I once met Spike very, very briefly, but he loves talking films, and at that time, he sang the praises of Kubrick's "Spartacus" and Scorsese's "Taxi Driver", and he talked about having just seen The Beatles' "Help!" the day before. I also once attended a screening and Q & A with Spike for the film, "Blue Collar" (1978), which starred Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, and Yaphet Kotto, and was made by Paul Schrader. Spike LOVES "Blue Collar". If you have never seen it, seek it out, it is an unsung masterpiece.
@@wingchundragon yes Blue Collar was a Richard Pryor masterpiece I don't why He wasn't nominated for this film & especially for Lady Sings the Blues who almost stole almost most of the scenes He was in!
Spike Lee is one of my favorite directors. Do the Right Thing & Malcolm X are classic! Coincidentally, I just watched On the Waterfront last night, it's cool to know Spike loves it too.
Ocean Sage he didnt start the Brooklyn cycling cap trend neither did the 90s Joey Coleman AKA whitey as he's named in the 1984 movie bad manners Started the Brooklyn Cycling Cap trend in Bad manners first and should be credited for it as being the first to create the trend as a fashion statement
Ocean Sage Brother Spike Lee is My all time favorite Joint Directors regardless how the confused Awards may feel about His Joints(Movies) they really fear this Brother aren't they?
This is great. It’s particularly significant to me that Spike is a fan of Scorsese; always has been significant to me. What I find interesting about it is that it’s the reverse of what we’re taught to expect about people. Racism is very prevalent in Scorsese’s films. Many of his characters are racist. But many of his characters are also funny, again despite being disturbing people. They engaged us while at the same time repulsing us. So it’s a lesson to all of us that Spike - being the artist that he is - realized what Scorsese was doing in these movies. Spike didn’t shun those films because they had racist characters. He embraced them. Why? Because they are great art. I’ve seen Mean Streets many times, including at MOMA a few years ago. The few times racial epithets were uttered in the film you could feel the tension in the audience (of mostly white people, btw). Perhaps that speaks to the effectiveness of the film; I don’t know. What I do know is that Spike Lee is an artist, just like Scorsese or Kazan or countless others. He saw the racism in those films for what it was: an exploration, not an endorsement. An elucidation, not a validation. And truth, not fantasy. The truth was/is there are bigots in that community, just like there are in all communities. Perhaps this is what Spike saw as resonant with his own experience when he moved to a larger Italian-American neighborhood. We’ve all become so tight assed in this culture we’re afraid to hear what George Carlin once so aptly called “words that speak the truth”. A Scorsese or Lee would (eventually) get shamed out of the industry if they were young filmmakers today. They wouldn’t be allowed to make true, personal films. No one is. Superheroes are better sellers. And we - the believers of film created for an active, intelligent audience - are perpetually suffering as a result.
Scorsese portrayed real characters with all their beauty and ugliness, it was realism without judgment. A slice of American life in a world that Scorsese grew up in.
Goddam spb 78. That was one of the best synopsis I've ever read on this dam utube! Bravo to you and thank you! Its what I've been seeing for decades. Although some films are trying, their just not getting their due attention.
You are so right. Super hero movies are fun to watch but they're just fantasy. They're not the truth. Spike Lee and Scorsese tell the truth on the human experience, good and bad. Lee's Blackkklansman, or Scorsese's Silence are hard hitting, emotional experiences that makes you think about serious issues to consider in living your life.
Great filmmaker in his own right. It’s cool how he gives props to other filmmakers. Certain celebs that I would like to met and he is on the top of the list
CashNasty Forhead Heard him tell this story years ago, and he said 'Goodfellas' then... the whole time I'm trying to remember the scene and thinking, "nahhh... that's Casino"
Watching Harvey Keitel as Charlie in 'Mean Streets' walk into the red-lit bar with camera following him I immediately thought of Spike Lee's similar use of the camera on his main characters .
I took a Film Studies class in college, and we watched "Do the Right Thing". It was a really good movie, with an extremely powerful wnding and even more powerful overall message.
+WaterMark That was bad but it's wasn't Spike's fault more like Hollywood in general some foreign movies are just as good without America s claws on everything.
Let's start a Go Fund Me for "Saves Joe Louis." We owe it to Budd Schulberg. He gave us the green light on thinking big before thinking big existed. #SpikeLee #FilmSchool
"I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody.". Bud Schulberg nailed it in On The Waterfront. That's part of why Spike starts with this film.
