SPIKE LEE’S DO THE RIGHT THING AND PIETER BRUEGEL’S THE FIGHT BETWEEN CARNIVAL AND LENT

The immediate similarities of these two pieces are in their superficial elements, the everydayness and poverty of the setting, the brightness of so many characters, colorful in both dress and eccentricity; The fact that the story of each is contained beautifully in a one block area, told through many intimate, contained, poetic encounters. Even the omniscient, pulled back, vantage point of Bruegel’s piece which affords us a view into every small scene and interaction on the block has it’s counterpart with Mister Señor Love Daddy, the radio DJ who possesses a similar godly viewpoint and omniscience.

Most importantly, however, both pieces feature extreme polarization. Both are comprised of many small, beautiful moments that illustrate tenderness and brutality, sharing and hoarding, compassion and cruelty, desperation and joy.

There is certainly a difference in the subject matter, The Fight Between Carnival and Lent, is concerned with the spiritual wholeness of a more or less homogeneous people in one Dutch village. As Do The Right Thing is concerned with people that are forced to live together, who have strong social and political differences.

Most importantly Do The Right Thing is about the priority of human life over property.

The Fight Between Carnival and Lent might be more appropriate to view as the internal struggle between abandon and restrain, taking place in one individual human being.

Each is a perfect masterpiece.