In the film Do the Right Thing by Spike Lee he is able to exactly unfold the problem of racial problems in America by playing with cinematic devices such as Mis-En-Scene, narrative and sound. The centering and focusing of certain physical aspects with the use of camera angles and camera framing and movement ,the quick style editing s and transformation of sound all contribute to film's overall meaning. In analysing the sequence starting with a young child drawing a chalk portrait in the middle of the street and finishing with Sal, the pizza guy, making Radio Raheem look like a hoodlum straight out the gutters that does not know any better. These symbols are seen to create the hatred shared with African Americans and white working class Americans. …show more content…
The narrative style(Narrative) in both scene sequences come together depicting both sides in it, in the film, that is knowing one racial class belongs and the fact that one does not . This is witnessed in the contact and touch of both scenes portray us Radio Raheem's approval of Mookie and his complete hatred and resent of the pizza shop owners. The scene happens within a day .This particular sequence begins with Mookie casually walking over a young child’s sidewalk chalk drawing of a peaceful scene with the sun shining and people smiling. This insensitive action by Mokkie implies to the viewer that such a relaxing and peaceful life does not exist in the real world.
The previous scene then transitions to a friendly meeting between Mookie and Radio Raheem. Radio Raheem explains the meaning behing his new full knuckle rings, "Love" and "Hate". Radio Raheem explains to Mookie how life is a constant battle between these opposing emotions and that these emotions are determined however in his eyes love wins in the battle between these two emotions. This scene portrays one of the emotions; love. Radio Raheem, in the African American populated side of the borough, displays his affection for Mookie, saying, "I love you, man." This scene is then contradicted with the next scene of Radio Raheem in Sal's pizzeria, where he shows hatred for the white Italians. It is here where Radio Raheem summarises the overall theme of the movie, the togetherness of one's own race and the complete hatred and distrust for …show more content…
another’s. Symbols, music and dialogue are all major factors that contribute and balance one another to display use of narrative devices to develop an understanding of the sequence being showed.
The symbol of Radio Raheem's hands showing the "Love" and "Hate" knuckle rings developed a story for the sequence. The story completely unfolds and depicts the strong meaning of the dialogue as the conversation between the guys comes together to display ones approval of one’s race. In the pizza shop, the focus of camera was on both Raheem and Sal, took control of the viewers attention. The spotlight on both their faces in separate shots emphasises the colour of their skin and the difference between them. This further displays the distrust and unfamiliarity between both
races. Various types of dialogue are made so that viewer can understand the deep meaning of the story. In Radio Raheem's interpretation of the everlasting battle between love and hate, he progressively speaks louder and uses a more forceful and serious tone in his voice showing us the importance and seriousness of this issue for him. When he is having a conversation with Mookie he is more gentle and softer with his voice. This is contradicting with the disrespectful and unfriendly speech that is used in his conversation with Sal. Radio Raheem makes short commands in his meeting with Sal, pointing out the friction that has come upon them. Music also contributes to the agitation between these both these individuals in this sequence. As Radio Raheem encounters Mookie, he shuts down the music on his radio that is already playing, out of respect for Mookie and so that they are able to have conversation. When Radio Raheem walks in to the pizza shop, he then blasts the music to ager and irritates Sal. The loud music of Radio Raheem’s boom box instigates a hostile bout of yelling as no one can hear each other over it without raising their voices. A major cinematic device use in this sequence is Mise-En-scene. This very important in the film’s representation of meaningful themes. Lee mainly uses the "Love" and "Hate" motif. The rings are placed in front of the camera to draw the viewer's attention to the themes of love and hate and how they apply to a urban hip-hop design. What is also a major factor in this is Mise-En-scene of this sequence is how characters are shown together in each shot. During Mookie and Raheem's conversation in the street, a single frame shows both men casually together in a calm environment, showing us peaceful greeting .on the other hand, the encounter between Raheem and Sal further depicts the separation between the two racial groups putting them in individual shots basically segregating them. Spike’s transformation of lighting and use of visually opposing locales creates a contrasting and realistic image to the viewer. The alluring use of summer color helps show the viewer that the characters are experiencing one of the hottest days in the summer. This use of bright red and yellow colors completely clashes the