From Do the Right Thing to BlacKkKlansman, Spike Lee has spent his decades in Hollywood telling the stories that matter.
Given his love of all things fashion, culture and everything else that’s cool in the world, you might find it hard to believe that Spike Lee is actually 64 years old. Youthful looks and colourful ensembles aside, the eyes behind those iconic glasses have been around for a long time, both in life and the industry we call cinema. That, coupled with the man’s genius, thirst for change and love of storytelling means he’s been able to produce some of Hollywood’s most iconic and best-loved pictures.
In many ways, Lee has become our on-screen political conscience, creating characters and storylines unafraid to confront the ugly truths surrounding race, class and discrimination. Over decades, he’s told those tales and directed films in an honest, unfiltered and sometimes uncomfortable manner. In his own words: “I think it is very important that films make people look at what they’ve forgotten.” With age, his commitment to such stories hasn’t decreased, either. Instead, it’s reminded film-goers and the general public alike of the progress still to be made.
In the director’s chair, Lee has kicked and screamed about the struggles and issues many face, particularly those in the Black community – and using his name and reputation, he’s intent on building a legacy where younger directors and film enthusiasts, traditionally locked out from the glamour of Hollywood, can have their chance to excel.
Following the death of George Floyd, his work – in particular Do the Right Thing – served as a reminder that although some things have improved, so much of the same still occurs. Not content to simply see the 31-year-old film as proof of his foresight, Lee takes it as evidence of the work still to be done.
With his roots in Atlanta, Lee has gone on to influence America and the world through cinematic pieces adored by fans the world over, including President Obama. Like other directing greats, including Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese, Lee can – in addition to producing films he’s comfortable with – branch into other areas and themes.
From biopics (Malcom X) to documentaries (4 Little Girls), Lee’s made his own mark on Hollywood, earning the praise and admiration of actors, fellow directors and fans alike.
In 2015, 30 years after Do the Right Thing (for which most agree he deserved an Oscar), Lee was awarded an honorary Academy Award, cementing his name amongst the annals of other acting greats. It would be his BlacKkKlansman picture, though, led by actors John David Washington and Adam Driver, that landed him his first competitive Oscar in 2019.
To some, the lack of historical recognition from the Academy – given his contribution to the industry as a whole – proves the enduring importance of the stories he chooses to tell. In interviews, Lee doesn’t much hold back on the need to highlight those changes still needed, both within and outside of Hollywood.
At 64, he’s still got a lot left in the tank – and if his previous work is anything to go by, Spike Lee will still be telling us the honest truth about the world for a long, long time to come.
Speaking of acting talents, here’s why John David Washington is a star in his own right.
One thought on “How Spike Lee Became the Master of Stories”
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Interesting article in the UK we receive about 40% content from the US so Spike Lee has most definitely been a positive inspiration to us film makers, photographers, and video makers.