His early films were unapologetic in their Blackness, tackling subjects rarely broached in major studio productions.
We may never see another director like Spike Lee.
Fortunately, this one-of-a-kind visionary is still going strong.
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Oldboy (2013)
Remakes are tough.
Several different parties circled around an American remake for years, but Lee signed on for the unenviable task.
On the south side of Chicago, two warring gangs are entrenched in a never-ending battle.
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Mekhi Phiferstars as Strike, a low-level drug dealer working for the menacing Rodney (Delroy Lindo).
But this earlier Lee work is one of the exceptions to that previous rule.
As a side note, this was Lee’s first film to feature a primarily white cast.
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Jungle Fever (1991)
Even as a budding director, Lee was never one to stray from controversy.
Lee doesn’t pull any punches on either side, and the film can feel strident at times.
Note: Stay far, far away from the direct-to-streaming sequel that came out in 2019.
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“But Lee isn’t trying to observe niceties or be coy.
He wants to rub our noses in the ugliness of the now.
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Spike Lee and Halle Berry on the New York set of the 1991 drama ‘Jungle Fever,’ Berry’s big-screen debut.Universal/Photofest
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David Lee/Universal
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David Lee/Focus Features
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