In Do The Right Thing, Spike Lee makes obvious distinctions between the different races and cultures throughout the film. I feel like these characters were really caricatures, or amplified versions of actual stereotypes. The big distinctions and personalities of the characters gave a greater affect on the rifts and friction that developed throughout the movie. Though the movie was set in Bed-Stuy, a predominantly black neighborhood, the film also showed “whites/Italians,” with Sal and his sons (Danny Aiello, John Turturro and Richard Edson), and Asians, with the Korean grocery store owner (Steve Park). These two races,I felt were stereotypical portrayals. On the side of the blacks, there were different kinds of people. There was Mookie (Spike Lee), the lazy pizza guy, Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), the big, anti-authority, stereo carrier and Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito), who probably sparked the movie’s main conflict. These younger characters seemed very willing to spark a change, or “fight the power,” I guess. Other older characters such as Da Mayor, Mother Sister, and Love Daddy were portrayed in the movie as well, but not as radical as the younger people. These black characters I felt were also very stereotypical from the way they dressed (shoutouts to the Air Jordan 4!), to the way they spoke and acted. Like Pouzulet mentioned in the article, the characters in Bed-Stuy were almost in an idealized ghetto, with defined stereotypes, and seemingly no seedy/sketchy activity.
I felt that most of the film’s conflict and ending were results of seemingly small confrontations that escalated. The relationships between characters got weaker and weaker, with some getting increasingly angry and frustrated. Buggin’ Out questioning Sal not putting “brothers” on the wall and Radio Raheem (of course) blasting his radio definitely showed the discord between the black and white in Bed-Stuy. What seemed like a curious, non-threatening question, ended up as a spark to the literal fire at the end of the film.
As Do The Right Thing continued, the temperatures rose, as well as the friction between the different people in Bed-Stuy. Visually, the use of different camera angles and lighting was definitely noticeable. For example, the shots of Radio Raheem were always shot from below him, making him look big and intimidating. When he was interacting with the Korean store owners, they were shown in a yellowish/orange light, with a tilted camera angle. Also, the framing of the film on one hot summer day was used to compliment the film’s ongoing conflict. From the heating of temperatures, to the riot at night, these definitely caught my eye as they went along with the action. Sonically, there was always a mix of music that went along with the film. The use of music in the film was accurately described by Johnson in her “Polyphony” article. Radio Raheem and blasting “Fight The Power” definitely stood out. The bold voices of Chuck D and Flavor Flav gave a clear background to the conflict that was happening throughout the film. However, it was pointed out by Johnson that there was no use of music for the final scenes of the film, the destruction of Sal’s pizzeria and the killing of Raheem.
I felt that Mookie throwing the garbage can through the window was an act of mercy. While the pizzeria was a neighborhood staple, Buggin’ Out criticizing Sal and his Wall of Fame definitely caused a rift, which escalated at the end of the movie. It was like they had lost their place in the community, which had already grown overwhelmingly black. The movie talked about how Sal and his sons were from Bensonhurst, not Bed-Stuy, and how one son was contemplating about changing the business. I think that this is important in understanding the white vs black rift in the movie. The act of throwing the garbage can through the window might have destroyed the pizzeria, but it saved Sal and his sons from being victims of a riot. Do I feel it was the right thing to dO? I guess so, somebody or something was going to get damaged looking at the anger the people had at the end of the film.
