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?
Spike Lee creates dialectical conflict through constant juxtaposition within form and content. Mookie, a primarily sympathetic character due to his peacekeeping role he plays between the white pizzeria owner and the black customers, becomes an instigator of great violence and uprising. In connection to that event, it is the death of a character depicted as entirely unsympathetic, intimidating, brutish, and scary which triggers Mookie's pivotal act of aggression. Ironically, in terms of form, that unsympathetic character (Radio Raheem) is under oppressed circumstances, being a "martyr and a victim" to the neighborhood racism. another example of content, is the pizzeria owner Sal's contentment to look the other way on Mookie's laziness and even be a sympathetic character toward his black employee. At the same time, it is apparent to the viewer that Sal is a blatant and cruel racist. Sal is a perfect example of how Lee sets up complex, multi-dimensional characters for the viewer to identify. The film's opening use of dialectical montage is basically infusing the viewer's psyche with a heavy dose of juxtapositional images, for they are the foundation of pretty much the rest of the film.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn Fabe argues that Spike Lee’s film “Do the Right Thing” uses the dialectical montage that Sergei Eisenstein introduced by contrasting juxtaposed scenes to create a higher understanding for the audience.
ReplyDeleteIn Lee’s film, Marilyn Fabe Argues, the opening scene uses dialectics with the use of the character Tina. Tina is dancing in a violent way, yet still maintaining flowing movement, which distinguishes it as a dance. The woman he uses is sexy, yet aggressive. The scene is shot making Tina seem as though she is fighting against herself displaying the irony within black culture and black oppression.
Spike Lee also uses dialectics in the way in which he portrays the ghetto as being vibrant full of bright colors and in a positive light. He attempted to stray away from the ghetto stereotype as being trashy, yet contriving a realistic atmosphere. He wanted the ghetto to be realistic with poverty and frustration built up inside, yet didn’t want to portray it in a stereotypical negative way.
Lee uses dialectical content within the characters he presents to the audience. In the film, Mookie has contrasting character traits. He is very inefficient and unbeneficial to Sal with the lack of work ethic he has; yet he is a mediator throughout the film breaching the gap between the white Italians and the black community.
There is one instant that uses dialectical form to portray opposing viewpoints. In the film, Buggin’ Out attempts to start a boycott of Sal’s pizzaria due to the absence of “brothers” on the Wall of Fame. Sal makes a point saying “..you open up your own business, then you can do what you wanna do.” Buggin’ Out rebuts saying, “You own this, but I rarely see any Italian Americans eating in here. All I’ve ever seen is black folks.”
Joseph Skow
ReplyDelete808
According to Marilyn Fabe, Spike Lee’s goal in “Do The Right Thing,” “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." Inspired by director Sergei Eisenstein, Lee uses dialectic montage in his film structure. Through juxtaposition of contrasting shots this “subtle awareness” is conveyed to the viewer, and supported by examples of form and content. Eisenstein believed that through this style of filmmaking the viewer would elevate from a passive perspective, and be able to detect truths in emotionally based imagery. Lee effectively displays the wide range of issues concerning racism, and does so effectively with the help of Eisenstein’s technique.
In consideration of form, the beginning of the film stands as a strong example; this includes Rosie Perez’s dancing. The song “Fight The Power” accompanies the opening sequence. Through Lee’s use of color contrast with red and blue tones, long shots, close up, smooth cuts, match cuts, and jump cuts, he creates a number of emotions tied together by the soundtrack, imagery, and editing. For instance, the dancing in the opening appears both sexy and aggressive. The intense lyricism and delivery of “Fight The Power” by the dominating male vocals clash with the aerobic dancing, and her womanly figure, almost suggesting a fight sequence. Lee’s use of cold and warm filters (blue and red) helps create the contrast between calm and aggressive imagery. The red evokes images of pain, blood, violence, and intensity, while the blue hue in the next shot supports the opposite of the spectrum, images of cool and calming association. This sequence stands as the introduction to the “girlfriend” character, but more importantly stands as a symbol of positive and negative energy concealed within the black youth.
The stylish set design of the film location in the ghetto stands as a great second example of form within dialectical conflict. According to Fabe, the entire mise-en-scene of the film clashes with preconceived notions of what the ghetto is based on, stereotypes. Before shooting the set-designers came in and painted the buildings of the area “candy colors,” and cleared the streets of garbage, violence, and prostitution. This sets up an extreme and prominent theme throughout the film, challenging conceptions of a harsh, “ghetto,” reality.
A great example of dialectical conflict in content arises between Sal and Mookie. Throughout the majority of the film Mookie acts as a mediator between the Italian-American pizzeria owner, Sal, and the rest of the African-American based community. At the end of the film his perspective switches and he initiates the riot between the community and the pizzeria by throwing a trashcan through the front window. Radio Raheem, symbolizing black power and speaking out in regard to racism, provides a second example. For instance, the viewer can conceive this meaning through Raheem blaring, “Fight the Power” through his ghetto blaster. The viewer may assume his intentions are to fight all racism, but he appears racism in some instances. For example, the scene between Raheem and the two Korean storeowners shows his true colors, his selective views on equality.
Samantha Smith
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In Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing”; he uses the dialectical methods of Sergei Eisenstein, who created the cinema that uses a constant juxtaposition, or clash of opposites, that creates a new or higher consciousness for the viewer. Lee decided to use the same idea as Eisenstein. He wanted keep a constant flow of conflicting images, that would liberated the audience from all fixed stereotypical images, of conflicts between black and white Americans.