This is my top 5 director. Spike’s direction is always beautiful but I think he’s bad films screenplays let him down. His best are: Malcolm X, Do The Right Thing, Mo Better Blues, BlacKKKlansman, Jungle Fever, Summer Of Sam, 25th Hour, He Got Game and Inside Man. All beautiful films.
I guess, looking at some of these comments, some people are suprised that Spike can critique racism, yet, is not a hater of white folk. Some of his favorite people & heroes are white. His exposing racism is not personal, it is his duty as an artist to use his art to fight bigotry, no filmmaker does it better. Long live Spike Lee, the greatest!
My top 5 Malcolm X, Do the right thing, Mo Better Blues, Jungle Fever and 25th hour! Also, Clockers , Crooklyn and Summer of Sam deserve to be mentioned as well! Can't wait to see "Da 5 Bloods"!
Kaleb Ford hmmmm for Starters there are his 90s flicks Mo Better Blues, Jungle Fever, of course his magnum opus Do The Right Thing. Malcolm X is a great one. Then there is Clockers, Summer of Sam, 25th Hour which are my favorite. He's also a consummate documentarian as well, with 4 Little Girls and When The Levees Break. Yeah man dig in. Make up your own mind
I hope you read the book. Strike that. I don't know how you can read the book and love the film. But different tastes.... *shrugs* If you haven't seen Malcolm X, remedy that immediately.
Top 25 Actors & Actresses I Wanna See in a Spike Lee Joint: 1.) Joaquin Phoenix 2.) Al Pacino 3.) Eddie Murphy 4.) Robert De Niro 5.) Adam Sandler 6.) Don Cheadle 7.) Nicolas Cage 8.) Drew Barrymore 9.) Christopher Walken 10.) Viola Davis 11.) Mahershala Ali 12.) Keira Knightley 13.) Nicole Kidman 14.) Hugh Jackman 15.) Tina Fey 16.) Keke Palmer 17.) Jennifer Lawrence 18.) Margot Robbie 19.) Jessica Chastain 20.) Will Smith 21.) Issa Rae 22.) Ryan Gosling 23.) Morgan Freeman 24.) Christian Bale 25.) Leonardo DiCaprio Make it happen, Spike!
For me, my heroes are- Ken Loach Paul Verhoeven Trey Parker and Matt Stone Tim Burton Ralph Bakshi Spike Lee himself Edgar Wright Gaspar Noe Chris Morris And even Michael Moore
I once met Spike very, very briefly, but he loves talking films, and at that time, he sang the praises of Kubrick's "Spartacus" and Scorsese's "Taxi Driver", and he talked about having just seen The Beatles' "Help!" the day before. I also once attended a screening and Q & A with Spike for the film, "Blue Collar" (1978), which starred Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel, and Yaphet Kotto, and was made by Paul Schrader. Spike LOVES "Blue Collar". If you have never seen it, seek it out, it is an unsung masterpiece.
Blue collar is a very forgotten underrated masterpiece. In my opinion Pryor's best acting also
@@wingchundragon yes Blue Collar was a Richard Pryor masterpiece I don't why He wasn't nominated for this film & especially for Lady Sings the Blues who almost stole almost most of the scenes He was in!
Corrections especially for Lady Sings the Blues which Elder Richard Pryor almost stole most of the scenes in that film He was in!
What about oldboy?
Word to Yaphet Kotto RIP ✊legend
Man you know he doesn't return papers until the end of the semester
BruH!
Facts!
why?
But you know he still gets the highest grade in the class
Maybe he doesn't give papers.
"Mean Streets" has the single BEST opening scene/ montage I've ever seen in a movie. Love spike!
Mean Streets is an overlooked American masterpiece.
Steven Nieto
Well, that's because everyone has had such awesome careers, since then it overshadows it.
I'm gonna pay emmmmm!
I agree very much
Mook not moon. Lol
@@alfredortiz8051 great quote Alfred! Next Tuesday?
No filmmaker carries an emotional tone throughout an entire film like Spike. He is without a doubt one of the Greatest Filmmakers of All Time.
No
@@Jim-gk4so well you told him... care to enlighten us with your better choice? Or is your answer "no"
@@JoeyNTasha no
Facts
Spike Lee has made many great movies. I think bamboozled is his finest, the closing sequence moved me to tears.
