Actually Vin Deisel was in that film. He is part African American. The part was written specifically for him. It didn't have anything to do with adding a black guy though. Most Hollywood directors are not willing to bend history just to accomodate a black guy who feels entitled to be able to take credit for something they were not a part of and should be thankfull that they weren't.
I have double-checked your claim. The AFI -- which seems heavily biased towards "social statement" films to begin with -- puts it at position 96 in the 2007 list. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI's_100_Years..._100_Movies_(10th_Anniversary_Edition) Not what I would consider top placement. And it wasn't in the previous version of their list. The BFI Sight & Sound poll only compiles the opinions of about 50 film critics and 50 directors. http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/ According to their website, their last poll was in 2002. Curiously, I could only find two "top ten" lists on their site, one for critics and one for directors. "Do The Right Thing" was not on either list. Fortunately, I am able to see which movies were voted on, and how many people voted for them. "Do The Right Thing," received one vote from a director and 2 votes from a critic. A remarkably poor consensus.
Those sound like legitimate lists. However, the film doesn't show up on CNN, Time Magazine, Entertainment Week, and IMDB every few months like other films. I didn't separate my thoughts too well in my post. Giving Spike credit, but referencing his sense of social justice was more a reference to Ang's complaint in the thread. Sorry for the confusion.
I guess the problem is that Americans are willfully, negligently, a bunch of racist ignoranamuses, which is why they have to pretend to be Canadians when they go travelling (assuming they have passports and know where to go), hence teaching them history via the low-fi medium of film/tv/radio is considered fair play.
I don't presume to know how you came to your conclusions or "low opinion" of Spike Lee (although I suspect it has little to do with his work), but fair enough. Suffice it to say, filmmaking isn't the same thing as charity fundraising, nor should it be.
I have no idea which lists you're reading, but it is included in the AFI 100 and listed as the *number 6* most well-regarded film of the past 25 years by the Sight & Sound poll. ("By far the most respected of the countless polls of great movies--the only one most serious movie people take seriously," according to Roger Ebert.) And the suggestion that a person's sense of social justice is or somehow should be divorced from art is ... a brand-new concept just dreamed up in this thread, let's say.
"Do The Right Thing" was certainly a tolerable movie, and widely recognized as an important perspective on race and urban social issues, but... one of the best American films? There's certainly nothing resembling consensus on that thought. It's been years since I've heard anyone mention that film although I frequently read "best" lists. I'm inclined to give Spike Lee credit for his work, but Do The Right Thing probably reflects his sense of social justice. An Italian man has photographs of famous Italians in his Italian restaurant, and the predominantly black neighborhood harrass him, attack him, and ultimately set fire to his restaurant for it.
Agreed by whom? Until I read your comment, I had never heard of either film. I checked it out on IMDB and what you call his greatest claim to fame is a movie made in 1989 and a documentary that most people probably haven't even seen. Hmmmm......Brad Pitt is doing more for New Orleans that Spike Lee will ever do. In fact...Spike Lee took the oppurtunity to cash in on their suffering. It was already all over the news. Unless......... he did it for free and or donated what he made off of it to rebuilding their city. I stand by my low opinion of him and I will now add that he has nothing to add to our society.
Okay, if there weren't any black marines in the unit depicted in Flags of Our Fathers, Eastwood was supposed to invent them? And how many soldiers of African heritage would have been in the Japanese military?
It is generally agreed that "Do The Right Thing" is one of the best American films of the past twenty years. And for my money, "When the Levees Broke" is a masterpiece.
What's Spike Lee's secret to becoming famous? Promoting racism and being a general pain in the ass. Also, notice how he is currently "promoting" a film. If he was any good at what he does, he wouldn't have to ride on Clint Eastwood's coat tails.
Black soldiers weren't integrated into front-line Marine combat units until well after Iwo. So Eastwood would be lying if he showed them. But I guess historical accuracy is no defense, huh?
clint is not racist at all....in fact Grande Turrino shows just how unracist the man is! So leave him alone!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually Vin Deisel was in that film. He is part African American. The part was written specifically for him. It didn't have anything to do with adding a black guy though. Most Hollywood directors are not willing to bend history just to accomodate a black guy who feels entitled to be able to take credit for something they were not a part of and should be thankfull that they weren't.
