Characterization Beyond Heroes and Villains in Do the Right Thing
There are no villains or heroes in the movie Do the Right Thing since people’s actions are motivated beyond the desire to do evil or good. The film affirms that the problems run more profoundly than the personalities of people involved in this drama, which is larger than their neighborhood (Valley). The frustration keeps every character in this movie on the brink of breaking. Through Sal’s words, Spike Lee confirms this notion, as the pizzeria owner wonders “why [his son] got so much anger in [him]?” (00:58:46-00:58:57). There is a crucial underlying reason behind every person’s feelings of being threatened and mistreated by others, which Lee attempts to expose in the movie.
The real-life situation around the racial division depicted in the film is difficult to alleviate, as people who attempt to affect the state of affairs in such neighborhoods do not comprehend how to change it. Ossie Davis knows the depth of problems, yet the permeating powerlessness people feel in the face of their suffering is what shapes their lives (Bourne 00:10:01-00:10:21). I have learned that there is no apparent ‘right thing’ that one can do to fix the situation.
Spike Lee’s Biography and Its Influence on His Creative Vision
Spike Lee reveals his toils in the filmmaking industry with a clear explanation of his struggles as a young, novice movie director. The hardships Lee experienced at the beginning of his career led to a thorough comprehension of the pushbacks he would have to overcome in the future (Lee). Interestingly, these obstacles are shown not to bother Lee due to the expertise he obtained from the initial problems. Lee reveals that he always tries to “portray a truthful portrait of African Americans in this country, negative and positive.” Despite the challenges with the acceptance of his scripts, Lee has a goal and the desire to realize this goal, which makes his movies feel genuine and emotional.
Works Cited
Bourne, Clair. “Do The Right Thing – Making Of – HD.” YouTube, StymyParsley. 2020. Web.
Do the Right Thing. Directed by Spike Lee, Universal Pictures, 1989.
Lee, Spike. “Independent Filmmaker.” In Motion Magazine, 1996. Web.
Valley, Dylan. “Under the Influence of… Spike Lee’s Film ‘Do The Right Thing’.” The Conversation. 2016. Web.