Spike Lee Exposes Critics as Do The Right Thing Refutes Riot Claims
Spike Lee confronts critics who initially denounced Do The Right Thing, challenging their claims that the film would provoke riots He sheds light on the significance of the movie and its impact on society
Summary
Spike Lee addresses the press coverage that claimed his movie "Do the Right Thing" would incite violence and riots among Black people.
Critics initially accused Lee of intentionally stoking racial tensions with the film. However, "Do the Right Thing" eventually overcame the initial backlash and earned widespread recognition, including a nomination for an Academy Award in the category of Best Original Screenplay.
Legendary filmmaker Spike Lee recently addressed the negative press coverage that his groundbreaking movie Do the Right Thing received upon its initial release in 1989. Despite facing criticism and skepticism about his intentions, the film went on to achieve great success, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. During his acceptance speech for the Ebert Director Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, Lee expressed gratitude for the late film critic Roger Ebert's support and called out those who wrongly believed that Do the Right Thing would spark violence and should be banned in the United States.
What Did Critics Say About Do The Right Thing When It Premiered
: Your husband played a crucial role in my career back in 1989 at Cannes, specifically for the film Do the Right Thing. Despite critics and their negative assumptions that the movie would incite riots among the Black community and suggested it shouldn't be released in the United States, your husband stood firmly by my side. He believed in the film's significance and disregarded the unjust claims made by the press. Thanks to the incredible support of Tom Pollock, the film was ultimately released on June 30th.
Considered one of the most culturally and historically significant films of recent decades, Do the Right Thing has earned a place on numerous lists of the greatest films ever made. Many argue that it is director Lee's finest work to date. However, upon its initial release, the classic film faced criticism from some reviewers who believed that the acclaimed filmmaker was exacerbating existing racial tensions. A critic for New York Magazine commented, "The conclusion of this movie is chaotic, and Lee bears some responsibility if certain viewers become unruly."
A critic for The Village Voice described Do the Right Thing as a repellent fairy tale, characteristic of a racist individual. A writer from New York Magazine expressed similar views, suggesting that the film could have detrimental consequences if Black children were influenced by its content, potentially leading to the downfall of Spike Lee's career.
However, not all reactions and reviews of Do the Right Thing were unfavorable. Some critics commended the film as an exhilarating, unsettling, and thought-provoking piece of work created by a filmmaker who was effectively attuned to the societal context. The late Roger Ebert, in particular, showed strong support for Lee's movie. He believed it did not force viewers to pick sides and contended that suggestions of Lee inciting violence revealed more about the critics themselves than about the film.
Source: EW
