Themes in Films by Spike Lee

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Black World of Spike Lee
Emotional Complexity in She’s Gotta Have It
Colorism in School Daze
Social Tension in Do the Right Thing
Liberal Ideas in BlacKkKlansman
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Spike Lee is an American film actor, writer, producer, and director known for films dealing with controversial political and social issues. Films that have been directed by Lee are known as “Spike Lee Joints,” and their closing credits always end with the phrases “By Any Means Necessary,” “Ya Dig,” and “Sho Nuff” (Making History: Spile Lee). The stylistic choices which give his films a unique style are not the only distinguishing features of his work. In his movies, Lee strives to capture aspects of reality primarily related to social injustice. The viewer expects a representative of the Black community to criticize the external suppression of Blacks, racial discrimination, and the history of slavery. However, although Lee discusses these topics, he does so in a very subtle and veiled way, focusing on more complex aspects.

His most significant films, both early and contemporary, explore the issues of racial and class inequality from unexpected angles. First and foremost, Lee reveals the emotional complexity of Blacks which is inherent in all people. He also discusses the internal problems of the community in the form of colorism as a form of intraracial discrimination. Lee’s most serious focus is on social tension, power inaction on race and class issues, and its dramatic results. In his most recent works, one can see the ideas of liberalism, which are designed to create a framework for change. Thus, Spike Lee addresses the issues of social injustice but does it subtly and gracefully. He portrays the Black community as an isolated society with its internal problems, which is no different from the Whites. Moreover, his work evolves, moving from describing reality to reasoning about how to change the situation.

The Black World of Spike Lee

First of all, the director promotes his ideas and views, which are quite controversial for modern cinema, as a well-adjusted business model. Lee suggests that “Black filmmakers should concentrate their energies on breaking into the industry and maintaining a track record of productivity, rather than on trenchant or one-dimensional calls for an independent, separate black production” (Guerrero para. 2). Lee has been involved in producing, writing, and directing numerous independent films associated with the Black community. The creation of his studio indicates that the director pays special attention to the promotion of films that describe the problems of racism and social inequality. The commercial development of such a niche is necessary to attract significant attention to existing issues.

Moreover, the director’s often portrayed vision of the Black World on the streets of Brooklyn is evolving into more complex themes. Lee’s earlier work focuses on describing existing social problems, including racism, discrimination, and police brutality. However, later films are focused on finding solutions that are not radical and can help eliminate hatred and social division. Despite the diversity of genres, many of his films emphasize precisely the issues of race and class.

Considering the director’s films, one can also notice that he is concerned about the problem of hatred and rejection of others in modern society. The range of topics he covers is wide and varied, but they all focus on the inability of people to communicate and understand each other. For example, the 25th Hour examines anxiety and loss after 9/11, and Chi-Iraq examines gun culture (McKenzie para. 2). Thus, Spike Lee does not focus solely on the issue of racial discrimination; he uses a wide range of social issues. He is interested not only in Blacks as a community but also in the context in which they are. The director seeks to understand why the existing order continues to be maintained and how it can be changed. Moreover, he suggests that the problem is not in White nationalism but the essence of people regardless of their race.

Emotional Complexity in She’s Gotta Have It

She’s Gotta Have It created in 1986, depicts Black sexuality, which is remarkable for the mid-80s. Lee introduces viewers to the “characterization of a young woman through her sexual relationships” (Edugyan para. 3). The main character meets three men at the same time, who personify different images. One of them is a stereotypical middle-class who despises the Black Ghetto. He is also obsessed with his physique and looks, which makes him selfish and arrogant. The second man, played by Lee himself, is cheerful and funny, which attracts the main character, although he does not seem reliable to her. The third man is educated, generous and kind, showing interest and aspiring to take care of the main character. The film contains a rape scene when one of the men punishes the main character in this way for sexual emancipation. However, Lee later apologized for the scene and decided to remove it from the final cut (Edugyan para. 8). This aspect shows how shocking the content of Lee’s films was for viewers and how norms are changing in the modern world.

However, it was not the sex itself that was the revelation of the film, but the portrayal of Blacks as ordinary people. The film does not focus on racial differences but rather depicts aspects of the complexity of life and human relationships. The main character, the Black woman, follows her desires and experiences emotional turmoil. This portrayal of the Black community was shocking to many viewers. Lee showed that Black lives are not locked in racism and social injustice but contain ordinary elements. Ultimately, the heroine of the film rejects passion in favor of more complex emotions, which also highlights the independence of the human essence from race or class. Although the film supports the theme of freedom, which is relevant to the Black community, it appeals to the emotional and spiritual freedom of society.

Colorism in School Daze

Musical School Daze, created in 1988, examines the problems of young educated Blacks through music and dance. The film is built on the opposition to social activism and power, but Lee, as always, uniquely illustrates the topic. There is not a single White character in the film, so there is no one to act as a “racial aggressor” (McMaster para. 3). In the film, Lee explores the isolated Black space as a phenomenon, which is also depicted in the choice of artistic devices. The filmmaker explores the diversity and layering of the Black community through a fictional college. The film also seeks to present colorism as a specific form of intraracial discrimination. Lee also raises the issue of beauty standards and accepted norms of appearance through casual discussions among students. The main characters are constantly asked questions about the role of colorism in their lives and relationships.