dark gloomy and bland colors of the pizza shop. Sal’s pizza shop is dimly lit and confined where as the streets of bed-stuy are open free and warmly lit. The difference between the two is greatly important showing the viewer the difference in mood. Each scenes environment is directly representative of the relationship of the characters in sequence. The first meeting enacts an amicable encounter between friends. On the other hand, the second meeting displays a cold and disrespectful clash between two mutually aggressive groups. Sal’s pizza shop is mainly lit by dim fading light bulbs and light coming from outside. It is the soft light from outside that mainly illuminates half of radio Raheem’s face. The lighting from the inside is weak and dos not illuminate his face well. The contrast of lighting upon his face casts shadows and hard edges transforming a normal face to one of a threatening and scary face. Although the dim lighting of the pizza shop tends to cast shadows on Raheem, it illuminates Sal’s face adequately. This is due to him being in a more effective position. However, it is clear this was intentional as the illuminate of Raheem and Sal completely opposite. Sal maintains the image of normal man however Raheem is transformed into a menacing character. The division is further enhanced by the use of facial expressions and costuming. The sequence between the two friends, Radio Raheem and Mookie, is one full of smiles and soft expressions. These soften the scene making it more amicable and relaxing. The next scene portrays an unwelcome meeting between Sal and Raheem where Radio Raheem keeps a hard, expressionless face. As Sal asks Radio Raheem to lower the volume his music for the last time, the young African American unwillingly does so. However, he does this as he widens his eyes. This accentuates the potential strength and power of Radio Raheem. In turn, Sal displays a great and growing anger while Pino delivers seething glare directed towards Raheem. This expresses how unwelcome Raheem and his group are to Sal’s pizza shop. In the scene between Mookie and Raheem, both men are dressed in a similar manner are brought further together by the similarity of their dress However Sal and Pino are dressed bland dull compared to Raheeem and the others dressed colorfully and bright. Camera movement and angles further portray Spike lee’s examination of racial segregation in the films sequence showing close togetherness with Raheem and Mookie and separation between Raheem and Sal. Selective focus, is technique that highlights a specific object and brings it to the foreground while blurring the rest into the background. This is used in the sequence when they enter in the streets of Bed-Stuy. This narrows the focus down to the important characters while segregating outside characters. It is also used to bring emphasis on Raheem’s love hate knuckle rings. The Focus is clearly on his fits and the rings while everything surrounding it is blurred out. This brings significance and draws the viewer’s attention solely on topic of conversation which is the rings. In both scenes a distortion of depth is created by the use of a wide angle camera. In Sal’s pizza shop Pino is seemingly further away from the camera appearing as a menacing and influential character in the background. This is also seen with the love hate rings the wide angle camera makes the rings seem closer to the camera further bring more meaning to them. the low angle framing of Raheem’s face is another interesting camera technique used by spike lee . the act of looking up at Raheem’s face added with the use of extreme close up , Raheem’s face seems larger and more menacing as it dominates the frame. Spike does this to emphasize and powerfully convey Raheem’s growing anger. The front on position of the actors is another fascinating camera technique used by Lee as Raheem tells the story behind his rings the camera is positioned in the view of Mookie. This gives the viewer the feeling that they are in Mookie’s position and that Raheem is speaking to them. The sound used in Sal’s pizza shop is predominantly music based. As Raheem walks into the shop, the otherwise quite store is transformed by the introduction of Raheems loud boom box music. This sequence is an aggressive one that is enhanced by the type of music the boom box is playing. The music has screeching and abrupt sounds coupled with aggressive and somewhat angry voices. The style of this music sets the tone for the angry encounter. The loud music also gives a feeling of frustration as characters must yell at each other to be heard. Spike Lee’s use of cinematic technique such as Mise-En-scene, narrator\narrative style, lighting, camera movement framing and angles and sound effectively creates a realistic world that depicts a major real world issue of racial segregation. As the theme of the film is one of racial stigma Spike Lee employs narrative style and lighting to further divide the two groups. The black youth are seen as menacing whenever they are in the presence of a white individual, but appear human and normal in other circumstances. Mise-En-Scene, sound and camera angles and movement further enhance the feeling and emotion in each scene. Overall Lee’s use of these styles portrays the theme of the movie an interesting well planned out film.
