Do the Right Thing
Spike Lee's masterpiece of racial tension in Brooklyn — released in 1989 and more urgent with every decade. The film the Academy snubbed for Best Picture was ultimately proven right.
Pantheon Standing
| List Name | Rank | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Greatest Films of All Time | #1 | 96.0 |
The Age Divide
Voters under 30 and over 35 rank Do the Right Thing significantly differently across lists.
The Cultural Record
Discography
No entries on record.
Awards & Recognition
No Grammy data on record.
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Spike Lee
Danny Aiello
John Turturro
Ossie Davis
Ruby Dee
Radio Raheem
Oscar nom Screenplay
snubbed Best Picture for Driving Miss Daisy
culturally essential
The Case For Do the Right Thing
“The longevity argument alone puts them in a category of one. While others burned bright and faded, this figure consistently reinvented and dominated across decades, eras, and cultural shifts that would have destroyed lesser talents.”
“Technically unmatched. The craft here is evident in every performance, every work — the kind of effortless execution that only comes from thousands of hours of mastery made invisible. They make the impossible look inevitable.”
“Commercial success should never be held against artistic legacy. The ability to dominate charts while maintaining critical respect is a skill unto itself — one that this figure has mastered better than any peer in the conversation.”
Rank History
Ranking history will be available once voting opens for Do the Right Thing.
Often Compared To
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Goodfellas
#3Films — Hollywood, California · 1990
Scorsese's masterpiece of kinetic filmmaking — no other crime film comes close to its pace, style, and sheer energy. Based on real events and built with a perfect ensemble.