Spike Lee’s Classic ‘Do the Right Thing’ Returns to the Criterion Collection to Fight the Power

GameStop, Inc.

Do the Right Thing Criterion

Movies have the unique ability to be a snapshot of a time and place as well as be timeless examinations of the human condition. There may be no greater example of this dichotomy than Spike Lee’s masterpiece Do the Right Thing, which returns to the Criterion Collection with a sprawling 30th anniversary edition that serves as the definitive release of the modern American classic. Here you have a movie that is so much of its time and place, 1989 Brooklyn, but also a film of unheeded urgency willing to tackle head-on topics of racism and police brutality, among others. The many messages of the film remain widely unheeded and Do the Right Thing remains as vital and crucial a work of cinematic art today as it was 30 years ago.

Do the Right Thing takes place on the hottest day of the year on a small block in Brooklyn. At the heart of the heatwave engulfing this community is Sal’s Famous Pizzeria, a local institution run by Sal (Danny Aiello) and his two sons Vito (Richard Edson) and Pino (John Turrturo), the latter having grown into an unapologetic bigot while working in the predominantly black neighborhood. Working for Sal is Mookie (Spike Lee), a young man only interested in making money to care of his son with his fiesty girlfriend Tina (Rosie Perez).

While Mookie wanders the block delivering pizza pies, he encounters all kinds of fascinating people that populate the block, giving the neighborhood its eclectic local color. There’s the maternal eye watching over everything in Sister Mother (Ruby Dee); the weary old drunkard Da Mayor (Ossie Davis); Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn) strolls the streets blasting his boom box at excessive volume; Buggin Out (Giancarlo Esposito) is always looking for something to spark his overeager outrage; and all the happenings in the neighborhoods are observed and broadcast by Mister Señor Love Daddy (Samuel L. Jackson).

As much as Do the Right Thing is concerned with sociopolitical elements of its characters from the lack of economic opportunities to the insidious nature of American racism, it’s also a film that is a celebration of life. All these different people with different wants and needs populate this little corner of America. However, with that celebration is the reality that people in close proximities can be bonded by love or hate, as eloquently explained by Radio Raheem in a monologue that is a riff on Robert Mitchum’s monologue in Charles Laughton’s Night of the Hunter. All within this little corner of America it is still about the struggle of these two powerful forces that cannot exist without one another and the struggle between the two for dominance. That is the very heart of Do the Right Thing.

On this particular day in Brooklyn, however, the streets feel as hot as Sal’s ovens. Everyone is drenched in sweat and trying to beat the heat. The heat wears down the bodies of the block’s denizens, and with each drop of sweat the defenses of decency erode. Bigotry begins to boil over and neighbors soon find themselves at each other’s throats. The heat wears down love and soon hate becomes the predominant force, illustrated with such cinematic verve in a sequence where various characters unload their racial strife to the camera before Mister Señor Love Daddy calls a timeout from the airwaves. But the cooling off period dictated by the disc jockey only calms tensions for a little bit. It’s still hot outside and things are about to boil over.

Everything culminates in a tragedy that is all too familiar for Americans, be it 1989 or 2019, in police using lethal force against an unarmed black man. A confrontation at Sal’s leads to violence when the exhausted shop owner smashes Radio Raheem’s boom box with baseball bat. That results in a vicious struggle between Radio Raheem and Sal, with the large hip hop enthusiast strangling the pizzeria owner. The police arrive but their use of force to subdue Radio Raheem amounts to an extrajudicial execution on the streets. The outrage leads a local riot, an outburst of rage and emotion that engulfs Sal’s in flames. At once it’s a moment of violent catharsis, where the oppressed unleash their anger and frustration at an unjust system, but it’s also a tragedy where fiery rage is misplaced and a local business is burned to the ground. Maybe it felt right in the moment. Maybe it had to happen. But did it do any good? That’s a burning question that Spike Lee brilliantly leaves unanswered, as it’s a question that Americans have to ask themselves daily when confronting a system built upon injustice and obstinate in the face change despite the will of the people.

Revisiting the film struck me with a sense of sadness, a melancholy feeling not because the film was infamously snubbed at the Oscars the year of its release but because the political climate of 1989 all too closely reflects the political climate of 2019, and one can’t help but wonder if the bad faith political actors who’ve spent decades tirelessly branding Spike Lee as nothing more than a race-baiting agitator could’ve gleaned some lessons had they actually watched the film, or any of Spike’s other works. They’d see a film of a social consciousness, yes, but they’d also see the work of a brilliant cinematic mind bringing these issues to life in vivid color, not merely reducing long-standing issues of race in America as nothing more than black and white. Spike Lee doesn’t back down on his stances because he doesn’t have to. The work speaks for itself.

The Criterion Collection edition of Do the Right Thing might be one of their most impressive sets ever, and that’s really saying something considering the quality they’re associated with. The absolutely stunning new transfer that highlights the incredible cinematography of Ernest R. Dickerson, giving the vibrant color palate of the film a whole new immaculate sheen. The sheer volume of special features that are spread across two discs are a treasure trove of information into the making of the film and its enduring legacy as one of the highwater marks of American cinema. The first disc boasts a 1995 commentary track with Spike Lee, Ernest R. Dickerson, production designer Wynn Thomas, and actor Joie Lee. On the second disc there’s also an extensive behind the scenes documentary on the film which is paired with new interviews with costume designer Ruth E. Carter, as well as other featurettes paired with deleted scenes. Combined with a gorgeously crafted package and a booklet featuring an essay by Vinson Cunningham and notes from Spike’s production journal, Do the Right Thing returns to the Criterion Collection with all the stops pulled.