Casablanca was directed in an era almost entirely dedicated to propaganda, as far as the film industry is concerned. The movie promoted America and the Allies similar to most films of the time, but it did so in a much different manner. The story told in Casablanca follows the main character, Rick, through his personal affairs and love tango with another lead character, Ilsa Lund. The film begins with Rick alone running his saloon based in Casablanca, in which he seems very indifferent to other people’s affairs, and comes off as very exclusive. He is delivered letters of transit by a man named Ugarte, which are nearly priceless to any refugee desiring to flee to the United States or another unoccupied country. Rick continues to act disinterested, reluctantly agreeing to hide the documents. He holds onto them even after Ugarte is killed for having stolen the letters, although there did not seem to be an...
Spike Lee does many fascinating things from a directorial standpoint, which makes his film (dare I say, joint), Do the Right Thing so interesting to watch. Writer, director Lee makes much use of the high and low angle shots. He does this to draw clear contrasts between the two elders of the block, Da Mayor and Mother Sister and to make conflict more apparent.
Do The Right Thing was Spike Lee’s first landmark film. Do The Right Thing is a movie that brings awareness to the racial tensions when people in a Brooklyn neighborhood of different racial and cultural backgrounds coexist, which ends in a tragedy. The film was a great success receiving many of awards and earned two Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporti...
Do the Right Thing lands at number ninety-six on the American Film Institute’s List of the one hundred best movies of all time. In 1997, the American Film Institute selected the one hundred best American movies of all time and updated the top one hundred list in 2007. The director of Do the Right Thing is Spike Lee, the main actors are Rosie Perez and Danny Aiello, and the cinematographer is Ernest Dickerson. The movie stars Danny Aiello as Sal, a tough guy who owns a Sal’s Famous Pizzeria. Also, Do the Right Thing portrays Spike Lee as a kid delivering pizza named Mookie who knows that there is no future in his job. The setting is in the Bedford-Stuyevesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. The main source of conflict is the race relationships
Racial tension and cultural barriers has been a constant within our county and the rest of the world for as long as time has been around. Being segregation, to racial riots and sometimes even worse events can occur which has been proven by history in the past. Director Spike Lee’s 1989 film “Do the Right Thing” is a movie set in New York City neighborhood that is filled with many different cultures and ethnic groups being an Italian pizza shop, an Asian general store, an African American housing and residents. Sociology places a main role within the film in which we see how every person goes about their day. Peace and conflict are at an ever increasing war with each other. Above this the film takes place on only one day which happens to be the hottest day of the summer. The observation that we the audience make out is the highest tension is between the Italians and the African Americans. Granted, there are some that get along but for the most part the conflict is there. Whereas the Asian family in the film is the side group in which they are not shown in many scenes throughout the film. Spike Lee does a phenomenal job in portraying the races the way he see it from his perspective. The neighborhood
The first social issue portrayed through the film is racial inequality. The audience witnesses the inequality in the film when justice is not properly served to the police officer who executed Oscar Grant. As shown through the film, the ind...
Director and actor Spike Lee presents his "truth" about race relations in his movie Do the Right Thing. The film exhibits the spectacle of black discrimination and racial altercations. Through serious, angry, and loud sounds, Lee stays true to the ethnicity of his characters, all of which reflect their own individualism. Lee uses insulting diction and intense scenes to show how severe racism can lead to violence. The biases reflected through Do the Right Thing model those of today which has kept society in a constant feud for so long. In Oprah Winfrey's dynamic episode, "The Color of Fear", Mr. Mun Wah projects his strong opinion when he states, " . . . that racism is still going on today, that we've got to stop to hear the anguish and the pain that goes with that and then we'll survive." (3) People do not realize the severity of their own words. In the scenes of the movie that emphasize the shocking reality of failed interracial communication, racial stereotyping, trust or lack of trust, and acrimonious violence mirror the current concerns about race in America as reflected in "The Color Of Fear."
