Do The Right Thing| Opening Scene #1/Wall Of Fame

Question 1

In the opening scene, what character is shown and what are they doing?

Answer 1

Tina, dancing.

Question 2

What does Tina’s boxing costume signify?

Answer 2

Fighting the problems at that time such as racsim and further implementing the idea of violence being used possibly.

Question 3

What does Tina wear that could represent her culture as well as the culture of the film?

Answer 3

Gold hoops.

Question 4

What kind of background is shown when Tina is dancing?

Answer 4

Gritty background.

Question 5

Despite the gritty background, what does it show about Tina dancing in the leotard?

Answer 5

The background does not and should not affect the actions and expressions used in the film.

Question 6

What could the red wall represent metaphorically?

Answer 6

Anger, racism, violence.

Question 7

We are presented to Radio Raheem, what is our first impression of him?

what does he hold and what does he give off?

Answer 7

Holding a stereo/boombox, intimidating and respected.

Question 8

The lyrics in ‘Fight The Power’ - ‘Most of my heroes don’t go no stamp?’
What could this mean?

Answer 8

Black role models such as Michael Jackson, MLK and Malcolm X are key in black history but yet they are not shown anywhere in appreciaton.

Question 9

What could ‘Fight The Power’ overall mean as a lyric?

Answer 9

No matter what we should ‘meet violence with violence’.
Despite the challenges we face, we have to fight for our rights.

Question 10

We are introduced to Smiley in the setting of Bed-stuy, Brooklyn. What is his character like?

what does he have and hold?

Answer 10

He is a person who has a stutter and he always has with him photocards of Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X.

Question 11

What other ethnic backgrounds can we see other than black people?

Answer 11

Italian-Americans, Latino.

Question 12

What type of lighting is used in the first instance of seeing Bed stuy?

Answer 12

Vibrant, Pan-African colors on the wall and buildings.

Question 13

What type of lighting is used, especially since we are in the heat of summer?

what can we see on the characters?

Answer 13

High-key lighting.

sweat, vests buttoned down, caps.

Question 14

When we are introduced to Sal, Vito and Pino, what kind of shot are we seeing outside the pizzeria?

Answer 14

Medium-long shot, clearly showing the differences between each member of the family.

Question 15

Pino: what color does he wear for the majority of he film and what is his costume like?

Answer 15

White tank top, gold cross chain.

Question 16

Vito: what does he wear for the majority for the film and what is his costume like?

Answer 16

Black tank top, no jewelry, most of the time with an apron.

Question 17

Mookie: what does he wear in the opening scene and what is his costume like?

representations etc.

Answer 17

Dodgers baseball jersey, Robinson, first black baseball player.

Question 18

The three men in front of the wall; Sweet Dick Willie, ML, Coconut Sid, what do they discuss that may have been the first in film history to do so?

think about the world.

Answer 18

“Polarcaps”- reference to global warming.

Question 19

Mother Sister sits at the window everyday, what does she say she does?

Answer 19

“Mother Sister always watches.”

Question 20

What does Da Mayor wear and what is his status to the people of Bed-stuy?

Answer 20

Good old summer picnic hat, respected by Sal, given $2 to clean the streets.

Question 21

In the pizzeria, there is a wall that is dedicated to whom?

Answer 21

Italian-American peoples such as Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Rocky Marciano, Frank Sinatra.

Question 22

When Buggin’ Out enters the pizzeria, what does he notice and how does he react to it?

Answer 22

Sees the Wall Of Fame and asks Sal why there aren’t any ‘black faces’ up there such a Michael Jordan.

Question 23

What does Sal say in response to Buggin Out asking for more black people on their Wall of Fame?

Answer 23

“You want brothers up on the wall, open your own business.”

Pino also warns BO that hes ‘making trouble’.

Question 24

What does Bo say he plans to do after he leaves Sal’s pizzeria?

Answer 24

Boycott it.

Question 25

What does Mookie tell BO as he leads him outside the pizzeria?

Answer 25

“I gotta work here.”
Warning him that if he stirs up more trouble then Sal might consider taking Mookie out.