In "Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing," Marilyn Fabe argues that Spike Lee adopts film theorist and director Sergei Eisenstein's dialectical montage - the juxtaposition of contrasting shots in order to bring the viewer to a new level of consciousness. Referring to Fabe's essay, describe two ways Lee creates dialectical conflict on the level of form, and two examples on the level of content. According to Fabe, what does Lee seek to achieve through his use of dialectical montage?
20 comments:
Two methods of Spike Lee portraying dialectical form is conflict between matter and viewpoint and conflict between matter and its spatial nature. Lee achieves conflict between matter and viewpoint by spatial distortion through camera-angle (i.e. when in a POV shot of the character Mother Sister, we always see the character Da Mayor from a high-angle). Conflict between matter and its spatial nature is achieved by optical distortion of the camera lens (i.e. when in a close-up of Radio Raheem, we see him in an extreme 10mm lens). Two methods Lee uses to achieve dialectical content is displaying clashes between characters and conflicts within individual characters. The clash between characters is most easily seen between Sal and Mookie, who display an “edgy tension.” The conflicts within individual characters is most easily seen with Mookie, who despite display tension with Sal also displays affection towards Sal, something Sal also returns. It is this thought that surprises the audience when it is Mookie that throws the garbage can into the pizzeria of his employers. We can see Mookie holding his head in pain moments before he violently takes a side on the situation.
According to Fabe, Lee seeks to confront the viewer with a constant stream of conflicting images and viewpoints, liberating his audience from a fixed stereotypical images of the conflict between black and white Americans and to open their minds to a more subtle awareness of racism in American society and the danger that racism poses to us all.
Lee creates dialectical conflict on the level of form through his power of “confronting the viewer with a constant stream of conflicting images and viewpoints. “What we think is going to be a tense urban racial drama that explodes in violence begins with what looks like a number from a musical film.” This is only fueled with the clashing soundtrack, and choreography of the aerobic workout session and a fight. Another conflict created of form is Lee’s use of warm red and cool blue color filters connoting heat and blood, as well as death. This creates a “fun-to-watch spectacle...structured by a clash of opposites” leading audiences to think on a different level of knowledge.
As for the dialectical conflict on the level of content, a prime example is the character Mookie. “Mookie acts as a keeper of the peace, a protector...not an instigator of violence.” Contrary to the previously said, Mookie proceeds to suddenly turn against his employers. “It is the clash between who we expect to start the riot and who actually starts it that forces us to think.” In addition, Lee portrays Sal as exploitative and latently racist, while also showing his soft side, and sympathetic treatment of Mookie. From screaming racial epithets and referring to his customers as “dese people,” Lee once again shows his use of shock through the “clashes between characters and conflicts within individual characters.”
Lastly, through his use of dialectical montage, Lee “liberates his audience from mixed stereotypical images of the conflict between black and white Americans and to open their minds to a more subtle awareness of racism in American society and the danger that racism poses to us all.” Overall, with his use of color, conflicting images and sound, to the inner and outer workings of his characters, Lee hits the nail on the head and constantly challenges the audience and what they see and believe.
As discussed in Fabe’s article, Spike lee adopted Sergei Einstein’s method of dialectical montage, the juxtaposition of contrasting shots in order to bring the viewer to a new level of consciousness, in the creation of his film Do the Right Thing. In doing so, he opens up a dialog between the differing philosophies of Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. pertaining to race relations. In particular, he emphasizes the conflicts between different races, within racial groups, and within people. The Dialectical conflict in the film is broken down into two parts: form and content.
Dialectical form effects how the movie is presented. This involves Sergei’s use of “constant juxtaposition or clash of opposites”. In Lee’s movie, he continually uses conflicting images and viewpoint in order to challenge stereotypes or preconceptions. In the opening scene of Lee’s film He uses Sergei’s use of montage to create optical shocks. This is done by juxtaposing highly contrasting shots of Tina dancing/Boxing. This scene uses both sexual and aggressive shots, has a male singer’s voice overlaid on a female actress, and cuts from hot to cold colors similar to Einstein’s intraframe optical effect. Lee also uses a Dialectical clash with the Mise en Scene. He shoots the film on location in Bedford-Stuyvesant, but cleans the place up by painting bright colors and cleaning up the streets. “The atmosphere of authenticity is dialectically countered by the film’s art design.” This clash of the real world with fake, constructed cosmetics aims to counter classic expectations.