Totally agree! Damon Wayans is brilliant in that film!
This is awesome! It's great to hear a great filmmaker talk about his favorite films/filmmakers.
he doesn't breaks down his film heroes, he lift them up.
Spike Lee is one of my favorite directors. Do the Right Thing & Malcolm X are classic!
Coincidentally, I just watched On the Waterfront last night, it's cool to know Spike loves it too.
Ocean Sage he didnt start the Brooklyn cycling cap trend neither did the 90s Joey Coleman AKA whitey as he's named in the 1984 movie bad manners Started the Brooklyn Cycling Cap trend in Bad manners first and should be credited for it as being the first to create the trend as a fashion statement
25th Hour is criminally underrated
That's sad. Spike Lee is a racist evil liar who hates Americans, unless they are democrats or communists.
Tim Pool without a beanie. I don’t think that statement is true in any way
Ocean Sage Brother Spike Lee is My all time favorite Joint Directors regardless how the confused Awards may feel about His Joints(Movies) they really fear this Brother aren't they?
One day there will be a film with “the last Spike Lee joint” attached to it. And when it does I will cry and remember a great man
😢
ua-cam.com/video/307aMaf9iyA/v-deo.html
man he only 65 it’s not time to be thinking like that
I just love the way he speaks with such passion and fascination for the medium, such a dude!
5:21 . . . that's some picture you guys used of Scorsese. lol
Looks straight up crazy
Haha! I thought the same thing! Yikes 😆
I love the way he talks about his parents. A family of geniuses
This is great. It’s particularly significant to me that Spike is a fan of Scorsese; always has been significant to me. What I find interesting about it is that it’s the reverse of what we’re taught to expect about people. Racism is very prevalent in Scorsese’s films. Many of his characters are racist. But many of his characters are also funny, again despite being disturbing people. They engaged us while at the same time repulsing us. So it’s a lesson to all of us that Spike - being the artist that he is - realized what Scorsese was doing in these movies. Spike didn’t shun those films because they had racist characters. He embraced them. Why? Because they are great art.
I’ve seen Mean Streets many times, including at MOMA a few years ago. The few times racial epithets were uttered in the film you could feel the tension in the audience (of mostly white people, btw). Perhaps that speaks to the effectiveness of the film; I don’t know. What I do know is that Spike Lee is an artist, just like Scorsese or Kazan or countless others. He saw the racism in those films for what it was: an exploration, not an endorsement. An elucidation, not a validation. And truth, not fantasy. The truth was/is there are bigots in that community, just like there are in all communities. Perhaps this is what Spike saw as resonant with his own experience when he moved to a larger Italian-American neighborhood.
We’ve all become so tight assed in this culture we’re afraid to hear what George Carlin once so aptly called “words that speak the truth”. A Scorsese or Lee would (eventually) get shamed out of the industry if they were young filmmakers today. They wouldn’t be allowed to make true, personal films. No one is. Superheroes are better sellers. And we - the believers of film created for an active, intelligent audience - are perpetually suffering as a result.
spb 78 Simply couldn’t be put better👌🏼👌🏼
Scorsese portrayed real characters with all their beauty and ugliness, it was realism without judgment. A slice of American life in a world that Scorsese grew up in.
Goddam spb 78. That was one of the best synopsis I've ever read on this dam utube! Bravo to you and thank you! Its what I've been seeing for decades. Although some films are trying, their just not getting their due attention.
You are so right. Super hero movies are fun to watch but they're just fantasy. They're not the truth. Spike Lee and Scorsese tell the truth on the human experience, good and bad. Lee's Blackkklansman, or Scorsese's Silence are hard hitting, emotional experiences that makes you think about serious issues to consider in living your life.
Hit the nail on the head
“Special effects Spike, special effects.” 😂
With all due respect to my beloved Spike Lee, "On the waterfront" is the first "guetto movie". He is a great filmmaker recognising Kazan's working.
Spike: …and it was Goodfellows
*talks about Casino instead
After Hours is one of the most underrated movies ever. Also, Talk Radio directed by Oliver Stone.
“Mean Streets”
That was an absolute great film, it’s definitely one of my top 3 favorite films of all time.
Great filmmaker in his own right. It’s cool how he gives props to other filmmakers. Certain celebs that I would like to met and he is on the top of the list
Spike Lee is a great director.
