Racism is the major theme. One definition I found seems useful according to Albert Memmi, "the generalized and final assigning of values to real or imaginary differences, to the accuser's benefit, and at his victim's expense, in order to justify the former's own privilege or aggression". Keep this in mind as you analyze the film.
Birth of a Nation Essay is Due Friday 10/18
Assignment for Wednesday 10/23:
1) Does Mookie 'do the right thing' when he throws the trashcan through the window?
What does this mean? Relate this defining moment to the rest of the film. Lastly, what is the film's message about racial relations?
2) How does this film "fight the powers that be.." regarding racism? Relate to the opening sequence with Tina (Rosie Perez) - what other forms of oppression are being attacked?
3) Most of the time the hero in film (and other media) have defined goals and move toward them in a linear fashion. Is this true of Mookie? What is his goal if he has one? If he doesn't have one - what does the film focus on?
Here's Spike Lee talking about DTRT back in '09:
Here's Spike Lee's latest:
http://www.npr.org/2013/08/08/210218261/spike-lee-doing-the-right-thing-for-himself
Here's the Love/Hate original from Night of the Hunter:
This film is lively, visceral, and thought-provoking, and the climax, which erupts like a heat and anger filled volcano, leaves the viewer with way more questions than answers.
ReplyDeleteSeveral observations:
Mookie's decision to throw the trashcan through the plate glass window of Sal's Famous saves the life of the proprietor by transferring the aggression from focusing on Sal himself to the pizzeria. The destruction and violence that ensues is ugly and senseless. However, Lee himself acknowledges that the destruction of the building should be seen as an afterthought in light of Radio Raheem's tragic end. This is where I grapple with the ending.
I am not sure what to make of Radio Raheem, a man whose only function is to blast a Public Enemy cassette from the enormous speakers of his boombox, which functions as his primary voice; he also communicates deftly with his fists.
I struggle to find this character sympathetic. I cannot help but associate Raheem with Mitchum's terrifying portrayal of the psychotic Harry Powell from Night of the Hunter. Although Raheem is brutally killed by the police, he remains a terrifying figure. Once his rage is activated, he is like Anton Chigurh: a seemingly unstoppable force of destruction.
And though his scene with the Korean store owner is humorous, he is a nasty and racist character with almost no regard for his fellow man. This is not a man who can function in society as he is angry and directionless: a deadly combination.
I continue to struggle to find a moral center to this film, but I believe it is the mayor. This is a heroic and kind man who is perceived by his neighborhood as a stumbling buffoon. However, this communicates that the mayor's message, which to me most resembles Dr. King's, is perhaps too gentle. Anger can be positive when it is focused. Indignation can lead to tension, and according to Dr. King himself, tension can lead to the kind of communication that peacefully solves problems. This does not include police stranglings or wanton property evisceration.
On to Tina:
Spike has style; there is no doubting that. The beginning of the film showcases Rosie Perez's dancing and lithe beauty, and introduces the prominent role of Public Enemy's music in the film. What is she dance-fighting? Sexism? Racism? Poverty? Oppression? Most likely all of the aforementioned. Her relationship with Mookie is ill-defined. Is the ice cube scene and the nudity simply gratuitous? On second thought, I think not. Though Tina and Hector motivate Mookie to go to work each day, Tina seems to exist only as a physical comfort to Mookie. His actions with the ice cube represent his intentions to serve her needs and not his own.
Closing Thought: Mister Senor Love Daddy is the moral compass of the film! Love thy neighbor, and that's the triple truth, Ruth.
There is a long debate about this film which seems to have many interpretations. Here's a bit of mine - many people get hung up on the fact that Mookie throws the trashcan through Sal's window, I think he deflects the aggression of the people from Sal (who they seem to threaten) to the store itself. Mookie essentially saves Sal, but destroys Sal's role in the community. Mookie appears not to have a goal, he does act as a go-between among the various groups. He is directionless and money hungry, seeking the short term gain instead of long term responsibility. For me he is modern day (or late '80s) capitalism.
