Do the Right THing
As the hyped up base line begins to play the opening credits begin to role. From the up-tempo opening to DJ Senor Love ending the movie telling everyone to "chill" we are taken on a music induced journey through a day on the Bedford-Stuyvesant block in Brooklyn New York. In a movie drenched with controversy, Spike Lee often uses music to induce conflict. However, at the same time his musical techniques cover up the building conflict and make the film feel almost like an up-tempo, hip-hop musical. The musical flow ends as soon as Sal takes the bat to Radio Raheem's radio. The dramatic conclusion to the movie is very uncomfortable and shocking partly due to Spike Lee's use of music throughout the film. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!" shouts Deejay Senor Love Daddy, as we see an extreme close-up of his lips, the microphone, and an alarm clock. Senor Love's first words give an insight into the message which Lee tries to convey. Furthermore, the presence of a Deejay from the onset allows music to be a device to generate an effective flow throughout the movie. Bill Lee, the father of Spike, provides an easygoing jazz background that works well as we are introduced to characters on the block. The periodic use of reggae also has the same
The movie begins and ends with "Wake Up!" Each time Mookie gets up and worries about getting paid. For instance, Buggin' Out picks a fight with a man in a Larry Bird jersey and brings along his friend in a Magic Johnson jersey to help in his fight. Wake Up!" These are the words of Senor Love the morning after the riot. " These are the lyrics we consistently hear out of Radio Raheem's radio throughout the movie. Senor Love wasn't telling everyone to get out of bed he was telling everyone to "Wake Up," and see what is going on. "Fight the Power, fight the power, we must fight the powers that be. The absense of music makes the scene even more dramatic and real. As the new morning begins the music comes back on. Perhaps, this was Lee's way of saying "Wake up," to the audience and all the characters. Mookie wakes up and is main concern is to get paid.
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