Nuff said.
Spike's Master Class was truly that. Masterful! I watch it sometimes twice a month . I reference back to it often. He is a genius
omg... Night of the Hunter, I watched it earlier this year, I started crying halfway through it, cried all the way to the end
Dude's about to sleep 😂
Don’t know whether he’s stoned or just really cool
Dude those movie tour junkets are murder..different cities and countries, and different reporters all asking the same questions...
WSP ya...I’m thinking the same thing. He’s def had either a few drinks or a couple pills.
He's a joke to all men
That was casino not goodfellas
CashNasty Forhead yea I saw that too
CashNasty Forhead Heard him tell this story years ago, and he said 'Goodfellas' then... the whole time I'm trying to remember the scene and thinking, "nahhh... that's Casino"
I thought so too, but maybe they tried it in Goodfellas first?
His mistake insulted me a “Lil’ bit”
CashNasty Forhead 😂
Andy Griffith was awesome in that movie. A Face in the Crowd. This was before his TV show.
A face in the crowd was a perfect movie, it was so beyond it’s time...Andy Griffith was Amazing
A Face In The Crowd is such an underrated film and so ahead of it's time. It's insane how prescient it is.
Oh, After Hours, deep cut. Love that movie. Wildly underrated.
Just love Spike's film presentation and tone.
Uncle Spike. ❤️
He's always had a very New York point of view to me.
it was casino not goodfellas
12:18 How many Martin Scorsese pictures are floating around at there, tens of thousands? And that's the one you went with? Lol, cracked me up.
Watching Harvey Keitel as Charlie in 'Mean Streets' walk into the red-lit bar with camera following him I immediately thought of Spike Lee's similar use of the camera on his main characters .
I took a Film Studies class in college, and we watched "Do the Right Thing". It was a really good movie, with an extremely powerful wnding and even more powerful overall message.
Awesome. His movie Malcolm X is my probably my favourite. He's a huge inspiration himself. Thanks!
Philip Njagi the two movies of his that are the most overlooked are Summer of Sam and 25th Hour
Surprised he didn't mention Ace In the Hole. Definitely heard him call that his favorite film before.
"Goodfellows" lmao
Shoutout Spikelee always making moves doing positive for the community 🎥🎬🙏🏾
+WaterMark That was bad but it's wasn't Spike's fault more like Hollywood in general some foreign movies are just as good without America s claws on everything.
Spike is absolutely right. I love cinema.
Summer of sam is criminally underrated.
Yes it is great movie watched it this week very underrated film
@@outlawboxing1923 it's basically his "mean streets"
I agree another great movie of his similar to mean streets in a way is clockers it’s like a mid 90s urban version very underrated aswell
It's my favorite SL movie!
Spike Lee is a living ICON
Head in the vice is Casino not Goodfellas.
Let's start a Go Fund Me for "Saves Joe Louis." We owe it to Budd Schulberg. He gave us the green light on thinking big before thinking big existed.
#SpikeLee #FilmSchool
just commented on that (before I saw this). Absolutely!
Can't wait to see it. Is it streaming?
ua-cam.com/video/307aMaf9iyA/v-deo.html
Black Panter was a superhero movie that appealed to everyone but I wasn't sure if it appealed to Spike Lee and if he'd ever direct something like it.
We love you Spike!
Legend
"I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody.". Bud Schulberg nailed it in On The Waterfront. That's part of why Spike starts with this film.
This is my top 5 director. Spike’s direction is always beautiful but I think he’s bad films screenplays let him down. His best are: Malcolm X, Do The Right Thing, Mo Better Blues, BlacKKKlansman, Jungle Fever, Summer Of Sam, 25th Hour, He Got Game and Inside Man. All beautiful films.
Blackkklansman was pretty eh but the rest are all great films
eighty two I thought so at first but watching it again, it definitely ranked higher for me.
I guess, looking at some of these comments, some people are suprised that Spike can critique racism, yet, is not a hater of white folk. Some of his favorite people & heroes are white. His exposing racism is not personal, it is his duty as an artist to use his art to fight bigotry, no filmmaker does it better. Long live Spike Lee, the greatest!
Man...I hope that wild boxing movie comes to light one day. Sounds like Spike really cares about that one.
My top 5 Malcolm X, Do the right thing, Mo Better Blues, Jungle Fever and 25th hour! Also, Clockers , Crooklyn and Summer of Sam deserve to be mentioned as well!