DeleteRadio appears to me as black militancy - along with Buggin Out. He has no voice - it speaks only thru the boom box - and it/him speaks only to 'fight the power'. I don't believe he is a truly hostile force, he has a moral force - witness the fire hydrant scene when they stop spraying people and let him pass, and the teenagers never confront him either. Once his voice is destroyed then he attacks - his voice is destroyed by Sal, who represents white liberalism in the black community. White liberalism did undercut black militancy and redirect it so that by the late '80's black militancy didn't exist. Radio is a disruptive force in the film (notice the oblique shots), but I think Love overcomes Hate with him, and that's why Spike put that monologue in the film. Do Mayor I think really represents the older black emasculated under Jim Crow. He is powerless and although good hearted cannot save the community. Rosie's introduction in the beginning can only be to show that women too need to 'fight the powers that be' - she is actually boxing in that scene. Who is the MLK reference? I think this film stands the test of time because it is so ambiguous and doesn't present the audience with a clear cut solution to racism.
Costal put a long critique on this film several years ago which was very insightful too.
DeleteI missed the more loving behaviors of Radio. Interesting. I am already anxious to re-watch this film.
ReplyDeleteThe question still begs: who can save the community? Mookie takes the Mayor's advice--"Do the right thing"--and saves Sal's life, but who will save the neighborhood? No leader emerges, but I agree: people like Radio can enact positive change with the proper guidance. I also think you are right concerning the mayor: he does not represent Martin Luther King, and furthermore, none of the characters in the film represent Malcolm X either. This film explores the leadership vacuum in the decades following the 1960s.
I now want to study the lyrics to that Public Enemy song: does it have a message, or is it simply an empty slogan?
Where's the vision, man?
Yep, Spike doesn't give us the answer - is it the Malcolm X aggressive non-integration strategy? Or is it MLK's nonviolent integration? The film leaves this unanswered. I think it leans toward the aggressive non-integration side - here's why - the white business is destroyed, and if that represents white liberal do-gooders in the black community, maybe Spike is saying that won't work. Maybe not. I wonder that it isn't the long term destructiveness of slavery on the black community, family and consciousness? As depicted in the film the Koreans have businesses in black areas, why aren't they black run businesses? What is keeping most inner-city blacks down? Are they just stuck in poverty and despair? Is it drugs? Is it white privilege? What is is the solution? As usual no answers are presented.
DeleteHere's another irony: is Sal's Famous, and white liberalism, doomed regardless?
ReplyDeletePino does not want the business, and he is decidedly more racist than his father.
Haahaa yep, doomed it was only a band-aid anyway!
Delete1. I believe Mookie does do the right thing by throwing the trashcan through the window. By doing so, he redirects the anger of everyone towards the store rather than on Sal. In a sense, it was like Mookie saved Sal’s life; he knew Sal would be hard headed and would keep throwing out smart remarks and at the same time he knew the black community that was there would be able to kill him right on the spot. This scene was the breaking point of the community and the climax of the film. As the neighborhood results to violence as the solution to the racial problems in the neighborhood, the film proves it is not the route to take. By destroying Sal’s Pizza nothing was solved, the wall of fame was not fixed, and the town was still not equal. This proves the films message of violence not being the key to the racial issues.
ReplyDelete2. This film “fight the powers that be” by fighting multiple forms of prejudice. Not only does it focus on the racial issues towards the black community, but also others. Such as in the opening scene with Tina, as a Puerto Rican woman, she also experiences discrimination. She faces multiple racial issues throughout the film just as the black community. Also, the lower class is being attacked. The movie takes place in a poor neighborhood and the people are constantly put down by the more wealthy citizens, including the police. For instance, the night “Radio Raheam” was killed, the police felt they had the upper hand on all of their citizens.
3. I wouldn’t necessarily consider Mookie even a hero in this film. He is not a character to look up to or to inspire to be like. His only goal in this film was to make money; he put up with his job at Sal’s to make money, and focused his other actions around ways to get more money. Rather than having his child as his main focus, Mookie is selfish and is only concentrated on his own success. As Tina stated in the movie, he doesn’t visit his son regularly and is constantly slacking off at work, meaning he is clearly not as driven to be rich as he says. Therefore, I don’t believe Mookie is a hero with defined goals that he is moving towards in this film.