The first image that comes to us in form is seeing Tina, Mookie’s girlfriend, played by Rosie Perez, dancing, to Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power.” The most obvious conflict in this scene is the, the song, an angry clash of voices talking about violence that relates to racism, and Rosie’s small figure dancing in what can be described as “Violent yet erotic” in her movements. The dance itself is another example of the clash of opposites. With her angry movements, to even wear boxing gloves, to at times have a very sensual and sexy aura to her. Along with this, the juxtaposition of the quick and changing scenes with Rosie, from her outfits, to the actual scenes it creates a shock for the audience, giving a visual of her almost as if she was fighting herself.
Another form of conflict can be found in the form of the color filters. By using the red filters for heat, and blood, it creates a “sinister” image when Rosie is dancing. At times Lee even uses the clash of the reds (hot) and the blues (cool) together, creating a clashing image.
Besides the form there is also content, the constant clashing between characters and conflicts within individual characters. The most obvious example of this is Mookie and Sal. Even though there is constant tension between the two characters in the beginning Mookie’s character is thought of as a “peace keeper”. He would respect Sal when working for him, and when racial issues would occur at the pizzeria, he would try to smooth them over. So in the end when Mookie throw’s a garbage can through the pizzeria window it creates a big shock. How could the calm character, instigate this violent act, leading to the riot? This is the clash that can be found.
By using Dialectical montage Lee hopes to create a better understanding and a better awareness to racism in American society and the danger it poses for everyone.
According to Marilyn Fabe, Spike Lee's reason for dialectical montage in Do the Right Thing is to put forth images and scenarios, different from the stereotypical images of whites and blacks which the American public was accustomed to as a form of mental liberation.
ReplyDeleteLee uses dialectical form to convey to the audience contrasting images to illuminate to the audience the duality of the people and scenes that take place, creating a more affective impact. One example of dialectical form used is at the very beginning when Tina(Rosie Perez) dances using a cross between an aerobic and a fighting style to the song "Fight the Power," by Public Enemy. The image of a small woman dancing with this song promoting violence in the face of racism creates a contrasting image.
Another clear-cut example of dialectical form is the image of the words "LOVE" and "HATE" resprctfully carved into Radio Raheem's brass knuckles on his left and right hands. This obviously is contrasting, portraying two very opposite feelings present most present in the film.
Spike Lee also uses dialectical content, or clashing scenarios between characters or clashing emotions or actions encountered by an individual character, to highten understanding. One example of this is Mookie's complex relationship with and feelings towards Sal. On one hand, Mookie defends his boss and acts as a peaceful middle-man attempting to quell tension between Sal and the surrounding black community. On the other, Mookie holds an underlying resentment for Sal, even going so far as to damage Sal's store window specifically in the final scenes of the film.
Another example of dialectical content is the argument between Sal and Buggin' Out, both sides justified, yet not, consisting of Sal defending his picture wall of solely Italian American actors, which Buggin' Out demands African American pictures.
Spike Lee’s use of opposing concepts and forces through form and content of “Do the Right Thing” creates conflict throughout the film causing a heightened consciousness in the mind of the viewer.
ReplyDeleteThrough the use of camera techniques Lee shows this juxtaposition in the form of the film. In the opening sequence Lee contrasts long shots with close shots. Long shots of Tina dancing are suddenly cut to extreme close ups of here face or parts of her body. Lee also uses extreme angles in his shots. Da Mayor a drunk is shot from a high angle looking down on him in both senses from the point of view of Mother Sister. Shots of Mother Sister contrast this by the use of a low angle shot giving her a sense of moral authority and power.
The characters in the film are an example of the conflict in the content. The characters are conflicted against each other as well as some being conflicted themselves. Mookie the disaffected delivery boy contrasts with Sal the latent racist pizza storeowner. They are also internally conflicted, Sal is tolerant yet racist, and affectionate yet exploitive. Throughout the film Mookie is the one who tries to keep the peace but in the end he is the one who starts the riot.
Another example of dialectical conflict in the content is the choice for Radio Raheem to be the victim. He is portrayed as a stereotypic thug. Of all of the characters in the film Raheem is the one that is least sympathetic yet it is his death that sparks the riot.
According to Fabe through this use of dialectical montage Lee is able free the audience from fixed stereotypical images and open their minds to racism and the danger it poses.
Spike Lee's goal in "Do the Right Thing" 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. Confronting the viewer with a constant stream of conflicting images and viewpoints was his way of doing this.
ReplyDeleteOn one side, Spike Lee blasts the noise that is "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy. On the other side, Tina's petite, yet womanly figure dances to the music in a way that contrasts the very aggressive lyrics. Even within the dance itself are contradictions. Changing from an aerobic workout session to Tina mimicking a fist-fight.
Mookie, played by Spike Lee, isn’t happy with the fact that Sal, owner of the famous pizzeria that ends up being the cane field in a high wind, and Mookie being the match, decorates his pizzeria with Italian-American celebrities. Mookie insists that it’s racist not to include any African-Americans on the wall of fame. Sal, having every right to, defends his position by telling Mookie that he is the owner of the pizzeria so he can decorate it however he wants. What Sal may not realize is that without Mookie, the young African-American that he is, Sal may not be able to stay in business. Mookie brings in the “brothers”. They wouldn’t eat there if Mookie didn’t work there. Both arguments are reasonable. This is a very obvious contrast between two people within the film. A not as extravagant example, but still a literal contrast, would be the character of Radio Raheem’s brass knuckles; which read LOVE and HATE.
The film is riddled with contrasting arguments. Whether they are obvious to the audience, or subtle, you can find them in every corner of “Do the Right Thing”.