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Spike Lee

Author of Please, Puppy, Please

61+ Works 3,270 Members 116 Reviews

About the Author

Directing, writing, and starring in his own films, as did Charlie Chaplin and Orson Welles before him, Lee has arguably had almost as profound an influence on American filmmaking as his predecessors, although in very different ways. In his own words, he is good at "marketing," and what he has show more marketed is a highly politicized African American cinema that is also commercially viable. Many critics credit Lee with paving the way for a new wave of mass-market yet socially conscious filmmakers, including John Singleton, Charles Lane, and Carl Franklin. The eldest of six children, Lee was educated first at Morehouse College and then at New York University's film school. His first feature release, She's Gotta Have It (1986), won the Prix de Jeunesse at Cannes and was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful in the United States. Lee went on to make School Daze (1988) and Do the Right Thing (1989), a technically sophisticated film that addressed racism in a complex and controversial fashion. The film constructs a narrative that leaves it to the viewer to decide whether its protagonist, Mookie, has done the right thing when he responds to the death of one of his friends at the hands of the police by throwing a trash can through the window of his employer, who had called the police in the first place. Because a riot ensues, many (white) critics argued that the film celebrated violence, and the press suggested that it would incite black spectators to riot (it did not). Other critics suggested that Mookie actually defuses a riot, by directing the community's anger toward property and away from the police. Two years later, Lee tackled the subject of interracial relationships in another hotly debated film, Jungle Fever (1991), which some saw as preachy and sexist and others praised as bold and complex. However, his most recent and ambitious film, Malcolm X (1992), has been almost universally acclaimed. Lee has published a companion text for each film that includes biographies of all of the principals, essays on such topics as guerilla filmmaking, production stills, details of salaries and finances, excerpts from his journal or production notes, and the script. These materials demystify production, advertise the talents of the people who work for him, and promote his political positions, particularly his commitment to black entrepreneurship and cultural self-expression. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: photo by Gregg Chadwick

Works by Spike Lee

Please, Puppy, Please (2005) 646 copies
Please, Baby, Please (2001) 615 copies
Inside Man [2006 film] (2006) — Director — 306 copies
Malcolm X [1992 film] (1992) — Producer/Director/Screenwriter — 165 copies
Do the Right Thing [1989 film] (1989) — Director; Actor; Writer; Producer — 146 copies
BlacKkKlansman [2018 film] (2018) — Director — 138 copies
Do the Right Thing (1989) — Author — 125 copies
She's Gotta Have It [1986 film] (1987) — Director — 88 copies
Mo' Better Blues [1990 film] (1990) — Director/Screenwriter — 81 copies
25th Hour [2002 film] (2003) — Director — 68 copies
Spike Lee: That's My Story and I'm Sticking to It (2005) — Contributor — 60 copies
Jungle Fever [1991 film] (1991) — Director/Screenwriter/Cast — 35 copies
Summer of Sam [1999 film] (1999) 34 copies
Bamboozled [2000 film] (2000) 33 copies
Miracle at St. Anna [2008 film] (2008) — Director — 28 copies
Crooklyn [1994 film] (1994) 28 copies
4 Little Girls [1997 film] (2005) — Director — 28 copies
School Daze [1988 film] (2004) 27 copies
Clockers [1995 film] (1996) — Director — 27 copies
He Got Game [1998 film] (1998) — Director — 26 copies
SPIKE (2021) 22 copies
Spike Lee: Interviews (2002) 21 copies
Chi-Raq [2015 film] (2016) — Director — 18 copies
Lumière & Company [1995 film] (1995) — Director — 10 copies
David Byrne's American Utopia (2021) — Director — 9 copies
Oldboy [2013 film] (2015) 9 copies
Design For Obama (2013) 6 copies
She Hate Me [2004 film] (2005) 5 copies
Da 5 Bloods [2020 film] — Director — 3 copies
Da Sweet Blood of Jesus (2014) 3 copies
Le Book New York 2012 (2012) 3 copies
Jungle Fever 1 copy
da 5 bloods 1 copy
Girl 6 1 copy
Miami Vice / Inside Man (Double Feature Video) (2013) — Director — 1 copy
John Leguizamo's Freak (2012) 1 copy