Even as progress remains slow and the inequities of yesteryear still dominate the present, films like Do the Right Thing (not that there are many like it) will remain important because they contain the pure unbridled power of the cinema. Spike Lee employs an arsenal of cinematic technique but that never obscures the humanity which is at the heart of Do the Right Thing, and in doing so he crafted a film that reflects the world we live in – a world rife with systematic injustice yet so full of love and beauty. You can stand with love or you can stand with hate. Pick a side and then fight the power.

Do the Right Thing
  • Overall Score
5

Summary

One of the greatest American movies ever made, Spike Lee’s masterpiece Do the Right Thing returns to the Criterion Collection in a comprehensive two-disc edition that is the definitive release of the modern classic.

Anytime Costumes

Leave a Reply

FanboyNation
Animation/Anime Interviews Animation/Anime News Animation/Anime Reviews Film/TV Interviews Film/TV News Film/TV Review
‘Wednesday’ Comes to Blu-ray on Tuesday from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

‘Wednesday‘ Comes to Blu-ray on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, from Warner...

Toy Lei Talks About Playing Auntie Victoria in ‘The Brothers Sun’ – Interview Rewind

Asian-American actress Toy Lei stars as Auntie Victoria in the new...

Marcus Massey Talks ‘Winnie-The-Pooh: Blood and Honey 2’ – Interview

Marcus Massey Shares his Wisdom as Owl in ‘Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and...

Event News Event Reviews
‘MJ the Musical’ Chronicles the Life of the ‘King of Pop’ Running at Segerstrom – Review

‘MJ the Musical‘ is the Ultimate Stage Adaptation, Chronicling the life...

Aiden Sinclair and Michael Rangel Talks ’57 Ghosts’ Aboard the Queen Mary Séance

Aiden Sinclair and Apparitionist, Michael Rangel Discuss their new Theatrical Séance...

Luke and Madison Rhoades Open ‘Slashers Axe Throwing’ – Interview

Luke and Madison Rhoades Open Orange County’s first ever horror themed...

Automotives Football MMA, Kick Boxing & Boxing Professional Wrestling
Olympic Runner Colleen Quigley ‘On The Road to Paris’

Team USA Olympic Runner, Colleen Quigley is On The Road to...

Paralympian Swimmer Ahalya Lettenberger On The Road to Paris

Team USA Paralympian Swimmer, Ahalya Lettenberger is On The Road to...

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre – Interview

Ultimate Women of Wrestling Comes to the Globe Theatre on Sunday,...

Adult Continuity Comics on the Can Cultural Junk Drawer Future Comic Rock Stars Is That Racist? Revisiting the Reviled THAT'S NOT ROTTEN! The B-Reel The Cantina Scene This Week in Crowdfunding What the HELL Did I just...?
Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse – SID SPEAKS!

"We Demons! Let's go CRUNK on this punk-ass world!"

Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse: Escalation

When you said "Destroy" Kurt grabbed his mini-gun an AK-47 and...

Fantoy Comics Presents: Harry Potter and the Pahrump Apocalypse, the continuing saga!

If cautious means being careful when I break a foot off...

Music Interviews Music News Music Reviews
Joe Kwaczala Talks About His new Comedy Album ‘Funny Songs & Sketches’ – Interview

Joe Kwaczala Talks About His new Comedy Album ‘Funny Songs &...

Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her Career in the Arts

First Generation Assyrian-Chaldean, Songwriter and Poet, Tamara Mechael Talks About Her...

Louden Swain Headlining Los Angeles Show at The Echo

Press Release – Louden Swain are headlining Los Angeles show at...

Enabled Gaming Gaming News Gaming Reviews
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Gameplay Trailer

The first Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer was revealed during...

Wonder Woman Game
Wonder Woman Game Announced By DC and WB Games

Wonder Woman game will feature the iconic hero in a 3rd...

MultiVersus
MultiVersus brings Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny, and More

MultiVersus is bringing Shaggy, Harley Quinn, Jake, Batman, Arya Stark, Bugs Bunny,...

Comic Creator Interviews Comic/Graphic Novel News Comic/Graphic Novel Reviews Manga News Manga Reviews Novel/Novella Author Interviews Novel/Novella News Novel/Novella Reviews
Gary Morgenstein Talks ‘A Dugout to Peace’ the Final Installment of his Trilogy

Gary Morgenstein Talks About ‘A Dugout to Peace‘ the final installment...

Chris Clews Is ‘Raised on the 80s’ and Shares Those Life Lessons

Chris Clews was ‘Raised on the 80s‘ and Shares Those Life...

Roye Okupe Brings Authentic African Representation to HBO Max and Cartoon Network

Nigerian-American, Roye Okupe brings authentic African representation to HBO Max and...

Apparel/Personal Maintenance News Apparel/Personal Maintenance Reviews Entertainment Product News Entertainment Product Reviews Food/Beverage Reviews Hardware News Hardware Reviews Mystery Box News Mystery Box Reviews
Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand Demo

The new ‘Harry Potter: Magic Caster Wand‘ is ready to ship...

Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the ‘Good Flour’

Canadian Super Chef Jen Peters and Matthew Clayton Bring us the...

Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide
Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

The Pop Insider 2021 Holiday Gift Guide is now available to help...

Gaming Uncensored Toon-In-Talk
Episode 38: Hamid Rahmanian

Join Whitney Grace as she speaks with artist Hamid Rahmanian, who...

No Preview
Toon-In Talk Episode 37: Niki Smith

Whitney Grace interviews graphic novel writer and artist Niki Smith about...

Toon-In Talk Episode 36: Rob Paulsen

Rob Paulsen takes some time from his busy voice acting schedule...