Do the Right THANG

The use of contrasting color as a formal element in the intro of Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” creates a remarkable narrative composition. The opening credits scripted in neon pink, blue, and green popped against a dull background. Also, Rosie Parks 80’s styled outfits created a pop effect against a monotonous background scene. She first wore a skintight, brilliant red dress with a shiny black belt, then a bright blue leotard with tights, and finally flashy silver boxing shorts. Not only was her dancing enough to stand out against the grey and tan backdrop, but also her ostentatious clothes drew the attention of the viewers and left a lasting impression. A muted backdrop in which things like neon scripts and flashy outfits emerge represented the overall color scheme of the opening credits.
Another contrast in the intro of the film was the diverse song selection. The first song to play even before the open credits began was “Lift Every Voice and Sing”. This version of the notorious black national anthem was played on a solo saxophone to provoke an almost solemn ambiance. But as soon as the first credit scrolled, Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power” blasted in sync with Rosie’s risqué dance moves. As another infamous black national anthem, this song perfectly added to the “pop” attitude of the film’s intro. As the tempo of the song speeds up, so does the rhythm of her dance moves as well as the progression of her outfit changes.
Another interesting characteristic of the opening credits was the wide variety of camera angels. For example, the camera would begin at a full body shot with a focused attention on Rosie and gradually zoom to a medium shot with a focus point on her outfit and then finally to a close-up that centered on her intense facial expression.