I have double-checked your claim. The AFI -- which seems heavily biased towards "social statement" films to begin with -- puts it at position 96 in the 2007 list. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI's_100_Years..._100_Movies_(10th_Anniversary_Edition) Not what I would consider top placement. And it wasn't in the previous version of their list. The BFI Sight & Sound poll only compiles the opinions of about 50 film critics and 50 directors. http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/ According to their website, their last poll was in 2002. Curiously, I could only find two "top ten" lists on their site, one for critics and one for directors. "Do The Right Thing" was not on either list. Fortunately, I am able to see which movies were voted on, and how many people voted for them. "Do The Right Thing," received one vote from a director and 2 votes from a critic. A remarkably poor consensus.
Those sound like legitimate lists. However, the film doesn't show up on CNN, Time Magazine, Entertainment Week, and IMDB every few months like other films. I didn't separate my thoughts too well in my post. Giving Spike credit, but referencing his sense of social justice was more a reference to Ang's complaint in the thread. Sorry for the confusion.
Spike is a racist who wants to rewrite history.
I guess the problem is that Americans are willfully, negligently, a bunch of racist ignoranamuses, which is why they have to pretend to be Canadians when they go travelling (assuming they have passports and know where to go), hence teaching them history via the low-fi medium of film/tv/radio is considered fair play.
I don't presume to know how you came to your conclusions or "low opinion" of Spike Lee (although I suspect it has little to do with his work), but fair enough. Suffice it to say, filmmaking isn't the same thing as charity fundraising, nor should it be.
I have no idea which lists you're reading, but it is included in the AFI 100 and listed as the *number 6* most well-regarded film of the past 25 years by the Sight & Sound poll. ("By far the most respected of the countless polls of great movies--the only one most serious movie people take seriously," according to Roger Ebert.) And the suggestion that a person's sense of social justice is or somehow should be divorced from art is ... a brand-new concept just dreamed up in this thread, let's say.
"Do The Right Thing" was certainly a tolerable movie, and widely recognized as an important perspective on race and urban social issues, but... one of the best American films? There's certainly nothing resembling consensus on that thought. It's been years since I've heard anyone mention that film although I frequently read "best" lists. I'm inclined to give Spike Lee credit for his work, but Do The Right Thing probably reflects his sense of social justice. An Italian man has photographs of famous Italians in his Italian restaurant, and the predominantly black neighborhood harrass him, attack him, and ultimately set fire to his restaurant for it.
Agreed by whom? Until I read your comment, I had never heard of either film. I checked it out on IMDB and what you call his greatest claim to fame is a movie made in 1989 and a documentary that most people probably haven't even seen. Hmmmm......Brad Pitt is doing more for New Orleans that Spike Lee will ever do. In fact...Spike Lee took the oppurtunity to cash in on their suffering. It was already all over the news. Unless......... he did it for free and or donated what he made off of it to rebuilding their city. I stand by my low opinion of him and I will now add that he has nothing to add to our society.
Okay, if there weren't any black marines in the unit depicted in Flags of Our Fathers, Eastwood was supposed to invent them? And how many soldiers of African heritage would have been in the Japanese military?
hollywood is not real life, so what's the point?
It is generally agreed that "Do The Right Thing" is one of the best American films of the past twenty years. And for my money, "When the Levees Broke" is a masterpiece.
What's Spike Lee's secret to becoming famous? Promoting racism and being a general pain in the ass. Also, notice how he is currently "promoting" a film. If he was any good at what he does, he wouldn't have to ride on Clint Eastwood's coat tails.
good point though mr/mrs anonymous
what about Spielberg? I don't remember black dudes in Saving Ryan's Privates...er.. that was Spielberg right?
Black soldiers weren't integrated into front-line Marine combat units until well after Iwo. So Eastwood would be lying if he showed them. But I guess historical accuracy is no defense, huh?