As he received the Ebert Director Award – named after the late film critic Roger Ebert – at the Toronto International Film Festival Tribute Awards, Spike Lee blasted writers who claimed his 1989 classic ‘Do the Right Thing’ would spark riots when it came out in the late-1980s.
Spike Lee has blasted critics who claimed ‘Do the Right Thing’ would spark riots.
The 66-year-old director said his film was accused of being powerful enough to incite violence among black people when it opened in 1989, and he has now hit out at the allegation while honouring one of the reviewers who came to the film’s defence at the time.
Spike said as he received the Ebert Director Award – named after the late film critic Roger Ebert – at the Toronto International Film Festival Tribute Awards on Sunday (10.09.23): “Your husband got behind me when those motherf****** in the Press were saying that ‘Do the Right Thing’ was going to incite Black people to riot.”
Spike was accepting his award from Roger’s widow Chaz Ebert, and added critics had said “this film should not be shown in the United States”.
The filmmaker named David Denby and Joe Klein as two of the most prominent critical voices against the film, which has gone to be considered one of the greatest films ever made.
Spike recalled the pair wrote readers should “hope to God that this doesn’t open in your neighbourhood”.
He added: “The struggle still continues. It’s not an even playing field.”
Colman Domingo, Vicky Krieps, Patricia Arquette, Pedro Almodovar and Shawn Levy were also honoured at the Toronto International Film Festival Tribute Awards.
Colman, 53, was recognised with a performer award for his work in prison drama ‘Sing Sing’, and recalled when he was struggling in his career and complaining to his mother about not getting a break.
He said she advised him to do some volunteer work so he “could do something that’s not about yourself”, adding: “Anything that I do or touch, it really is at the core. If you see me play a villain or you see me play a hero or a civil rights leader, it’s service. That’s what I care about.
“And I’m very particular about what I do and the rooms that I’m in and the people that I want to build with. Because I want to love and fall in love with everyone that I work with. I really do.”
On the same day that Glastonbury welcomed back Margate's adopted sons, The Libertines, Margate itself put on it's very own Leisure Festival as it...
Sheffield's very own all girl group Pretty Fierce are still on a high after the recent release of their debut single - 'Ready For Me'.
Three nights before the end of his current tour Will Varley returned to his home town of Deal to delight a sold out crowd in The Astor Theatre.
With only a few days to go before Portsmouth based songstress and producer WYSE releases her new single, 'Belladonna', we caught up with her to find...
Colorado raised, Glasgow educated and Manchester based Bay Bryan is nothing if not a multi-talented, multi-faceted artist performing as both...
Former Marigolds band member Keelan Cunningham has rediscovered his love of music with his new solo project Keelan X.
Wiltshire singer-songwriter Luke De Sciscio, formally known as Folk Boy, is set to release is latest album - 'The Banquet' via AntiFragile Music on...
Electronic music pioneer and producer Annie Elise says that the release of her first EP - 'Breathe In, Breathe Out' feels "both vulnerable and...
On his latest project, director Spike Lee creates an current day version of Aristophanes' ancient...
Moviegoers who know nothing about the iconic 2003 Korean thriller will perhaps enjoy this half-hearted...
The latest clip from 'Oldboy' featuring a very unstable and mentally damaged Joe Doucett on...
'Oldboy' is an intense mystery thriller about a man who is locked up for 20...
When Joe Doucett suddenly wakes up one morning to find himself imprisoned in a cell...
Flik Royale is a sullen, thirteen-year old boy from middle-class Atlanta, Georgia, who is sent...
Welcome to a piece of American history. In the old music hall, white comedians...
If you were to write a screenplay about a drug dealer who has just 24...
The sixth line of my notes from the "Summer of Sam" preview screeningreads, "if Spike...
Lisa Picard is a struggling New York actress who has had her 15 minutes and...