The dialectical content of the film adds to the complexity of not only the characters, but the issues and story being presented. This is built around conflicts between characters and the conflicts within them. The complexity of Sal’s character is built on a series of conflicting traits. He is seen as both affectionate and sympathetic towards Mookie and at the same time exploitive and racist. This creates ambivalent feelings for the character. In the end of the film, conflict is created when Mookie, who always protects Sal sparks the destruction of the Pizzeria instead of Buggin Out who would have been expected to do so. This counters the audience’s expectations.
In creating Dialectical conflict in both form and content, Lee counters typical expectations and portrays not right or wrong points of view, but “two conflicting ways to see an issue”. Similar to the goals of Sergei, he opens dialog between these conflicting viewpoints in order to get people thinking about new ways of seeing an issue.
[Garrett Katerzynske]
[Caroline Kastelic]
In his film “Do The Right Thing,” Spike Lee creates dialectical conflict on the level of form using different cinematographic techniques. For example, he uses many extreme angles: high, low, and Dutch. When Mother Sister and Da Mayor are talking, he films Da Mayor from up high, “making him seem small in the frame” (198). Mother Sister, on the other hand, is shot from a low angle “to give a heightened sense of her power” (198). Other examples of camera techniques are when he films Radio Raheem. Lee uses an extreme wide angle lens while shooting close up, distorting his features and making him more menacing.
Lee also creates conflict on the level of content. For instance, the two sons at Sal’s are very different from each other, Pino being “openly racist” and Vito being more understanding. Another place where we see conflict is within the character of Sal himself. “Sal is proud to have nurtured a generation of black children,” but at the same time he still calls his customers “dese people” and eventually goes on a racial tirade against Radio Raheem.
Fabe says that through using dialectical montage, Lee seeks to shows all viewpoints as being neither right nor wrong, and there are always “two conflicting ways to see an issue.”
Gus Ingebretsen
Marilyn Fabe claims that through using dialectical montage, Spike Lee attempts to show all viewpoints as being neither wrong nor right, but there are always “two conflicting ways to see an issue.”
In his film “Do The Right Thing,” Spike Lee creates dialectical conflict on the level of content. An example of where we see conflict could be the character of Sal himself. Sal claims to be “…proud to have nurtured a generation of black children,” but at the same time he still calls his customers “dese people” and eventually goes into a racial battle against Radio Raheem. Another example of this conflict is how the two sons at Sal’s are very different from each other, Vito seems be more an understanding person who doesn’t judge, while Pino shows some clear racism.
Spike Lee also creates dialectical conflict on the level of form using different cinematographic techniques. He uses many different, and, in many cases, extreme angles. When Mother Sister and Da Mayor are talking, he films Da Mayor from up high, “making him seem small in the frame”. Mother Sister, on the other hand, is shot from a low angle “to give a heightened sense of her power”. Some other relevant areas of camera techniques are when he shoots Radio Raheem. Lee uses an extreme wide angle lens while shooting close up, distorting his features and making him more scary-looking.
Jason Edwards
Spike Lee creates dialectical conflict in his film “Do the Right Thing” on the level of form by confronting the viewer. Using a “constant stream of conflicting images and viewpoints,” Lee surprises viewers with images that they wouldn’t expect to see together. For instance, Lee places a musical scene as a lead-in to a violent fighting scene. These “conflicting images” confront the viewer by surprising him or her. Another way Lee creates dialectical conflict in the film’s form is through the use of quick alternating long shots, close-ups, and angles in the opening of the film. Like the idea of the unexpected back-to-back scenes, this opening displays the contrasts that the film will portray throughout.
Spike Lee also creates dialectical conflict on the level on content in his film. Mookie, known as the “keeper of peace” and one who is “not an instigator of violence” goes against this reputation by starting a riot against his employers. This is interesting because it forces viewers out of their comfort zones as entire premonitions of the film are forced to change. Another way Lee creates dialectical conflict in the film’s content is through the character of Sal. While he is kind and sympathetic towards Mookie, he is also seen as racist and insensitive. Because of these juxtaposed characteristics, viewers do not know how to respond emotionally to Sal. The conflicts involved with the characters of the film and the conflicts within them creates dialectical conflict.
According to Fabe, Spike Lee seeks to portray that there are always “two conflicting ways to see an issue” through his use of dialectical montage. According to Lee, there is neither right nor wrong, simply different viewpoints.
