Introduction: Why I'm doing what I'm doing

I chose Do the Right Thing and Hallelujah! for this project because they are two films that are suppose to represent the black race. Yet when comparing these films, they tell two very different stories about race. Hallelujah! was made in 1929, a time period in which racism was very common in popular culture. Although the film was the first Hollywood produced film to feature an all-black cast, it was full of racial stereotypes of the black race.

Do the Right Thing was just the opposite. Critics praised Spike Lee for portraying all races in an equal manner. There were no stereotypes in this film, just an honest portrayal of a New York City street on a hot summer day. When you compare Do the Right Thing with Hallelujah!, it's hard to miss the fact that so much has changed on the topic of race over the 60 year period between these films, and that's what intrigued me the most when choosing these films.