Thus, Lee is exposing not the problem of racism, but the internal contradictions of the Black community, which seems surprising to its member. The director also uses jazz to draw attention to the cultural background of Blacks and, to some extent, depict stereotypes about them. However, Lee also draws parallels with the history of slavery and emphasizes the value of the Black experience (McMaster para. 11). He does not oppose external and internal oppression but connects them, showing that change is needed within the Black community as well.

The themes that Lee covers in his films are largely marginal, as the main characters are often people who face social issues. Bradley calls the director the ” originator of hip-hop via the films” (144). His most famous and significant work on racism and social injustice is the 1989 film Do the Right Thing. The plot takes place in the Black community, where class tension and discontent are growing. Specifically, Lee talks about the consequences of government inaction on race and class issues. According to the director, such tense situations at some point can result in acts of violence and cruelty. Valdez notes that the film is centered on “how social class, race and the moral decisions that the characters make have a direct effect on the way people interact with each other” (para. 1). Although the plot of the film unfolds in one day, it shows the full cycle of the inception of class tension and its results. In the finale, the main character is killed by the police. This episode remains relevant after many years and becomes extremely acute in the modern world.

The idea of Spike Lee was to create a film that both entertains and resonates emotionally with viewers. It shows that when leaders in a country fail to address social and racial variations, violence erupts from people who feel powerless. The movie uses a rational approach meaning that when people of different cultures live together, it does not mean that everyone is happy about the leadership. Therefore, for Lee to produce this film, he knew that it was vital for him to embrace stereotypes so that he can criticize them. There is a scene in the film where the police arrive in a neighborhood and term people as waste as they pass by. The police speak these comments when the residents are not doing violent activity. This reveals how those with the duty of protecting the whole community disrespect the community members. Therefore, this acts as a hint of what is expected to happen at the end of the film.

The theme of conflict in the film has been developed by focusing on irrationality and stereotypes, such as the Asian store owner with a thick accent. The movie aims at showing the viewer that various racial issues exist in the community. Nevertheless, there lack direct character confrontation until the end of the movie. It is important realizing that certain issues are never influenced by racial diversity but also by those in leadership. Therefore, the movie Do the Right Thing is more than a movie revealing the brutality of the police. It shows more of the existing ugliness not only in low-income communities but also in ourselves.

Liberal Ideas in BlacKkKlansman

A feature of the depiction of social issues in Lee’s films is the appeal to the stereotypical aspects of the characters, which were shown in the previous examples. In Do the Right Thing, these factors are expressed by depicting police officers as biased towards Blacks, Italians are necessarily Mafiosi, and Blacks themselves wear the attributes of African culture. BlacKkKlansman is Lee’s later film, created in 2018, which also has similar conventions. First of all, the film is a comedy that at first glance speculates on the images of the police. The black young man has always dreamed of becoming a police officer, and finally, he becomes an officer. However, Lee immediately portrays the police world as corrupt and two-faced. The officers use their power to solve various problems for their benefit, in which the main character is also involved. It might seem like a typical theme for a filmmaker who wants to show how bad and biased the police are. However, Lee claims the opposite; he claims that despite all their flaws, the police officers are mostly kind (Turner 157). His film is filled with contradictions that dynamically drive the plot.

While it is clear that the film criticizes white nationalism and portrays it as a threat, it also considers the policy as a tool to end the hatred. While BlacKkKlansman describes the development of a police officer as so many comedies of this genre, it also claims officers as an anti-racist force (Turner 158). At the end of the film, the explosion is the climax that puts an end to white nationalism. Therefore, Lee hopes that the government and the authorities will ultimately be able to establish social peace. The director portrays the police not as an oppressive force but as helpers and saviors of order. Turner stresses that the main idea of the film is the establishment of liberal power (159). In other words, if one starts transforming society with the police, then racism and social injustice can be eradicated. In reality, things are completely different, and Lee created some illusion of a simple solution. Nevertheless, the film is a manifestation of his view on the existing problem of white nationalism and police brutality.

Conclusion

Spike Lee has directed many more films; however, the ones described are the most significant and indicative of his career. Although his filmography includes films exclusively describing racial discrimination and prejudice, such as Bamboozled, his work is multifaceted and complex (Aftab). In particular, the films discussed, it was illustrated a wide range of problems the director considered in just one decade and how his views evolved in the future. Lee is not only a member of the Black community but also an activist fighting for its rights. However, he does this in indirect ways, which have profound effects on the public.

Instead of a manifestation of social issues, he chooses to consider them from different sides and many angles. Lee promotes the image of Black people as not only developed but also not devoid of internal contradictions. Along with describing the difficulties which the Black community has to face, he also looks at the wide social context, which is the reason for this situation. Spike Lee is rightfully considered a cult director who has amazed viewers with the boldness and ambiguity of his films for about 40 years. However, this approach is an effective way to draw attention to the complexity of social issues and make people reflect on their nature.