Spike Lee calls out critics who suggested ‘Do The Right Thing’ would incite riots
Director Spike Lee called out the critics who suggested that his film Do The Right Thing would incite violent riots when it was first premiered back in 1989 and also praised one reviewer who defended the movie from any such notions.
Lee had been the recipient of the Ebert Director Award, which is named after the film critic Roger Ebert, which was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, September 10th.
As Lee accepted the award presented by Roger’s wife, Chaz Ebert, he said: “Your husband got behind me when those mother fuckers in the press were saying that Do the Right Thing was going to incite Black people to riot. That this film should not be shown in the United States.”
Lee then pointed out the reviews that David Denby and Joe Klein had written, which were highly critical of the film, even though it has since gone on to be considered one of the greatest films of the 20th century.
According to Lee, Denby and Klein suggested their readers “hope to God that this doesn’t open in your neighbourhood”. Lee then said, “The struggle still continues. It’s not an even playing field.”
The 1989 movie was produced, written and directed by Lee, and he also starred in it alongside Danny Aiello, Ossie David, John Turturro, Samuel L. Jackson and Martin Lawrence. It tells of the racial tensions that arise between the Italian-American and African-American communities in Brooklyn on a hot summer’s day.
Check out the trailer for Do The Right Thing below.
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