You can thank Danny Aiello for that. On the CC suplements, the differences between Aiello and Lee regarding the character are clear. Aiello didn't think Sal was a racist, Lee did.

I saw the movie many years ago when it first came out. Can someone explain why Mookie threw the garbage can through Sal's pizzeria's window? I don't think I understood it when I saw it (I was 12 yrs old). I remember it had something to do with Radio Raheem's death, but I couldn't see what compelled Mookie to initiate the destruction of his employer's pizzeria.

The police take off, leaving Sal, Vito and Pino standing alone, with the entire neighbourhood staring them down. The assumption is that they are going to be attacked, and that throwing the garbage can diverts the mob's attention to the building and off of Sal and Co.

aaah, yess.. that might make sense... Well, I guess I'll revisit Do The Right Thing so time this week. Thank you.

I saw the trash can through the window as an act both to save Sal and to deal with his pent-up anger. It served dual purposes. I always think it's kind of pathetic, considering history and all, when white people even try to cry "racism", but this is a film that stirs up so many emotions and discussion. Thich is why it's easily one of the most important, if not exactly enjoyable, films to come out in the past couple of decades...maybe ever.

I don't understand what you mean. Racism works both ways. I felt that Mookie was just as much a racist as Turturro's character was. Even if you have no hatred in you for another person, believing that your race is superior to others is still racist. Still a fine film.

Racism only applies to blacks. Get it straight lesterlong.

I never really liked the movie much. I thought it should have been called Do The Wrong Thing.

Of course maybe my dislike of the movie caused me to miss why what he did was right.

I do not think a good movie really becomes outdated. I think the story will draw you in inspite of what were contemporary references.

This is really a topic of discussion for the Other Forum but there are many people who follow a more sociological definition of racism where a minority can't be "racist" because of the inherent power differential of being a minority. Personally this is a definition i use when saying "racism." So in essence Mookie could be discriminatory but not racist.

So you mean race only applies to minorities? There's people of different races and then there's white people? It seems that this type of thinking automatically puts white people on pedestal above other races. Because you have given minorities the power to call white people racists you have created a barrier between people of other races and white people. But that seems quite common among today's liberal ideaologies. A black person can call a white person racist. And a white person can call a black person racist. Because we are all equal. But hey the movie was still good.

Mmm. OK. Whatever...

You guys also forget that Sal used the n-word, too. Not as a term of endearment, but because he was also a racist. Yeah, he put up with the guys, but you don't just snap and call someone an n-word -- if you do then guess what? You're racist.

I need to re-watch DTRT -- it's been a couple of years.

Remarkable how many suspended/banned forum members make up this thread.

I still hold the movie in high regard, and glad to see I didn't post anything stupid thirteen years ago.

Weird and random thread bump. But not, Do the Right Thing is not dated.

How far we've come from such bizarre comments about race and racism less than 15 years ago.

The social commentary is as relevant as ever. I was just thinking about this movie the other day. May be time to pull it out again.

I only bumped the the thread because I watched Bamboozled and thought it was great, but that led me to this thread, which was interesting.

It took you 13 years to think of this response to the thread?

Huh? Did you not read the response above your response?

You are responding to people who posted 13 years ago. Some of which are not even members here anymore. I don't think I'm the one confused.

Not responding to anyone directly -- it's a public forum, open thread, anyone can now see it. It's valid necro-thread-bump. What the fuck do you care? Contribute or GTFO.

So anyone calling someone else the N-word is a racist. Got it.

Nah, I'll post into whatever 13 year old thread I feel like. When you are a mod (i.e. never in this fucking lifetime) you can tell people where they can and can't post.

You're being a douche. I'm sorry if I offended your sensibilities by bumping a 13 year-old thread with a relevant comment and that you were too boneheaded to read the reason WHY I bumped it.


You have contributed ZERO to this conversation and thread, so either do so, or go somewhere else.

The visuals and some of the physical trappings may be dated, but the ideas and the overall theme of the movie aren't dated at all. Unfortunately, they are as relevant as ever.