The 1989 film Do the Right Thing explored the conflict of racial tension and unique camera elements. Directed and produced by Spike Lee, Do the Right Thing combined a series of low and high-angle shots while also incorporating close ups and slow motion. Through the use of panning, the audience was able to get a break from the action and reflect on the events of the film. Spike Lee’s collaboration of film components added humor and realistic emotions to the story. While the controversy of whether Mookie “did the right thing” will always be in favor of the viewer. Depending on how an audience member connects with the film will spark a variety of different emotions for that person. Do the Right Thing is a film that reflects both controversial ideals and unique film elements.
... that the film opens with. While the story may be slightly dramatic and pieces of the story “coincidentally” seem to fall into exactly the wrong place at the wrong time causing the tragedies in the film to happen, the events in this film are entirely capable of being a reality. Racism and prejudice continue to be prevalent issues in our society, but like Anthony, we can learn to overcome anything that holds us back from putting unity into practice and making our world a better place for everyone.
Good morning, Sioux City. This is Adam Lewis and you are tuned to KL&R on this delightful March 3rd for all your news so you’ll know what’s going on.
Spike Lee is brand name when it comes to the film industry. When you try to ask any group of people their opinion about this man, you will probably receive numerous positive responses from the film community as well as the African American community. Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989) is a film that illustrates how racial conflict can become a reality while showing the repercussions that come with racial segregation. Spike Lee uses a number of tools to write and produce the film in order to ensure the message reaches his intended audience in the best way possible. The use of location, soundtrack, and dialogue is abundant in this film. Therefore, this film analysis paper is for Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing (1989). It is a film in which racial segregation ignites riots in a neighborhood dominated by the black population. The heightened scene of this film analysis is where Spike Lee throws a trash can and it is from this that hell breaks loose and riots begin.
... supremacist gang, to rioting in an Asian owned grocery store, to finally brutally murdering someone. We observe as family ties become increasingly strained in every way, the viewer can easily conclude that Derek’s racism as well as his eventual influence on his younger brother ultimately contributed to their own downfall. As controversial as this movie maybe for the offensive language and brutal violence, it is a movie that deserves to be seen, and even discussed. It really provides insight into some factors within society that cannot be contained by the law or even deterred by even the harshest punishments. Even though American society is becoming more modernized as time goes by in terms of tolerance, racism will unfortunately always be prevalent in society and inevitably it will also lead some individuals to violently express their distorted mentalities.
“We fight each other for territory; we kill each other over race, pride, and respect. We fight for what is ours. They think they’re winning by jumping me now, but soon they’re all going down, war has been declared.” Abuse, Pain, Violence, Racism and Hate fill the streets of Long Beach, California. Asians, Blacks, Whites and Hispanics filled Wilson High School; these students from different ethnic backgrounds faced gang problems from day to night. This movie contains five messages: people shouldn’t be judgmental because being open-minded allows people to know others, having compassion for a person can help people change their views in life, being a racist can only create hate, having the power of the human will/goodness to benefit humanity will cause a person to succeed at any cost and becoming educated helps bring out the intelligence of people.
Impact of the Radio The invention of the radio had an immense impact, revolutionizing the unity of society. “I live in a strictly rural community, and people here speak of ‘The Radio’ in the large sense, with an over-meaning,” said E.B. White in 1933. “When they say ‘The Radio’ they don’t mean a cabinet, an electrical phenomenon, or a man in a studio, they refer to a pervading and somewhat godlike presence which has come into their lives and homes” (Lewis). The radio became a mighty weapon whose power involved spreading ideas to millions of listeners, who may otherwise never have heard those inspirational messages. Religious fanatics used to stand at the back of churches shouting radical nonsense, while others would ignore it.