Bryn Unger
TA: Caroline Kastelic
Director Spike Lee uses both dialectical conflict on the level of form and content in his 1989 film Do the Right Thing. When looking at dialectical form in the film, we can see two instances in the opening dance scene with Rosie Perez and in Lee’s decision of color filters for certain scenes. First, the opening scene shows a woman dancing to the song “Fight the Power”. The woman is not only dancing, but fighting as well, as the dance moves join together with choreographed punches. However, Perez’s actions show conflicting emotions and ideas. At times she is very seductive and uses sensual poses but other times she seems angry and aggressive. Fabe mentions this in her article, “Sometimes she looks angry, sometimes she looks sexy, as her pugilistic stances segue into erotic movements. Here, through another clash of opposites, Lee fuses sensual entertainment and political threat” (195). Lee also fuses together different shots of this angry/sensual dance with fluctuating setting and clothing. By showing close ups and then extreme long shots he contrasts what we perceive the characters actions to be. Also, by changing her clothing we are supposed to apply what implications are being told through her attire. Lee also uses color in other ways throughout the film Namely, he applies different filters on the camera lens to give certain feelings of the audience. In certain situations he used red to show the heat of the summer day and other times he used blue, which is a clear contrast to the red. Fabe mentions why Lee would use this method, “The formal contrasts… create a visually compelling, fun-to-watch spectacle which at the same time prepares us mentally for a film structured by a clash of opposites that will move its audiences beyond ossified ways of thinking about racial relations in America” (196). In short, Lee uses this method to ready his audience for the conflicting story and images that will occur throughout the film.
Not only did Spike Lee use dialectical form but dialectical content as well, which specifically is the clashing of different characters and conflicts within individual characters. Two of the most notable opposites are the conflicts between Mookie and Sal, and the fight between Buggin’ Out and Sal. In the film, Sal is a pizza owner where Mookie is a pizza delivery boy. Sal is a white-Italian and Mookie is an African-American played by Spike Lee. Often times Mookie slacks off and does not come to work on time, sometimes taking showers in between pizza deliveries. However, Sal allows the laziness to continue and in some regards understands Mookie’s laziness and unwillingness to work. These actions make Sal appear as a good person, despite his racist related flaws, such as not paying Mookie fare wages and not thanking him for the work he does restoring order between the white and blacks in the restaurant. However, these positive ideals are challenged when one analyzes the conflict between Sal and the young black man Buggin’ Out. In a heated argument with each other, Sal destroys Buggin’ Out’s boom box, while Buggin’ Out complains about the lack of African-American’s on Sal’s restaurant’s wall of fame. Sal believes it is his right to put whoever he wants on his wall but Buggin’ Out points out that the majority of Sal’s costumers are black and that they should get representation. Both have valid points and lead the viewer to decide who is right and who is wrong, if that’s even possible. There are many conflicting relationships and moments throughout the film and Spike Lee continues to conjure up controversy in his films as he has done in his popular, Do the Right Thing.
TA: Caroline Kastelic
Mitchell Keller
According to Fabe's article "Political Cinema: Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing" Spike Lee shows dialectical conflict in form several different ways. Dialectical form in essence is "a constant juxtaposition or clash of opposites (a thesis and an antithesis), the goal being....a higher consciousness in the mind of the viewer."(Fabe 194) The first example of Dialectical conflict of form is in the opening scene of the film Do The Right Thing. The clash in in the sound vs. the image. The sound is the song "Fight the Power" by public enemy and the image is that of Tina a small girl dancing in the street wearing several different outfits. The conflict is that the song refers to fighting, and yet there is this image of a small beautiful girl dancing. The second example of dialectical form is when Spike Lee chose to shoot in Bed-Stuy, and not show things typical in the ghetto. The buildings were painted, the trash was picked up, and it lacked things such as drug dealers, Ho's, guns and rapes. His reasoning for this was that not all blocks in Bed-Stuy have these things, and that these images are already shown enough in other videos and movies.
Lee also has several examples of Dialectical Contnt in this film. Dialectical content is "a clash between characters and conflicts within individual characters". The first example is that of Mookie and Sal. Mookie works for Sal, and helps him with the racial tensions that happen throughout the movie. The point of conflict comes is when Mookie becomes angry at Sal and throws a trash can through his window, creating a large scale riot in which Sal's store becomes destroyed. The second conflict is the internal conflict within Mookie. This conflict is created when Mookie starts the riot that destroys Sal's pizza shop. The conflict is that Sal was kind to Mookie giving him a job, and that Mookie feels like he betrayed Sal for ruining his store.
