Fight the Power!!!

I have to say, I was not prepared for Spike Lee’s, “Do the Right Thing”. Up until that point, I have not seen a Spike Lee film or  even heard about any of his works or notoriety in the film business. The film itself is purely based on racism and miscommunication. Symbolism is played heavily through out the movie; stereotypical portrayals of neighborhood characters, ethnicities, the stoop and street vending.

What captivated my attention in the film was each person’s understanding of doing the right thing. The Mayor, the neighborhood drunk, tells the main character, Mooki, to do the right thing; of course, the definition is left to one’s personal interpretation which shifts towards racial values or the easy solution. Key scenes such as the attitude problem presented by the characters Doctor and Pino show the racial tensions and lack of communication in both parties when put into situations. Doctor simply wants african-american people on Sal’s hall of fame because all the patrons are of color, yet Sal states no, which causes Doctor to become zealous and eventually gain followers under the racial card. Likewise, Pino, who wishes to not tolerate the black community, decides to vent his anger and racism toward Smiley, a mentally challenged vendor of Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X pictures. As noted, the racism card shifts between gain for one person or for a community, despite pondering the repurcussions. The one scene, which many have qouted is the climax of the movie, the conflagration at Sal’s Pizzeria. The black community are Sal’s only patrons, he feeds the community, yet, because the community holds Sal responsible for the death of Radio Rahim, they justify his death, and the deaths of other colored folk from the neighborhood by raiding Sal’s Pizzeria, and burning it down. Yet, Sal is the provider, the so-called hand that feeds the populace, is not in any way, responsible, for Rahim’s resistance and death. The point is, the people became excited and ignorant to the group’s true actions.

Another striking point of this movie is the evolution of Mooki. The introduction of Mooki is him waking with his sister Jane in the heat of the morning. Mooki represents the working person who seeks a better way in life, despite his lack of care towards his job at Sal’s. His probable future in the film’s plot is high, he might be going to greater things, especially when the Mayor gives him the advice to “Do the Right Thing”, yet later on, Mooki doesn’t do the right thing. He was the first person to damage the pizzeria, the only job that’s supporting him right now; he isn’t with his family: wife and son, and doesn’t heed his own advice when telling Pino’s younger brother to defend himself. Mookie is the immature man who may have knowledge about life, but not any true wisdom.

As stated earlier, essential ism did play a role in the film’s characters, as how Spike Lee had each racial group act towards what they’re known for respectively, despite the dynamic characters of Mother-Sister, Mooki, and Mayor. Every person was ready to burn and destroy Sal’s Pizzeria even though, Sal was the only non-colored person present.

I know I’m making a long piece here, but I figured that I can get this all out. Including all that was written earlier in this review, I do have one favourite scene inwhich I can tie to. I believe somewhere in the middle of the movie, a hispanic man is pulling a “piyagua”  cart and sells the dessert to kids. I like this image alot because I can remember being in Williamsburg or downtown Manhattan with my dad or grandpa and eating shaved ice. The ice is symbolic is because you’re presented with a huge block of ice; your first thought is, all that ice is for me, but thats where you’re wrong. After several passes of a small blade, you have a cup full of ice and sugar water. This represents the community at whole. There’s alot for everybody and plenty to share, but some individuals want it to be one color or flavor such as cherry, but there’s plenty more…orange, black raspberry, lemon, coconut and so forth. The fact that only the kids take part in the shaved ice demonstrates how the children at an early age are presented with this dilemma of racism, but don’t act upon it because they realize that no one person can belong solely to one group only when it fits him. There are days when we want cherry, or even lime. Anyways, that was really long, sorry there.

Other than that, the movie was excellent and I’d recommend it to anyone.