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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1980s
    Movies - 1980s Movies - D 2 Mins Read

    Do The Right Thing (1989)

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    Sal’s Pizzeria has been trading for 20 years and now represents one of just a couple of white businesses in a black area.

    Tensions begin to surface in the most innocuous way when local activist Buggin’ Out (Giancarlo Esposito) berates the fact that owner Sal (Danny Aiello) exclusively has photos of white people on his board of fame in his restaurant: where are the African-American heroes?

    History has proved time and time again that the smallest incident can lead to the biggest confrontations and this is a great match to use to ignite the flame of racial violence.

    dotherightthing

    This was one of the most open, honest and realistic discussions of race in America at its time of release.

    Spike Lee, known for courting controversy, didn’t let the critics down with this film, in which violence erupts in a normally quiet Brooklyn neighbourhood.

    The story occurs against the backdrop of the hottest day of summer and there are definite symbolic overtones with regard to temperatures and tempers racing towards boiling point, both in this isolated incident and as a reflection of America in general.

    It’s a clever metaphor that allows Lee to push people over the edge in a way that seems justified.

    dotherightthing_004

    Spike Lee was asked to tone down the film’s climactic riot, triggered when pizza delivery boy  Mookie (Lee himself) throws a dustbin through the window of the pizzeria owned by his Italian-American employer Sal.

    “They wanted me to change the ending”, Lee scoffed. “They thought it was too down, not enough hope. They wanted Mookie and Sal to join hands and sing We Are The World or some shit like that. We weren’t doin’ it”.

    Sal
    Danny Aiello
    Mookie
    Spike Lee
    Pino
    John Turturro
    Vito
    Richard Edson
    Da Mayor
    Ossie Davis
    Mother Sister
    Ruby Dee
    Buggin’ Out
    Giancarlo Esposito
    Radio Raheem
    Bill Nunn
    Tina
    Rosie Perez
    Clifton
    John Savage
    ML
    Paul Benjamin
    Coconut Sid
    Frankie Faison
    Sweet Dick Willie
    Robin Harris
    Mister Señor Love Daddy
    Samuel L Jackson
    Smiley
    Roger Guenveur Smith
    Ahmad
    Steve White
    Cee
    Martin Lawrence
    Punchy
    Leonard Thomas
    Ella
    Christa Rivers

    Director
    Spike Lee

    Video

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