Nick Stoehr
806
One way Spike Lee creates dialectical conflict on the level of form is is by cutting together scenes in which are opposite of each other. An example of this is the scene where Tina is dancing and you hear violent rap lyrics. Another way Lee creates conflict on the level of form is the use of color filters. His use of a red filter creates “a sinister image connoting heat and blood.” When he mixes red and blue hues it creates a conflict of colors like that of editting conflicting clips opposite each other.
Lee creates dialectical conflict on the level of content with his characters. With the characters Mookie and Sal, there is tension between them throughout the entire film but Mookie acts as a peacekeeper from Sal and the go-between guy for the daily racial tension flare ups in the pizzeria. Also, Sal is depicted as being sympathetic towards Mookie but also exploitative and rascist.
Through the use of dialectical montage, Lee seeks to give his audience a higher conciousness of rascism, and free the audience from the stereotypical views of the racial tension between black and white Americans.
Tanisha Richter
TA: Caroline Kastelic
In Marilyn Fabe's essay he brings up many conflicts in spike lee's Do the Right Thing on the level of dialectical form. The first is the usage of color filters. He uses red filters in a scene where it would appear black and white creating a "sinister image connotating heat and blood." He also in shots would use blue filters with the red filters which was a similar technique of Eisenstein. The another way he creates conflict is between soundtrack and imagery. In one scene you here angry male voices talking about violence in response to racism. All occurring while a a female dancer is performing.
Another way Lee creates a form of conflict is in the content involved. The first thing that creates conflict is the clashes between characters. When the two main characters create the central argument, it ends in a act that is justified and an act of betrayal by burning down the pizzeria. Another form of conflict in the content is in an individual character. such as when Sal freaks out because he is being to to "put some brothers on the wall." IT makes people wonder why did he get so made just from his customers asking for representation.
Lee's goal in this dialectical montage is to confront his viewer with a constant stream of conflicting images and viewpoints. The same goal that Eisensten had in the 1920's
Andrew Page
Do the Right Thing
Marilyn Fabe points out many conflicts in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing.
Lee juxtaposes conflict as a way to show both sides of an issue.
Most of the conflicts do not have a clear cut answer because the viewpoints on both sides of the issue are valid.
Form
Lee creates conflict with preconceived notions of a black ghetto, by shooting his movie on location after it has been cleaned up, painted over, and made to appear more attractive then it would normally.
Lee uses camera angles to express differing viewpoints and attitudes his characters have toward one another; Da Mayor is filmed from high angle to make him apear small to Mother Sister who is filmed from low angle to make her seem large and powerful to Da Mayor.
Content
Lee creates conflict between and with in characters; Sal threw out the film is seen as a bigot but why does he in some ways treat Mookie with affection and other times treat him like every other black person he has problems with.
Lee creates conflict with god and evil
Sal the villiain as Fabe points out is "both racist and tolerant, while the victim Radio Raheem is seen as "scary bully".
Fabe writes of Lee's method as the same as Eisenstin's to confront the viewer with a constant stream of conflicting images and viewpoints.
Fabe argues that Lee has done this to "liberate his audience from fixed stereotypical images of the conflict between black and white Americans".
The style of Sergei Eisenstein of “constant juxtaposition or clash of opposites” has been adapted by many modern filmmakers and figures prominently into Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing”. The first scene of the movie is one big dialectical conflict of form with Rosie Perez dancing to the song “Fight the Power”. The shots of her dancing change quickly form long shots to close-ups and the backgrounds change abructly as well. There is a very clear juxtaposition between her slight figure and the hard rap song by Public Enemy. Lee used a real neighborhood for the set but cleaned up the trash and made many of the houses bright colors that made it “clashes [sic] with preconceived ideas” of what a poor black neighborhood looks like making viewers “confront their stereotypical expectations”. This dialectical conflict of form also made for a bigger impact at the end when the street does revert back to its natural state of garbage littered sidewalks during the riot scene.
Lee also has a great deal of opposition in content as well. This can be seen predominatly between the two main characters of Sal and Mookie who have a very interesting relationship. Well Mookie works for Sal he also helps to keep the peace between the white owned pizzeria and the black neighborhood protecting it in a way. It provides somewhat of a shock then, when Mookie is the one who starts the riot with the destruction of the pizzeria in the end. Lee builds this relationship so carefully and intrecitly that when Mookie does this it “seems simultaneously justified and a betrayal”. There is also a clear differnce between Sal’s two sons with the older Pino being openly racist and Vito being more sympathetic.
