This essay by Taj Wilson was written for Ms. Mahoney’s Film Studies class about the role of character Radio Raheem in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. Students had to analyze the choices in cinematography in connection with a single character in the film.
The Death of Individuality
In Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, Raheem’s love of for his boombox causes Radio Raheem to act much like a stereotypical aggressive black man- causing people of other races to not only misunderstand his intentions, but to uncover racist tribalistic feelings every racial group quietly held, leading to Raheem’s eventual death. Raheem is a funny character to some, and an evil threat to others. Overall, Radio Raheem causes everyone around him to feel intense unity with their own races and act in non-sensible ways, influencing everyone to do the wrong thing even though he has no intention to initiate violence. The cinematographer’s use of music, framing, and costume is likely intended to cause the audience to gain two different impressions of Radio Raheem. Some viewers may feel as Radio Raheem is scary and a threat by nature through the stereotype of aggressive black men; others that do not buy into this stereotype will likely view Raheem in a humorous light.
In one scene, as Mookie delivers pizza, he notices Radio Raheem walking down the street. Mookie and Raheem’s brotherly connection to each other is depicted through the use of a medium two shot as they almost mirror each other in the frame. The characters have a similar appearance- wearing virtually the same costumes with similar hairstyles almost mirroring each other. This imagery allows the viewer to recognize the characters as not just individuals, but two black men bound by their race. The shot then pans into a medium single shot of Raheem with his fists taking up much of the frame as he punches at the camera- towards the audience in a playful manner, allowing the audience to feel a sense of familiarity with the image. This shot likely is intended to cause the audience to subconsciously identify a stereotype of a dangerous black man while Raheem ironically talks about how love will overcome hate. The scene ends when Raheem finally makes a black power fist, much like he does at the end of another scene after winning a boombox battle.
Throughout the film, Raheem has the tendency to instigate unity with the black community, and other groups, triggering tension between them. This argument is evident in a scene when Radio Raheem has a ‘friendly’ boombox battle with Puerto Ricans. In this scene, Puerto Ricans hang out on a stairway in their own bubble, playing music from their culture. The camera starts as a full shot of the group, filling much of the frame with nameless Puerto Ricans, emphasizing the sameness of the group. The shot then pans to a prop- a boombox with a Puerto Rican flag on it. Diegetic music fades in, symbolizing Puerto Rican culture. This shot is then abruptly interrupted by Radio Raheem as he takes up the entire frame. Raheem’s recurring theme of swiftly ‘stealing’ the entire frame is jarring to the audience and may make him appear as even more hostile, highlighting the stereotype Lee attempts to remind the audience of. Raheem proceeds to overpower the Puerto Ricans’ music with hip hop, blocking out the diegetic music and causing racial tension spike. Raheem quickly wins the battle and peacefully walks away. He gives up the frame as he walks away from the camera, appearing less and less threatening- even gentle and vulnerable. The camera transitions into an extreme wide shot which signifies how Raheem feels like he (and African Americans) now ‘own’ the neighborhood for winning the peaceful competition as he blasts his music and can be heard from over a block away as the camera angle suggests. The stereotype of an aggressive black man is once again negated when a little black boy gives Raheem a high five for winning the battle. Raheem then gestures a black power fist, showing his commitment to his racial group and culture.
In another scene, in a wide shot Radio Raheem walks in intense heat with heat waves around him and his boombox dies. Heat is likely to play a large role as a symbol of the tension built up in the neighborhood. Warm colors surround Raheem, and the people in the background wear colors like pink, orange, and yellow to make the audience ‘feel’ the heat as well. Raheem goes to the Korean family’s store. There is a quick medium shot of the family’s child looking up at Radio Raheem potentially to contrast her innocence with the supposed stereotype other races hold against him. Raheem demands that the parents give him D batteries. The cinematographer uses jarring cuts to a medium close up of Radio Raheem yelling directly at the camera, once again making him appear as hostile as the Koreans stand together in a less intimidating medium two shot with the owners’ heads lower in the frame to suggest a power dynamic. Radio Raheem incites more cultural conflict through the language barrier with the Korean immigrants. Ultimately Raheem ’s love of his music and culture not only incites conflict, eventually leading to his unjust murder outside of Sal’s pizzeria.
The film asks the audience to come to terms with stereotypes they have of different races. “Do you subconsciously hold prejudices that need just a bit of aggravation to expose themselves?” Around the time I watched the movie, I often times contemplated the importance of identity politics and continuously tried to understand why many people feel so connected to their own races as though they are opposing sides in a war in groups bound by blood. As someone who has constantly lived and learned in communities full of people who do not look like me, I have often found that I feel little unique connection to my own racial group. I have repeatedly been told that I am ‘not black enough’ by black and white people alike. I have always been painfully aware that racism exists and questioned when I can and cannot prove when it affects me. Many parts of society continuously encourage that I constantly examine these issues, obsessing over problems I feel are out of my control. Overall, I believe that right now, race being fixated upon so highly by society is ultimately not productive and even a dangerous thing. This movie has opened my eyes in that it in some ways affirms my suspicion that individuals holding strong allegiances to their to their own races promotes homogeneity, and is capable of causing horrendous destruction.