Sometimes, What is the Right Thing?

Filmmakers constantly try to tell their audience that there is something present which involve another sense other then seeing. The film Do The Right Thing takes place on one of the hottest day of the summer during the late 80s. Director Spike Lee’s challenge was bring that heat alive to his films viewers. In the movie, Do The Right Thing, there are many great examples of muse-in-scene to demonstrate heat to the audience through blocking, props, set and clothing. 

The way people are arrange can give off the idea of heat. A countless number of time in the movie, the places where individuals are placed, show that it is hot outside. First is the fact that a majority the shots include the filled porches in front of the houses. This blocking show that people find it cooler outside rather than inside. It give a chance for the characters to interact with one another and show how close this block is. A good example of this is when the group of four young adults (Martian Lawrence among them) sits on the steps, tell the audience that they like being with each other and like to talk to the people walking by. 

The natural use of props with blocking help show that it is very hot. There are two examples that I would like to mention about this. The first is the ice cubes that Mookie rubs along his girlfriends body. The fact they are quickly melting on her helps the audience think of how could the ice would feel on a day like that. In addition, Mookie’s sister, Jade, and two of the times that she is scene in the apartment. The first is her putting her head into a large bowl of water and the sensation of coldness that it gives her. The second, is how she is seated in front of the fan when Mookie come in to take a shower. 

Setting is very important to the idea of this movie. The filmmakers are very creative in how they are able to show heat through the atmosphere in the film. The first way they were able to achieve this was by color. A marvelous example is the red wall that the older gentleman sit in front of it. By the paint being a warm color of solid red, it gives a strong representation of heat.  Also the size of the wall, could show that the heat of it is unescapable. Sal’s pizza shop was also able to show how hot the day was because of its size. By it being so little and cramped, it makes on think it is very stuffy and tight. By having such a large oven in the set, does not just add to the credibility but also the makes me remember whenever I would cook during the summer and the warmth that would escape whenever that oven would open.

How people dress can tell a lot about the weather. In Do the Right Thing, the clothing the each of the actors wear helps show how hot it is. I would like to use the three gentleman that site in front of the red wall as an example. The clothing that they wear are open button down shirts, long pants, bowler derby and white undershirts. This is what some men in an older period would ware during a warm time. Most of the characters are wearing sleeveless shirts and shorts to show how hot it is. A good example is Sal’s sons, one of them is wearing a sleeveless and low collar shirt with shorts and the other is wearing a short sleeve t-shirt and shorts.