Spike Lee: Top Films and Unforgettable Controversies
Spike Lee is one of the most influential, hottest directors in recent years. He's also one of our country's most poignant filmmakers, as well as a key figure in Hollywood.
Lee has been criticized and praised for his raucous ties to reality and social commentary. He's on the cover of this book (and has written a foreword for the trade paperback, as well as contributed to the first full-length essay on his work in the book). Some would say he overindulges in provocation, and that his films can be too mean-spirited or angry. However, it is possible to agree with him without thinking that you have to love everything he makes.
As "Spike" assumes in "Get Me Roger Stone," Lee has not always been fulfilled personally or personally popular. He was often alienated from some of his closest friends and relatives because of his own controversial beliefs. Although he has since become one of the forces in mainstream Hollywood, he had to make a lot of compromises and cut his teeth on the independent scene before he gained true critical acclaim.
Indeed, Lee is one of the key players in the political world. And his uncompromising attitude toward the way people live, as well as other kinds of artistic endeavors (such as fashion and music), makes him a fascinating observer--and even a bit controversial.
The person that has appeared most frequently and most prominently in "Spike" is not Spike Lee himself but his best friend and business partner, Roger Wiliams (better known as actor Roger Guenvere). Wiliams was a very successful fashion model for more than 20 years before hooking up with Lee.
In many ways, Wiliams was the most important person in Lee's life. While his mother was an abusive alcoholic, his father, a child actor who had appeared in "Blackboard Jungle," influenced him enormously. His father died when Spike was only 8 years old, but the lessons he learned from him affected him for the rest of his life.
Spike Lee is no stranger to controversy and controversy-provoking statements. He is well-known for his involvement with the Black Panthers, as well as for his comments concerning the problems of race and racism in New York City. But he has never really backed down from a position he's adopted, even if it meant cutting off friends or family.
This is reflected in many of his movies, as well as in his personal life. He avoids social gatherings because he knows that there are almost certain to be people there whom he will hate--because they are not involved with what he is directly involved with. The first time I heard him discuss this subject was on "The Oprah Winfrey Show.
" In fact, Lee has been in a heated dispute with Oprah. "Spike," he was asked to appear on the show as a guest to promote his film, "Malcolm X." He agreed. But at the last minute he changed his mind. He said that he had no desire to promote himself or his work on television and that people should see the movie-or not--as their insights tell them.
In an interview with The New Yorker, Lee referred to an earlier incident when Oprah invited him and Wiliams over for dinner, but she did it as a publicity stunt for her own show and her own promotion. She requested a photo with the two of them to use in promotional materials. He refused the offer.
"You want me to be your friend," she said. "I can't do that; I can't be your friend."
He had previously spoken about this. He made it clear that he didn't like being associated with her and that Oprah was not his friend, but a celebrity who wanted his time for herself because she needed images of him for her promotional purposes.
Lee is also known for his many controversial interviews, especially when he has confronted African leaders and others on "60 Minutes. " His confrontations with Pearl S. Buck, the late Patrice Lumumba and Fidel Castro are mostly well-known.
He has done hundreds of others, though. One of my favorites was with Chilean dictator Pinochet. Lee got on television in favor of abolishing the death penalty and also seemed to be against capital punishment generally, since he said that it was "cruel" to execute murderers who had gone through a lengthy process first on appeal. That's when he came into serious conflict with Charlotte Rampling, who plays his mother in "Malcolm X."
Lee also has been involved in a lot of controversy about his own films. These ranged from his praise for the violence in "Pulp Fiction" to the fact that his film "Bamboozled" seemed to slight both Jews and African Americans.
The bulk of Lee's films seem to be about racial prejudice and racism, with "Do the Right Thing" being the main example. In addition, he has had problems with all sorts of people, especially those in other countries. The "60 Minutes" interview with Castro is a good example of this type of discussion.
Some would say that Lee's idealizing Malcolm X is one reason why "Malcolm X" turned out so well. He was trying to explain how an individual went through stages to reach a certain level. It is a film that's very difficult to hate, although some people thought it was too violent because of Lee's portrayal of the events surrounding Malcolm X's assassination.
In "Spike," we see how Lee got started in the business. It was from his father that he learned his cultural values, and the scenes in which they are together are among the most touching and educational of this documentary. He also shows how his mother expected him to become a great dancer and actor, but he just wanted to be a filmmaker. It took some time for her to come around to that point of view.
Even though Lee has spent much of his life living in New York City, he has also spent quite a bit time living abroad.
Conclusion: "Spike," written and directed by Lee himself, is a fascinating two-hour documentary about one of the most interesting filmmakers in the business today. It's certainly not just for fans of Lee's work; it should be seen by anyone interested in politics (especially racial politics) and filmmaking.
B+
Robin: This is an excellent documentary about Spike Lee, exploring his life as a filmmaker, activist and overall controversial figure. It's well worth watching if you're a fan of Spike Lee or looking to learn more about him and his work. This movie is not exactly a 'must-see' but it offers something valuable to most people who are interested in movies and film-making.