The only African American characters I liked were Mayor, the three old guys, and Mother Sister. Sal didn't do anything wrong, he hung up pictures of Italians in an Italian pizza joint. Radio was probably the rudest person in the film. I wasn't upset when he died.
Films are my only friends.
Excellent discussion. I think this is completely intentional on the part of Spike Lee. In my view, the film is intended to create an opinion in everyone--yet upon further thought, all "sides" are problematic. The director didn't intend any of the characters to be the "hero," especially his own. That's part of the brilliance of the film--there's no simple solution, just like real life. Sal's language doesn't justify destroying his place--which is also a major part of this so-called black neighborhood (remember the white guy "from Brooklyn" and the Latinos: it's really multiethnic). And of course Radio's trouble with communication doesn't justify his death. By destroying the restaurant, the community destroys a part of themselves, and this signals to us of our own self-destructive power. There are so many "ifs" and "buts" that are easy to see. If only Sal could have chosen his words more carefully. If only Buggin' Out would have been more respectful the restaurant owner's choice to give voice to his own heritage and chosen to put his intelligent but misguided efforts (as Mookie's sister specifies) into something more productive--and if he would have known Sal was actually the one who bought Smiley's photo of MLK and Malcolm X. If only the cops used restraint in protecting the neighborhood. What sense does destroying a restaurant have to do with an individual cop's actions? If only we would all listen to each other more carefully and speak to others with more consideration. We are left with the perpetual but elusive-seeming idea of doing the right thing.
share[deleted]
First sorry for the bad english, not a native speaker.
I watched the movie now, and i think that. The movie title "fools" you to think that that is a right choice, but it isn´t. ALL the characters are racists. The Koreans, Blacks, Italians, everybody. And, just like Radio says when he shows his knuckles, its all about hate, until love won. That was a metaphor for the entire movie, its all about hate and the riot was the the results of it.
Sal didn´t deserved it, but he wasnt kind to Radio or to the "hall of fame" guy at any moment, he could have refused then in other ways.
I didn´t read much about what Lee thinks about, but what i think is: Everybody there only used the "hate" hand to punch, and that´s what happen when you respond hate with more hate. What would have be with everybody used the "love" hand(no joke intended)?
And Yeah, i am with Martin Luther King.
There is no right thing besides what your heart and soul tells you to do. Well, that´s what i think.
[deleted]
Certainly, the movies title really fooled me. Maybe that was their intention. It also may explain something I was wondering. The title into Spanish was "Haz lo que debas" (Do what you have to do) instead of "Haz lo que correcto" (Do the right thing).
erika from panama
Certainly, the movies title really fooled me. Maybe that was their intention. It also may explain something I was wondering. The title into Spanish was "Haz lo que debas" (Do what you have to do) instead of "Haz lo que correcto" (Do the right thing). Mayb the Spanish translators decided to translate it that way in order to match better with the movies content.
erika from panama
Certainly, the movies title really fooled me. Maybe that was their intention. It also may explain something I was wondering. The title into Spanish was "Haz lo que debas" (Do what you have to do) instead of "Haz lo que correcto" (Do the right thing). Maybe the Spanish translators decided to translate it that way in order to match better with the movies content, in a place where everyone does what they do what they think should be done, not necessarily the right thing.
erika from panama
Certainly, the movies title really fooled me. Maybe that was their intention. It also may explain something I was wondering. The title into Spanish was "Haz lo que debas" (Do what you have to do) instead of "Haz lo que correcto" (Do the right thing). Maybe the Spanish translators decided to translate it that way in order to match better with the movies content, in a place where everyone does what they think should be done, not necessarily the right thing.
erika from panama.
So things this day and age are already this bad that voicing an opinion borne out of sanity and reason has to be prefaced by "I`m not a racist, but..."? Bloody revolting.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
Funny how usually when people say "I'm not racist but…" they say something really racist.
I agree with you on some point though -- there isn't a real antagonist in the movie. Sal made mistakes but it was also completely unreasonable how some of other characters reacted.
"MALLL NOOO, JESUS CHRIST!" - Leonardo DiCaprio, Inception
I mostly agree but it seems a little cruel to think someone should die because they're rude!
shareI know what you mean. I personally love this film, it's one of my very, very favorites, but I think Radio Raheem was kind of asking for it with his behavior. I would assume the point of the movie is that the fault is on both sides, since it's more about the community than specifically the blacks in said community. Radio Raheem was kind of a punk, but he didn't deserve to die.
shareRadio Raheem was kind of a punk, but he didn't deserve to die.Actually, he was looking for a way TO die.
[deleted]