Through the use of dialectical montage, according to Fabe, Lee shows that no situation warrants a right or wrong reaction. Lee clearly shows the situations in the film from different perspectives to emphasis this point.
Lanae Smith
TA: Caroline Kastelic
According to Marilyn Fabe, Spike Lee creates dialectical conflict on the level of form though the use of camera shots and color filters. In the opening sequence of the film the soundtrack clashes and correlates with images of choreographed dance and Perez boxing. The montage creates an “optical shock” when the angry rap music lines up with the punching fists pointing directly at the audience. However, Perez is shot also to be portrayed as “sexy” causing a conflict between anger and sex appeal – playing on two separate emotional factors. Secondly, through the use of color filters, dialectical conflict is also created. Lee contrasts red and blue tones in separate shots. These “hot and cold tones” create conflict in how the shot is viewed – red gives a sinister feel and blue gives a calm, yet depressing feel.
Fabe then explains dialectical conflict on the level of content – “clashes between characters and conflicts within individual characters.” Sal’s character is an example of dialectical conflict. Though Sal appreciates Mookie, he still pays him low wages and resents the black community. He is represented as a racist but also a nurturer to Mookie which creates contrast in his character. In the same matter, Sal refuses to hang pictures of black people on the walls of the pizzeria even though he has mostly black customers. However he claims to be proud to have nurtured the next generation of black children. Sal’s internal conflict is that he does not want to be associated with black people in the public eye. Through the use dialectial conflict Spike Lee emphasizes the frustration and drama of “Do the Right Thing.”
Alison Korth
T.A. Caroline Kastelic
Spike Lee, director of Do the Right Thing, creates dialectical conflict on the level of form and the level of content. Already at the beginning of the film, there is conflict. The music that is playing clashes with the image on the screen. The character of Tina is dancing to “angry male voices urging violence in response to racism.” Another clash at the same moment was a shot of Tina “in profile shadowboxing on screen right” which then “jump cuts to an image of her performing the same movement on screen left.” This shot makes it look as though she is fighting herself which contains a deeper meaning.
Lee also creates conflict on the level of content which are “clashes between characters and conflicts within individual characters.” Mookie is originally the peace keeper of the film until the last moments when he is the one that starts the riot with the pizza place. Sal never acknowledges the significance of Mookie's peace keeper role in the movie. The goal for Lee was to “liberate his audience from fixed stereotypical images of the conflict between black and white Americans and to open their minds to a more subtle awareness of racism in American society and the danger that racism poses to us all.”
Sara Nesbitt
Caroline Kastelic
In Spike Lee’s film, “Do the Right Thing”, Lee uses a few different methods to present his dialectical conflict. For example, Lee juxtaposes angry, violent music with petite females dancing to a choreographed dance. This creates a conflict between love and hate within the first few minutes of the movie by combining certain music with a different style of dance. Lee also uses different color filters in order to create conflicts between different shots in his film. He uses red filters to create a feel of heat and blood. Conversely, Lee uses blue filters to build a cool feel to many of his shots. He uses these juxtaposed shots in order to create a conflict between colors, much like the conflict between race in the United States (Black vs. White, Latino vs. Black, Asian vs. European, Etc.)
Lee uses dialectical montage in order to create conflict through out his film. This use of montage creates a conflict, much like the conflict between races that Lee is commentating on though his film. He does this through the viewpoint of an outsider, so to not seem opinionated in his final cut.
Mark Scholbrock
In terms of form, Spike Lee creates dialectical conflict in his 1989 film "Do the Right Thing" from the very opening scene. In the introduction, actress Rosie Perez is seen dancing throughout the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of New York City. Contrasting colors are seen in this sequence (for example, a blue spandex suit in front of brownstone buildings), as well as contrasting camera positions (long shots and close-ups of Perez's body are spliced together). In addition, the setting of the film also contributes to the dialectical conflict in form. The action takes place in a black ghetto (Bedford-Stuyvesant), but contrary to what the viewer might expect, the scenery is vivid with color and thriving with life. The street is not littered with garbage, gangs are nowhere to be found, and drugs are not at all present. This plays with the viewer's preconceptions of a stereotypical black neighborhood in order to create conflict.