Associated Works

The Battle of Algiers [1966 film] (1966) — Interviewee, some editions — 131 copies
Malcolm X: The FBI File (1991) — Introduction — 112 copies
Brotherman: The Odyssey of Black Men in America (1995) — Contributor — 91 copies
Hokum: An Anthology of African-American Humor (2006) — Contributor — 65 copies
Love and Basketball [2000 film] (2000) — Producer — 61 copies
The Definitive Word on Michael Jordan (1998) — Contributor — 13 copies

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Common Knowledge

Members

Reviews

Rating: 4.5* of five

The Publisher Says: A career-spanning monograph, SPIKE is a visual celebration of acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee's life and work to date.

Spike Lee is a world-renowned, Academy Award-winning filmmaker, a cultural icon, and one of the most prominent voices on race and racism for more than three decades. His prolific career has included over 35 films, including his directorial debut She's Gotta Have It (1986), his seminal masterpiece Do the Right Thing (1989), and his Oscar-winning film BlacKkKlansman (2018). Spike Lee's provocative feature films, documentaries, commercials, and music videos have shone the spotlight on significant stories and have made an indelible mark in both cinematic history and in contemporary society.

Featuring hundreds of never-before-seen photographs by David Lee, Spike's brother and long-time still photographer, this comprehensive monograph includes behind-the-scenes, insider images that underscore his creative process and his significant impact on the culture at large. Also included here are his beloved commercials with Michael Jordan for Nike, which helped launch the billion-dollar Jordan brand product empire, as well as his music videos with Prince and Michael Jackson. From earlier films like the critically acclaimed Malcolm X (1992) starring Denzel Washington, to more recent films such as Da 5 Bloods (2020) featuring the late Chadwick Boseman, Spike Lee's work continues to resonate now more than ever.

STRIKING DESIGN: Featuring gold foil deboss on a vibrant fuchsia front cover, SPIKE boasts a bold and beautiful, eye-catching design. The custom blocky, typographic design is inspired by the LOVE/HATE brass rings that Radio Raheem wore in Do the Right Thing and that Spike wore at the 2019 Academy Awards.

GIFT FOR CINEMA LOVERS: This is a must-have collector's item and ideal gift for any cinephile and fan of one of the most prominent and influential filmmakers in history.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review
: You know and I know that one friend who loves movies, do pardon me films, is the right one to receive this as a #Booksgiving gift.

It is very much worth the price of admission. I happen not to be the biggest fan of Auteur Lee's work, but his impact and his great gift for telling stories are inarguable. The importance of his career, and the strength it took to make that career, make for good reading.

Given to someone whose appreciation is more vivid and intense than my own respectful admiration of the man, this is a Yule-maker. The gift that will be treasured and gloated over and fondled and enjoyed on every aesthetic level for ages.



The beginning was outstandingly fresh. The voice we hadn't heard; the perspective no one like me, an old white guy even then, could look away from or fail to believe was speaking truth.

The reward came in 2019...no one doesn't love to be told how wonderful you are at the career you love doing in front of a global audience. Applause from all corners. The actual success of your life's output validated. I hope that's the moment he relives when his internal highlight reel is unspooling.

The man himself.
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½
 
Flagged
richardderus | Dec 12, 2023 |
Guide to Christian Morality
 
Flagged
SrMaryLea | 3 other reviews | Aug 22, 2023 |
When Ron Stallworth becomes the first Black cop in the Colorado Springs Police Department, he starts off in the Records room before being given his first undercover assignment, attending a rally where civil rights leader Kwame Ture is speaking. While there, he meets Patrice, the president of the Black Student Union at Colorado College.

