[deleted]
[deleted]
eh no?
share
MovieChat Forums > Do the Right Thing (1989) Discussion > [deleted]
Get your own place, then you can put your brothers and uncles and nieces and nephews, but this is my pizzeria. American Italians on the wall only!
shareI would have been a nice gesture and possible good for business but it wasn’t necessary.
shareNo. It was SAL'S PIZZERIA....Not Buggin's, nor Radio's. Sal may do with his restaurant what he wants.
shareIt's amazing to me how many people miss the point here. Every so often I watch this movie again, and I always visit the message boards, and there is SUCH confusion.
It's one of my favorite movies because there's so many layers of grey, and so many complex characters, and such a stew of events. It doesn't provide answers, it describes things and provokes questions.
re: this topic; "Should" is an irrelevant word, in this context. As an individual, of course he's not obligated. As a savvy businessman, of Course it would be wise to.
I love how Buggin Out complains about the lack of black people on Sal’s wall.....Meanwhile black people are some of the most racist/anti-Semitic people I’ve ever met. Do you honestly believe that if the roles were reversed and Buggin Out opened a restaurant in a predominantly Italian area, he would’ve put up any Italian memorabilia???
share"Meanwhile black people are some of the most racist/anti-Semitic people I’ve ever met."
This is simply an absurd statement. A five year old, or anyone with equivalent powers of reasoning, realizes their personal experiences cannot be extrapolated. So your comment about "black people" is useless, irrelevant to this discussion, and casually stupid.
But why not, I'll play too: I know racist white people. I also know racist black people. And a LOT of racist Asians. FWIW, on a trip to Australia, I spent time w/some Bininj folk who had *extremely* limited contact w/other people, and were Absolutely Convinced that they were intrinsically better than Everyone Else. (Got laughed at when I suggested comparisons, or competitions, or worthiness. . ."they not Bininj!!!")
I've been EXTREMELY lucky. I've seen a lot of the world, and met a Lot of people. My conclusions are simply that it's dangerous to form concrete conclusions. People will surprise you, endlessly.
"Do you honestly believe that if the roles were reversed and Buggin Out opened a restaurant in a predominantly Italian area, he would’ve put up any Italian memorabilia???"
Only if he were smart. I would. . .it would be a great way to connect w/the community. The danger would be in pandering, when you do it. Sal actually had a great opportunity. . .it was Asked for. So no one could accuse him of tokenism; just of opening his heart/mind/shop to the community he was (YES, he was) a part of.
I grew up in a neighborhood enough like the movie's that I can tell you stories about what works, and what doesn't. Sal could've done better. So could have Everyone Else.
To be honest, I don't know why "Sal" has an authentic pizza place in Bed-Stuy.....but, that's on his character. If his pizza is "famous", no self-respecting New Yorker is going to get pizza in a shitty area....And I'm not talking about "hipsters". I'm talking about REAL New Yorkers who know something about GOOD pizza. Putting up pictures of black people in a place like "Sal's", if it is as "famous" as it claims to be, would be a death sentence. We only see about 8-12 people come in during the day (pre-riot) and a handful of deliveries. I'm sure that Sal would like for people around the city to patronize his pizzeria. I don't think it's realistic for Sal to be in Bed-Stuy. Honestly, this story should've revolved around one of the bodegas in the neighborhood. Sal should've/would've been in Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Dyker Heights....NOT Bed-Stuy. If you want people that would appreciate good pizza, leave the pictures as they are. If I walked into Sal's (And, I don't think I'm alone) and saw ANYTHING BUT an Italian/Italian-American atmosphere in a pizzeria, I'd get the fuck out of there. THAT is NOT racist, THAT IS THE TRIPLE TRUTH....RUTH!
shareYikes. . .
I'll repeat: I grew up in a neighborhood a LOT like that one. Not Bed-Stuy. . .but NY has plenty many neighborhoods just like it. Bottom line: you are laughably WRONG. A "death sentence"??? What on earth are you talking about?
ANY neighborhood joint lives and dies by LOCAL customers. While it would be great if people from all over came, it's not in the least necessary to survive. And oh yeah: EVERY pizzeria adds "famous" to their name.
