Bio/Filmographies; English Subtitles; Director's Comments
In Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, disc jockey Mr. Señor Love Daddy wakes his morning listeners with soulful rhythms and prepares them for the sweltering heat of the summer's day. The nearby eatery and hangout is Sal's Famous Pizzeria. Young locals Buggin' Out, Radio Raheem, and pizza delivery guy Mookie view Sal's as a symbol of the successful economic and cultural assimilation of Italian Americans and as an oppressive economic force that profits at their expense. Existing racial tensions between merchant and community are exacerbated when Sal refuses to place pictures of prominent African Americans on his shop's Wall of Fame. When Radio Raheem and Buggin' Out confront Sal on his exclusionism, tempers fly and tragedy ensues. Spike Lee's DO THE RIGHT THING is an electrifying motion picture that remains one of the 1980s' most powerful films. In portraying a day in the life of several Brooklyn residents, Lee builds his story at a leisurely, comic pace, building to a violent climax that raises questions rather than answering them.
Spike Lee's racial and political filmmaking bent is given the full treatment with this simmering exposé of racial tensions in a New York City neighborhood one scorching summer day. The film, written by Lee (and nominated for an Oscar), follows a group of racially diverse inhabitants from Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood as they spend their day trying to avoid the oppressive heat. These include African American pizza deliveryman Mookie (Lee), the racially sensitive Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), and the silent, boom-box-blasting Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn). Also thrown into the mix are Sal (an Oscar-nominated Danny Aiello), the Italian-American proprietor of Sal's Pizzeria, as well as his two sons, Pino (John Turturro) and Vito (Richard Edson), who hold completely opposing attitudes when it comes to race. After Buggin' Out tries to organize a boycott of Sal's because of the lack of racial diversity on his shop's Wall of Fame, the tensions explode in an act of senseless violence. Lee's film is an electric work of political entertainment that confronts sensitive racial issues head-on. He deftly blends humor and drama as well as using specific music to further amplify his theme (Public Enemy's song "Fight the Power" actually becomes the film's main catalyst for action). Boldly closing the film with opposing quotes from Malcolm X and Martin Luther King on the nature of race relations, Lee leaves it up to the viewer to decide if Mookie's actions were the correct ones. Aiello and Esposito are standouts in an all-star cast that includes Lee himself, his sister Joie, "discovery" Rosie Perez, and the married team of Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. Always one to spark controversy, Lee's summer drama finds the filmmaker at the peak of his craft.
Theatrical release: June 30, 1989.
Shot on location in Brooklyn, New York.
DO THE RIGHT THING was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 1999.
Originally, Spike Lee wrote the part of Sal for Robert De Niro, who was unable to shoot the picture.
After receiving a BA in Communication from Morehouse, one of the nation's few historically African American colleges, Lee attended New York University's Institute of Film and Television, where he received his MFA and distinguished himself with his work, winning a Student Academy Award for his film JOE'S BED-STUY BARBERSHOP: WE CUT HEADS.
Lee went on to win critical acclaim for his independent feature SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT--one of the first of its kind from an African American director, and the film that marked his commercial debut. Between film projects Lee has directed videos and commercials, notably, Nike Air Jordan ads. He occasionally teaches at Harvard University, and, like Woody Allen, he continues to make distinctive, provocative, and uniquely personal films. Lee formed his own production company, Forty Acres and a Mule.
Do The Right Thing Quotes/Excerpts:
"Twenty D Energizers."--Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), to a deli clerk
Do The Right Thing Reviews:
"...Lee's film is stirring....It is floridly cinematic....This is a fascinating movie experience, confident in style..."
-- Mike Clark, USA Today
"...DO THE RIGHT THING has furious drive and muscle..."
-- Harlan Jacobson, Film Comment
"...DO THE RIGHT THING announces the coming-of-age of an important filmmaker with something urgent and uncomfortable to say....A stunning entertainment..."
-- Sheila Benson, Los Angeles Times
"...Assured, confident....[Lee] takes this story, which sounds like grim social realism, and tells it with music, humor, color and exuberant invention. A lot of it is just plain fun..."
-- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"...A subtle and ambiguous work....The still undervalued Danny Aiello is superb..."
-- Daniel Webb, Total Film
4 stars out of 4 -- "Spike Lee's best film....It remains a beautifully shot, funny, smart, and thought-provoking masterpiece."Premiere
"...Lee's best and boldest film....[He] gives the audiences the most vigorous shake-up they've had in years..."
-- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
"...DO THE RIGHT THING is aesthetically very sophisticated..."
-- Geoffrey Nowell-Smith, Sight and Sound
Customer Do The Right Thing Reviews Customer Do The Right Thing DVD Reviews
Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
A true American classic! This movie had/has just as much cultural and social impact as any movie that ever came out! It should be on every damn Top Movies of all TIme list - definitely in the top 20 American films ever made; but I say its a top ten.
If it were a predominately White cast, more people would consider it a masterpiece, becuz it really is.
Spike Lee is a genius. Submitted by williest1 (Austin, TX) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
1 of the hottess movies ever watched This is 1 of Spike Lee's best movie ever directed. He's abled to capture racism from all aspects of differant ethnic backrounds. Its a very real wake up call for all to watch and enjoy of all ages. Submitted by Shaun F. (Neptune,NJ) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Top 3 Movie of all time Man, when I saw this movie it changed my life. The ending is a little hard to take but I think Spike had to do the ending because it was so powerful. It shows the racism in the world that still goes on today. This is a must have for any person who has a VHS or DVD system. Submitted by Malik (Grand Rapids, MI) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
This film is a GREAT one! Do The Right Thing is a Spike Lee Joint about the day in the life of a man in his street corners. Most people find this movie to be a classic, me included, but some dont and even wonder why we like it. This movie tells in like it is, some may not like the profiling going, on but that life, this movie has some great charactors in it that some may have living in their street right now. Three quaters of the way through something happens that shocked many people in the film, I am not going to give it away, but some people found that what happened was horrible (the spike lee char. act), but didnt see the big picture of what happened before he DID THAT!! (A man just died for no reason and some are worried more of the window!!) Dont get what I am saying then just see the movie and find out! To think its been 15 years since this film was released and still we see the SAME things happen. That part of the reason WHY this film is important. Submitted by Lauren (Dominican Republic) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
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Do The Right Thing DVD
Do The Right Thing DVD Features
DVD Feature:
Region 1 2-Disc Set Keep Case Disc 0ne: Theatrical Version Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85 Single Side - Dual Layer RSDL Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo - English Additional Release Material: Audio Commentary - 1. Spike Lee - Director, Ernest Dickerson - Cinematographer, Wynn Thomas - Production Designer, Joie Lee - Star Interactive Features: Interactive Menus Scene Access
Disc Two: Supplementary Material Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo - English Additional Release Material: Introduction - 1. Spike Lee - Director Production Interview - 1. Barry Brown - Editor Making-of - 1. THE MAKING OF DO THE RIGHT THING Behind the Scenes Footage Film to Storyboard Comparison Featurette Trailers - 1. Original Theatrical Trailer Interactive Features: Interactive Menus Scene Access Text/Photo Galleries: Storyboards
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