There are some scenes in the film Do The Right Thing (Lee, 1989) that seem to be shot in such an unconventional way that it forces you to consider how such techniques help construct the overarching message. Rewatching many of these scenes made me realize how well the film depicts Eisenstein’s theory of montage, as Lee’s unique cinematography creates shots that heavily contrast in many aspects. One of the most obvious examples is the way Radio Raheem is captured on the screen.

In the scene where he is first introduced to the viewer, Ahmad, Cee, Punchy, and Ella are sitting on the steps leading up to an apartment room and talking when all of the sudden music starts playing, and the camera pans right in a U-shape to a medium close up shot of Radio Raheem. When it cuts back to the four, the camera angle changes to a canted angle, and then the scene proceeds with a cut to a shot of Radio Raheem in a canted, close up shot. I remember that when I watched this scene for the first time, I was a little confused by the strange camerawork, but going back to it afterwards made me realize how much there is to unpack here. For starters, acknowledging Radio Raheem to be a source of conflict in this film explains the purpose of camera tilts, which I think is used in this scene to foreshadow the type of behavior that these characters will eventually exhibit. Analyzing this scene under the lens of Eisenstein’s theory reveals the many conflicts happening between the shots, as seen with the contrasting camera angles and fields of view.

The order at which these changes occur (as I described earlier) give insight into how these characters behave and react in the final scene in Sal’s Famous Pizzeria. Similar to in the fight scene, Radio Raheem goes to where Ahmad, Cee, Punchy, and Ella are already situated and causes a change in camera angle from a neutral shot to a canted shot. Also, the fact that the four are shown in a canted angle only after Radio Raheem appears speaks to how their attitudes are influenced by his presence; in the pizzeria scene, conflict between the four and Sal arose only after Radio Raheem made an appearance. Another area of conflict I noticed was the difference in dialogue quantity between Radio Raheem and the other four, which reflects on Radio Raheem’s character as someone who is more confrontational and action-oriented than one who engages in discourse. All in all, these forms of conflict demonstrate Eisenstein’s theory as they serve the purpose of conveying the social mission of this film which is to highlight the oppression and inequality that persist in today’s society.