After that, Ron is assigned to the Intelligence division. He calls the local chapter of the KKK and pretends to be a white man who's interested in joining and would like more information. Unfortunately, he accidentally uses his own name, and now the Klan members want to meet him. He manages to get permission to work with a coworker of his, Flip Zimmerman ("Chuck" in the original memoir), to somehow make it work - he'll be the phone voice of white Ron Stallworth, while Flip will be the in-person white Ron Stallworth.

So begins Ron's efforts to juggle multiple sides of his life. He begins seeing Patrice, who doesn't know that he's a police officer, occasionally deals with racist cops, and works with Flip to get in deeper with the KKK and monitor their plans.

I read the book this was based on back in 2018 and, although I had some issues with it, overall thought it was worth reading. I was wondering how the movie adaptation would be handled, since, in real life, the story pretty much just stopped - the investigation was suddenly closed. Although that happened in the movie as well, there were several things that were changed, I assume to add more satisfying moments to the story than the actual events provided.

For example, the movie spent more time paralleling the efforts of Colorado College's Black Student Union and the KKK, and made several members of the KKK direct opponents of Patrice, the president of the Black Student Union. It came to a head with a dramatic attempt on her life which, as far as I know, was completely made up, but which provided viewers with the action, police arrest, and some of the closure that the memoir didn't. I'm also pretty sure that the final scene with David Duke over the phone and the final scene with Landers (a renamed "Officer Ed"?) were both made up as well, again to provide more closure.

I wonder how the real-life Ron Stallworth felt about this adaptation? Just based on the way he wrote about "Antifa," I have a feeling certain moments wouldn't have sat well with him. For example, the movie's ending included footage of the protest against the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia and the incident in which a car drove into the crowd, killing Heather Heyer and injuring others, as well as footage of Trump's "very fine people on both sides" comment. Personally, I felt that the way the movie linked its events and the KKK with current events at the time the movie was made (2018) was fitting.

Overall, this adaptation was kind of underwhelming. If you only have time for one version of the story, I'd recommend the memoir over the movie. That said, those frustrated with some of Ron Stallworth's interpretations might appreciate the movie's take on things.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
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Familiar_Diversions | 5 other reviews | Nov 5, 2022 |
I'm always extremely wary of celebrity authors (have you ever tried to read Madonna's picture books?) but my husband liked the artwork in this one and bought it for my son. Who is 13 months and adores it. Adores. He asks me for "baby" about 10 times a day. He especially likes the page where the little girl is dumping "noodoos" (noodles) on her head. While it isn't my favorite, it gets a solid 3 stars for not being terribly written and being popular with my toddler.
 
Flagged
readingjag | 42 other reviews | Nov 29, 2021 |

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Associated Authors

Ernest R. Dickerson Cinematographer, Cinematography
Jon Kilik Line producer, Producer
David Lee Photographer
Russell Gewirtz Screenwriter
Lisa Jones Author
Monty Ross Producer
Arnold Perl Screenwriter
Ahmed Murad Producer
Marvin Worth Producer
David Benioff Screenwriter
James McBride Screenwriter/Original book
Cinqué Lee Screenwriter
Phillip Noyce Director
Richard Price Screenwriter
Sarah Moon Director
James Ivory Director
Alain Corneau Director
Zhang Yimou Director
Francis Girod Director
Hugh Hudson Director
Costa Gavras Director
Liv Ullmann Director
John Boorman Director
David Lynch Director
Danny Bilson Screenwriter
MJ Bassett Director
Michael Mann Director
Kadir Nelson Illustrator
Bill Nunn Actor
Ruby Dee Actor
Bill Lee Music
Ray Allen Actor
Jim Brown Actor
Mark Protosevich Screenwriter
Aml Ameen Actor
Danielle Mastrion Cover artist
Sean Qualls Illustrator

Statistics

Works
61
Also by
11
Members
3,270
Popularity
#7,826
Rating
3.8
Reviews
116
ISBNs
140
Languages
6

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