Lee also creates dialectical conflict through content. For most of the movie, the character Mookie acts as a pacifier of racial tension in his neighborhood. He is an Afro-American man working for an Italian-American restaurant, and he always tries to stop arguments between the neighborhood's black and white residents before things get out of hand. During the film's climax, the viewer is subsequently surprised to see that Mookie is the one who starts the riot. Lee also creates conflict through the argument between Buggin' Out and Sal. Buggin' Out wants Sal to include pictures of black people on his pizzeria's "Wall of Fame." Sal, however, could not disagree with Buggin' Out more - he is content with his strictly Italian-American display of celebrity portraits. The conflict here is that neither Sal nor Buggin' Out are correct in their arguments. They both have somewhat valid points of view, but there is no right answer to their problem.
The purpose of exposing the viewer to these juxtapositions in both form and content is to cause the viewer to think. Lee's film, "Do the Right Thing" sets up countless arguments and does not resolve any of them. It is up to the viewer to make conclusions. Marylin Fabe points out in her article on Lee's film, "By placing the two stances side by side, Lee opens up a dialogue between them and makes us think more deeply about the issues involved." Lee creates so much conflict in the film, that the events within it spiral out of control and no resolution is offered. The films purpose is to provoke thoughts, not to determine them.
Eric Grycan
TA: Caroline Kastelic
In the film "Do the Right thing" by Spike lee, different conflict is created throughout the film. The way that conflict is created is through the use of different color filters. By using different filters which have the hues of blues and reds. Spike Lee also uses various points of view with the use of different camera angles that help create the conflict. They use extreme high angles and extreme low angles. They use many extreme angles when the Mother Sister and Da Mayor are talking, Lee films Da Mayor from up high and then films Mother sister from down below. Conflict is also created throughout the film between Sal and Mookie. Even though Sal cares for Mookie, the viewer still gets a sense of conflict. Another way he creates dialectical conflict is by cutting two scenes together that are opposite of each other.
Amber Blanchard
Spike Lee achieves dialectical conflict on the level of form in a couple different ways. The first is by showing conflicting images in his scenes. Such as putting happy music to a very serious scene or showing images of war and people having fun in back to back scenes. This helps constantly keep the viewer on edge. He also achieves dialectical conflict by using conflicting matter and viewpoints. This is when the directer uses distorted camera angles, Such as using a certain camera shot that is conflicting with the characters status.
Lee also uses conflict on the level of conflict. He often times spends a lot of time building up a characters personality, and then later depict them doing something completely out of character. Completely shocking the viewer. He also shows deep moral conflict of the main characters. Lee uses dialectic montage for a number of reasons. One of the big reasons is to take the viewer out of the thought pattern that the protagonist is either right or wrong. this lets the viewer decide for themselves.
In Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing he portrays dialectical form in the use of content and form. One example of Lee's use of content is the characters Pino and his brother Vito. In the film Vito is seen as the more understanding brother who does not really care about what color people are, however Pino on the other hand is seen as an obvious racist throughout the movie. The contrast between brothers helps show that even though they are connected through blood the have completely different viewpoints on the world of racism. Another character that could be seen as an example of dialectical content is how the character Sal reacts with the main character mookie. There are scenes of Sal being an obvious bigot but later in the film he shows sympathy towards the black patrons as by saying he couldn't leave his pizzeria because seen this community grow up and that's something important to him. Lee also shows dialectical conflict through the use of form. He portrays this buy camera angles specifically in the scene where the mayor and Mama Sista interact. He uses a high angle on the mayor to make him seem feeble yet a low angle on Mother Sista to better show the power that she has over the mayor. Another way he shows dialectical conflict is through the scene of all the characters using racial slurs to describe the others race. With juxtaposition of these shots Lee shows how even with all these slurs no one race is right about his comments yet they are not necessarily wrong with what they are saying about each other.
Spike Lee uses dialectical montage a lot in "Do The Right Thing". He especially uses dialectical form montage. At many times he high and low angles to show positions of power between characters. He also "gets up" into character's faces and uses points of view shots very often. Another form dialect that he uses is in his lens choices. He uses many disorienting lenses in "Do The Right Thing".
Dialectical content is achieved in "Do The Right Thing" through the script and the portrayal of the characters. We see a love-hate (no pun intended) relationship between Mookie and Sal, and Mookie and his girlfriend. Spike Lee also attempts to break racial stereotypes so his audience is left with a different understanding that will not allow them to think of characters based on racial means. He portrays white police officers as bad and does not show poor black characters doing drugs (except with Da Mayor and his alcohol abuse). This point as a whole I do believe is debatable though.
Post a Comment