As far as your reaction to walking into a Pizzeria and seeing someone other than an Italian on the wall: that's *your* issue. Most NYers would base their decision on whether the food is any good. And the triple truth is, to repeat: local business is what a joint like Sal's survives on. So some rando who's annoyed by a black guy on the wall would not matter in the slightest.
“A death sentence” in that putting up pictures of black people will kill a decent pizza place’s reputation. Besides, Italians and blacks don’t exactly have the best of historical relationships. Also, I repeat, WHY the fuck is Sal’s in Bed-Stuy? It makes NO SENSE. In my experience with working in the hood, I’ve only seen Dominos, Little Caeser’s and “pizza” places run by Mexicans.
I’m aware of the “famous” on pizza places, I was just referencing the movie. I’m a NY’er. I know.
Putting up black pictures in Sal’s or any REAL pizza
places, is out of place. It would be like putting a crucifix in Katz’s Deli, the Empire State Building in Boise, Idaho, or a billionaire in East New York. None of these belong, nor do black pictures in Sal’s.
I equate this topic to these white liberals apologizing for their “White Privilege”. What good is it going to do? Today it’s pictures, tomorrow it’s “extra cheese” for the price of a regular slice. What happens the day after that? imo The BEST thing to happen to Sal, Vito and Pino is when those animals looted, vandalized and burned Sal’s to the ground. Take the insurance and retire or move the pizzeria to a more desirable area.
"“A death sentence” in that putting up pictures of black people will kill a decent pizza place’s reputation."
This is only marginally less absurd than if you meant it literally. Again, ANY local business is NOT gonna suffer because of catering to the locals. The idea is ridiculous.
"Besides, Italians and blacks don’t exactly have the best of historical relationships."
Two for two. No idea where/how you grew up, but generalizations like this are simply absurd.
"Also, I repeat, WHY the fuck is Sal’s in Bed-Stuy? It makes NO SENSE. In my experience with working in the hood, I’ve only seen Dominos, Little Caeser’s and “pizza” places run by Mexicans."
No idea what "hood" you're referring to, but again: Queens and Brooklyn had Pizza spots JUST like Sal's, when I was there (70's-80's). You're three for three.
"Putting up black pictures in Sal’s or any REAL pizza places, is out of place. It would be like putting a crucifix in Katz’s Deli, the Empire State Building in Boise, Idaho, or a billionaire in East New York"
You *do* realize Oprah, Jay-Z, Kanye, Tyler Perry, and Michael Jordan are billionaires, right? Your statements become more and more absurd. It's fascinating to watch.
No surprise. You categorize the people as "animals," and the neighborhood an "undesirable area." You've managed to neatly and completely miss every bit of the meaning and nuance of this movie.
Ah well.
I thought his pizza looked terrible and unappetizing.
shareWould putting a bunch of black folk on the wall been good for business? Probably. But he was under no moral obligation to do so, and there was clearly a theme with his business. The locals should have understood the theme, but hey, the film makes it clear they were incapable of doing so.
shareSigh,
"The locals" didn't have a problem w/it. Radio and Buggin' did. You missed the part where they went around to Everybody In The Neighborhood, and NOBODY would align with them.
But good job missing the point(s) of the movie.
I just can't imagine the audacity of any other group to demand the same thing from a local eatery. There are plenty of Chinese restaurants in predominately white neighborhoods. We enjoy the experience of those restaurants being authentically Chinese. Including the pictures and art on the walls. We would never ask for, let alone DEMAND pictures of white people on the walls, just because the neighborhood is mostly white. Same with Mexican restaurants, Indian restaurants, Japanese Sushi restaurants.
Even SOUL FOOD restaurants. They should be authentically black. And everyone understands that going in. But for some reason, black people think they can demand special treatment. "Oh, you have an Italian restaurant?" Put black people on the wall, or you're racist, and we'll riot. "Oh, you have a Chinese restaurant?" Put black people on the wall, or you're racist, and we'll riot.
Do you actually think Black people think they can demand special treatment, based on a 1989 movie?
It's a work of fiction that explores the "what ifs" of a fictional landscape.
I like the posts that point out We would would like to have Authenticity in our Eateries. Why should a photo of Jackie Robinson adorn a Chinese restaurant, especially if he never ate there?
But maybe these Chinese restaurant operators want to respect Jackie and let their customer's know it.
Like many MC posters, Sal was Tone Deaf to what might work in his 'hood.