How was spike lee revolutionary?
He revolutionised the landscape of independent cinema and the role of black talent in film
How far does spike lee’s body of work span?
-feature film
-documentary
-commercial
-music videos
What are some of spike lee’s most notable works?
-‘she’s gotta have it’ (1986)
-‘Malcolm X’ (1992)
What state was New York in when DTRT arrived?
It arrived at a very turbulent moment where New York City had been rocked by a number of racially charged incidents
Social context of this time?
-rise in the popularity of hip-hop and rap culture
-film is prophetic in terms of how the relationship between US police forces and black youth
What is the historical setting of the film?
Released towards the end of the Cold War, the US had no real grand ideological scheme or enemy to define the country against
What did the lack of a shared enemy do to America?
The internal differences in America started to be reexamined across a number of areas but particularly race.
How is this explored in the film?
It is explored at a micro level but the film also expands the issue to not just about colour but ethnic difference.
What was the political situation in New York at the time?
-mayor Koch had overseen the rejuvenation of New York’s fortunes after being nearl bankrupt in the mid 1970’s
How did this economical rejuvenation affect the blacks and Hispanics in the city?
It didn’t really benefit them
How was the timing of the release political?
-Released in the lead up to the 1990’s mayoral election
-implicit sense that viewers should ‘do the right thing’
How many feature films had spike lee made previously?
This was his third feature film
What Hollywood company financed/supported the picture?
Universal produced the film
What budget did universal put up?
$6.5 million production budget
What were the concerns?
-It was a very specific area of Brooklyn that Lee wanted it to be shot
-Thus the film fell into what Hollywood felt was a niche demographic
Who was martin Luther king Jr
An American civil rights activist
Who was Malcolm X?
-American human rights activist
-Prominent figure during civil rights act
How did Martin Luther king Jr and Malcolm X’s viewpoints differ?
King was non-violent whereas Malcolm X emphasised self defence
When was the beach incident?
20th December 1986
What was the beach incident?
Racially motivated attack in which 23 year old black man (Michael Griffith) was killed on Howard beach. Griffith and two other black men were set up by a group of white youths outside a pizza parlour.
Where is do the right thing set?
Bedford-Stuyvesant (neighbourhood in New York)
What is Bedford-Stuyvesant like?
-full f rich African-American cultural history
-vibrant street life, black owned businesses, historical landmarks
-known for its role in civil rights activism and community building
What is ‘yuppie’ culture?
-materialistic
-career focused lifestyle
-young urban professionals
-ambition, designer clothes, focus on status
What is gentrification?
Process in which the character of a poor urban area is changed by wealthier people moving in. Improves housing and attracts businesses but often displaces current inhabitants in the process
