If you’re an avid fan of basketball you’ve probably encountered a historical character named Mars Blackmon who accompanied Michael Jordan in his early Jordan brand commercials and questioning who this is. Little do you know that the man who plays the character is actually an influential filmmaker who created many films relating to the problems regarding race and society. This man’s name is Shelton Lee, or better known as Spike Lee to the rest of the world. Just through films, Spike Lee was able to stir up controversies within society through his bold statements while also revealing the darker aspects of world. By understanding more on the importance of Lee it is easier to understand the impact of how a single man’s idea, expressed through a
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Many critics label Spike Lee as a hypocrite due to the way different races are portrayed in his movies while others see him as a prominent figure not only in film, but in society as well. As a result of Lee’s bold statements he redefined the meaning of racism and its stereotypes. His first film that created the most controversy, Do the Right Thing, is a great example of this idea because it contains the classic stereotypical characters from each race and Lee was able to exaggerate their stereotypes tenfold. It had characters like Radio Raheem, who had a huge boom box that always blasted Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power”, Italians who owned a pizzeria, and Koreans who owned a liquor store. By exaggerating the depictions of racial stereotypes, Lee was able to create a new sense of what racism truly is within society while displaying the problems that exist as a result of these conflicts. He also made it clear that it’s impossible to choose a side in society because of the various amounts of reasoning behind every motive. Do the Right Thing also allows the audience to question what the justifying factor truly is (McGowan 2014). At the end of the movie, the police murder an African American teenager, who protests against a “racist” pizzeria, and as a result a group of African American citizens retaliate by tearing apart the pizzeria (McGowan 2014). Then the movie ends by quoting two …show more content…
After his prestigious films, he was able to give rise to new ideas and new perspectives not only regarding his race but every other race in the world. He was also able to give rise to new African American directors like John Singleton, Matty Rich, Darnell Martin, Ernest Dickerson (Lee 's one-time cinematographer), and Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes (New York Times). His antagonistic point of view created a new format for directors everywhere and is used as a motivation to break through normal boundaries. With Lee, there is no middle ground and people can either relate or not and by understanding this concept people have learned to look at the bigger picture rather than what is only available to them. Through understanding the role of Spike Lee it is easier to understand how he is such an important figure in the cinematic world. His films not only have made an intellectual impact on the audience, but have also created a social impact regarding race and the institution and how the world can strive for
Many critics label Spike Lee as a hypocrite due to the way different races are portrayed in his movies while others see him as a prominent figure not only in film, but in society as well. As a result of Lee’s bold statements he redefined the meaning of racism and its stereotypes. His first film that created the most controversy, Do the Right Thing, is a great example of this idea because it contains the classic stereotypical characters from each race and Lee was able to exaggerate their stereotypes tenfold. It had characters like Radio Raheem, who had a huge boom box that always blasted Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power”, Italians who owned a pizzeria, and Koreans who owned a liquor store. By exaggerating the depictions of racial stereotypes, Lee was able to create a new sense of what racism truly is within society while displaying the problems that exist as a result of these conflicts. He also made it clear that it’s impossible to choose a side in society because of the various amounts of reasoning behind every motive. Do the Right Thing also allows the audience to question what the justifying factor truly is (McGowan 2014). At the end of the movie, the police murder an African American teenager, who protests against a “racist” pizzeria, and as a result a group of African American citizens retaliate by tearing apart the pizzeria (McGowan 2014). Then the movie ends by quoting two …show more content…
After his prestigious films, he was able to give rise to new ideas and new perspectives not only regarding his race but every other race in the world. He was also able to give rise to new African American directors like John Singleton, Matty Rich, Darnell Martin, Ernest Dickerson (Lee 's one-time cinematographer), and Albert Hughes and Allen Hughes (New York Times). His antagonistic point of view created a new format for directors everywhere and is used as a motivation to break through normal boundaries. With Lee, there is no middle ground and people can either relate or not and by understanding this concept people have learned to look at the bigger picture rather than what is only available to them. Through understanding the role of Spike Lee it is easier to understand how he is such an important figure in the cinematic world. His films not only have made an intellectual impact on the audience, but have also created a social impact regarding race and the institution and how the world can strive for