Do The Right Thing was filmed mostly on location, but the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood is like a giant backlot stage. The people, with slang names that quickly define their character, the dialogue, the lighting and music all play into the stage production feel. A candy-colored fairy tale with an ominous message.
There’s a loose, improvised feel to the day-to-day activities of the neighborhood. Lee captures the life of the people, but heightened by his verbal and visual style. This is how I prefer my movie realism, with a director interpreting that reality through a personal lens. You feel the guidance of an artist inspiring creativity from everyone around him.
While the day is episodic, Lee balances the ensemble beautifully. Supporting characters who are key to the climax – Buggin Out, Smiley, Radio Raheem – are kept fresh in our minds, reintroduced at the right times. Everything is building until a final half-hour that’s as explosive as good cinema can get.
Picking a day to be on Set, the terrific opening credits would be high-energy. Plus, it would be cool to see up close the set that was built and then lit with lots of color and projections. I’m curious about how Lee got his cast comfortable with the Racial Slur Montage, though I bet those scenes were peppered into the schedule. I would choose to go to the Location Scout of Bed-Stuy and listen to the Director create his vision along with Director of Photography Ernest Dickerson and Production Designer Wynn Thomas.
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