Do The Right Thing (Blu-ray)

Connect to Facebook/Twitter, recommend via email and much more.

---

I now own three copies of "Do The Right Thing" on home video and can guarantee that this Blu-ray release is a strong improvement over the previous Criterion mastering of Spike Lee´s joint. The 1.85:1 picture is mastered with a strong level of detail and coloring that surpasses the previous effort handedly, and this is against a transfer that was approved by cinematographer Ernest Dickerson. From the very early moments of the Blu-ray version of the film the detail stood out. The sweat beads that formed on actors´ foreheads added a feeling of heat to the picture and the red wall where Sweet Dick, Coconut Sid and ML sit is blazingly warm in hue. You can clearly see every hair on every arm in this transfer. Lee suited his characters in bright outfits and the colors are as strong as you will see on any Blu-ray release. There are a few scenes that are not as visually sharp, but they are in the minority and "Do The Right Thing" looks better now than it did twenty years ago. There is some film grain here and there, but it is never a problem and the Blu-ray release is cleaner than previous efforts. I was amazed at how good the Criterion release was and I´m even more impressed eight years later.

Audio:

The only advantage the previous Criterion DVD had over the new Blu-ray release was the inclusion of the original stereo mix in PCM sound. The film has now been remastered for its entry into the high definition world with a fairly good sounding English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 soundtrack that showcases far more bass and clarity than the previous release. Spanish and French DTS 5.1 mixes are also included for foreign language support as well as subtitles in English SDH, Spanish and French. "Do The Right Thing" does not possess a lot of sound in the rear channels, though there is some ambience as the characters inhabit Bed-Stuy and this is most apparent during the riot. In my earlier review I complained about the lack of deep and satisfying bass, but it is noticeably improved here. "Fight the Power" sounded flat as Radio Raheem carried his massive twenty D-cell powered boom box around town, but the song sounds great now thanks to the amped up bass. You´ll certainly enjoy the opening scene with Rosie Perez dancing to "Fight the Power." This is still a fairly tame mix, but it is far cleaner and clearer than before. Dialogue is very good.


Extras:

The new release of "Do The Right Thing" is a good mix of new and old material. The previous 20disc Criterion release was excellent and this includes everything but Spike Lee´s home videos, Public Enemy video and Lee´s words about film critics. Most of the good stuff has been retained. Do The Right Thing: 20 Years Later (35:47) is introduced by Lee and was recorded on February 26, 2009 to celebrate the anniversary of his film. This brand new documentary is quite good and features much of the cast and crew discussing the film, the making of it, its themes and their involvement. The interviews are mixed with footage of Lee talking in front of an audience as he discusses his own film. The eleven Deleted and Extended Scenes (14:14) are a little rough in quality, but I enjoyed watching these for the first time. Some of the scenes are quite good, while others are just filler that was wisely cut from the final picture. The egg scene was funny. The deleted scenes were not included on any previous release of "Do The Right Thing."

Three items are contained under "Making Do The Right Thing" and these were previously contained on the very good Criterion DVD release of the film. These begins with the Spike Lee Intro (:48) as he preps the viewer for the Claire St. Bourne documentary Making Do The Right Thing (1:01:01). This documentary covers everything from the creation of the sets in Bed-Stuy to the final moments on the set. Though rather long for a making of documentary, it is a definitive look that offers glimpses at many of the cast members and their true personalities. It shows their appreciation for Lee and the film they were creating. This lengthy documentary is broken into chapters. Back to Bed-Stuy (4:49) shows Lee returning to Bed-Stuy to discuss the film and where the different locations had been is another wonderful inclusion.

The next supplements are also culled from the previous Criterion release and it is good to see that Criterion is no longer holding onto their supplemental materials as they once did after their LaserDisc days. Editor Barry Brown (9:38) is also broken into chapters and has Brown reminiscing about his career with Lee and how he was able to direct a scene in "Do The Right Thing." The Riot Sequence includes a Spike Lee Intro (1:30) where Lee talks about how he typically does not storyboard, but did so for the riot sequence. The Storyboard Gallery is an interactive collection of Lee´s storyboards for this scene. The film´s Theatrical Trailer and two Television Spots are also included.

The Cannes, 1989 (42:22) press conference has Spike Lee, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Lee´s sister Joie Lee and Richard Edsel form the panel from the film that fields questions from reporters. Many of the questions thrown to the cast were in French, and these have been subtitled to make viewing manageable. The cast discusses the politics of making the film and their own views on the argument that the film is racial. The most important reason to watch this film is to get Lee´s views on portraying Mookie. This is a rather long supplement that will mostly appeal to diehard fans and if pressed for time, the other two supplements should be watched last.

The disc includes two commentary tracks. The first is a brand new 20th Anniversary Edition Feature Commentary with Director Spike Lee. This brand new commentary track is wonderful and I applaud Lee for supporting his film by returning for a second round of supplements after he put a lot of work into the Criterion release. There is a whole new set of insight into the film contained in this highly entertaining and informative commentary track. I´d recommend listening to this track secondly however, as it feels better listening to the eight year old Feature Commentary with Director Spike Lee, Directory of Photography Ernest Dickerson, Production Designer Wynn Thomas and Actor Joie Lee first. This commentary is presented in the Criterion style and with the various parties involved recorded separately and mixing them together to form one continuous track. There are times when the commentary track does not seem cohesive, because it really is not. The benefit to the Criterion approach is that you are provided with good information and it is on a constant basis.

Closing:

I was a sophomore in high school when "Do The Right Thing" was first released and I can remember the controversy surrounding the film. I was big into rap music at the time and loved Public Enemy and their inclusion in this film made "Do The Right Thing" a must see release. I loved the film then and my admiration for Spike Lee´s creation only grows stronger in the twenty years since the picture was first released. This remains his finest film to date. This is a powerful and important picture. The new Blu-ray release heavily improves over the already strong Criterion DVD release and the picture quality is stunning at times and sound quality is no longer as flat as it had been. While Lee´s very nice home videos are missing from the supplements, nearly everything he created for the Criterion release is here as well as some very good new features added for the film´s 20th Anniversary. This is the absolute finest release that "Do The Right Thing" has yet to receive and this is a release that belongs in everybody´s collection as Lee tackles the controversial subject of violence due to racial tensions.

---

Connect to Facebook/Twitter, recommend via email and much more.

---