release valve" for the rioters. They destroy Sal's restaurant rather than commit a murder.
@ Coolhand68: Not baiting here, I'd like an honest discussion: are you white?
Yes I am white. But regardless, it was the wrong thing to do. Their anger should have been directed at the police, or that moron Buggin' Out who provoked the incident in the first place. I lived in Brooklyn when this movie was released. It was a tense time in NYC and crime was on the rise. It didn't help to ease racial tensions in the city which had recently been in the headlines with the Howard Beach incident in 1986 and the Yusef Hawkins murder in 1989, the year the movie was released.
Like I said earlier, I really enjoyed the movie, I just thought the ending was irresponsible and sent the wrong messages; it's ok to walk into someone's place of business and demand they put up certain pictures on the wall, it's ok to disrespect someone's business by blasting your music in their restaurant, it's ok to attempt to choke a man to death for smashing said radio and calling you a name, it's ok to loot and burn someone's business to the ground because of something that the perpetrators could have prevented in the first place.
I understand the underlying anger towards police and the history of police brutality targeted towards blacks. But Lee chose to make a hard working white man and his family the scapegoat for all injustices towards blacks. He chose to paint a majority of whites in his movie as racists as well...Sal and one of his sons, the cops, the guy driving his car through the sprinkler, dude wearing the celtics jersey, etc. Nothing in cinema is done by accident, everything is done with intent.
Yes I am white. But regardless, it was the wrong thing to do. Their anger should have been directed at the police, or that moron Buggin' Out who provoked the incident in the first place. I lived in Brooklyn when this movie was released. It was a tense time in NYC and crime was on the rise. It didn't help to ease racial tensions in the city which had recently been in the headlines with the Howard Beach incident in 1986 and the Yusef Hawkins murder in 1989, the year the movie was released.
Like I said earlier, I really enjoyed the movie, I just thought the ending was irresponsible and sent the wrong messages; it's ok to walk into someone's place of business and demand they put up certain pictures on the wall, it's ok to disrespect someone's business by blasting your music in their restaurant, it's ok to attempt to choke a man to death for smashing said radio and calling you a name, it's ok to loot and burn someone's business to the ground because of something that the perpetrators could have prevented in the first place.
I understand the underlying anger towards police and the history of police brutality targeted towards blacks. But Lee chose to make a hard working white man and his family the scapegoat for all injustices towards blacks. He chose to paint a majority of whites in his movie as racists as well...Sal and one of his sons, the cops, the guy driving his car through the sprinkler, dude wearing the celtics jersey, etc. Nothing in cinema is done by accident, everything is done with intent.
He never said it was "ok". As many times as I've seen the movie I've never got the impression that he was endorsing these acts as things to do. He was telling a story. And EVERYONE in the movie is racist to some degree; the whole point of the movie is racial tensions. These nonblack people opened business in black neighborhoods but don't like black people. The black people don't like them either but still go to their businesses.
I don't like that people assume that black people are so simple minded they'll allow a movie to influence their behavior. They will see a movie about riots ergo they will riot. How offensive is that? It basically says black people are too dumb to understand fiction.
Seen this film twice and it was good. Spike brings up a lot of 'uncomfortable' topics about being black in inner city America. He is bold about his emotions and intentions with his film and this one in particular. The title "Do the Right Thing" is objective to the audience or viewer, and it is up to you to interpret if anyone in the film did the 'right thing'. Great black film, imo.
He never said it was "ok". As many times as I've seen the movie I've never got the impression that he was endorsing these acts as things to do. He was telling a story. And EVERYONE in the movie is racist to some degree; the whole point of the movie is racial tensions. These nonblack people opened business in black neighborhoods but don't like black people. The black people don't like them either but still go to their businesses.
I don't like that people assume that black people are so simple minded they'll allow a movie to influence their behavior. They will see a movie about riots ergo they will riot. How offensive is that? It basically says black people are too dumb to understand fiction.
Why do we spin bad behavior as something noble?? Just telling a story? Yes...he was telling a story. But stories oftimes have a "moral" to it. A lesson.....you cannot tell me that Spike didn't always tell a message. Fishburne's "WAAAAKE UPP!!", in School Daze........... Snipes' grabbing that Crack ho at the end of Jungle Fever and screaming "NOOOOOO!"
Do The Right Thing is No different........Spike sent a clear message that if things don't go your way, you can tear up some else's stuff.......
Another message was clear in that Sal was suppose to have black folks on the wall of HIS pizza joint! His store!! The store he built. I agreed with Sal.....start your own shop if you want to have your people displayed. Geeez....did Buggin Out even have a job??????
Black people aren't above being influenced by pop culture. It's not about "simple-mindedness. ALL PEOPLE FALL UNDER THIS CATEGORY! Black folk are not exempt from that strong influence.
You better believe that "some" black people came out of the theatre thinking that civil disobedience was cool....and some did not!
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