Can't wait to see "Da 5 Bloods"!
SPIKE LEE IS A LEGEND!
No!
@@josemariavieira1215 why not
The Joe Louis versus Max Scmelling metaphor is a great idea! - Surprised (and saddened) it hasnt gotten more interest for Spike to make it.
Shout out to all the Pisces Sun Signs. And those of us who were born in Brooklyn!
I love those long orisha beads !!
Love this, thank you.
Thanks for posting
Miricle at st ana was my favorite by him
Kaleb Ford you should watch more of his movies then.
Any recommendations?
Kaleb Ford hmmmm for Starters there are his 90s flicks Mo Better Blues, Jungle Fever, of course his magnum opus Do The Right Thing. Malcolm X is a great one. Then there is Clockers, Summer of Sam, 25th Hour which are my favorite.
He's also a consummate documentarian as well, with 4 Little Girls and When The Levees Break. Yeah man dig in. Make up your own mind
I hope you read the book. Strike that. I don't know how you can read the book and love the film. But different tastes.... *shrugs*
If you haven't seen Malcolm X, remedy that immediately.
SUN WARRIOR 25th hour is a completely underrated film! I think Spike Lees quality took a nosedive after that, though.
They did Marti dirty with that picture , ahahah
Top 25 Actors & Actresses I Wanna See in a Spike Lee Joint:
1.) Joaquin Phoenix
2.) Al Pacino
3.) Eddie Murphy
4.) Robert De Niro
5.) Adam Sandler
6.) Don Cheadle
7.) Nicolas Cage
8.) Drew Barrymore
9.) Christopher Walken
10.) Viola Davis
11.) Mahershala Ali
12.) Keira Knightley
13.) Nicole Kidman
14.) Hugh Jackman
15.) Tina Fey
16.) Keke Palmer
17.) Jennifer Lawrence
18.) Margot Robbie
19.) Jessica Chastain
20.) Will Smith
21.) Issa Rae
22.) Ryan Gosling
23.) Morgan Freeman
24.) Christian Bale
25.) Leonardo DiCaprio
Make it happen, Spike!
One of the ten greatest directors of all time.
Spike Lee is definitely a cinephile. The director gets misunderstood, especially when criticising Perry movies who lack the passion that Spike does.
Spike Lee is miles better than Tyler Perry. He should be mentioned towards someone like Scorsese, not Tyler Perry.
"Summer of Sam"
OK BUT WHERE CAN I GET THAT HAT 😫
Yeah I feel you on that
I think they still have it on his website I think it’s 40A productions
EEEEEEEEEEEVERYONE needs to watch Night of the Hunter.
Spike looks so young 💕
Spike is inspirationallll
Great discussion/video.
Mad respect
Mean streets is in my top 5 classic films of all time!!!
Hope he does that Joe Lewis movie.
Brilliant choices Spike!
So many directors are film fans, and not just of art films, but ALL films.
Um Spike... the movie we were looking for was Casino...not Goodfellas.. thanks for playing
It was Casino when the guys eyes pop out
Thank you so much for this video!
For me, my heroes are-
Ken Loach
Paul Verhoeven
Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Tim Burton
Ralph Bakshi
Spike Lee himself
Edgar Wright
Gaspar Noe
Chris Morris
And even Michael Moore
Love all the film's Spike does. Respect!
Ya Dig" e "Sho Nuff"
👁️👁️👁️👁️👁️🎺🎺🎺🎺🎺
icon legend underrated
The fact that he said “Goodfellas” rather than “Casino” is absolutely hilarious.
"Goodfellows". It's official Spike Lee is now white.
What a legend
Agreed I Love Spike Lee One of My Favorite Film Directors!
it was Casino with head in the vise
but that's okay , Mr Spike
Spike is among the greats.
In the end, good truth Spike, good truth....
Good video a couple of movies I never seen except David Lean movies and on the Waterfront.
I want to see face in a crowd so bad!
Love you spike ❤️
Can’t wait to to see the Frazier movie.
Casino not Goodfellas
Watch it at 1.5x guys
a face in the crowd. great movie
I would love to remake mean streets
That was casino when he had his head in that one thing
yes I thought that too, they did show that in a version of the film.
SPIKE LEE LETS MAKE A SKATEBOARD VIDEO!
youtube is full of them
Spike lee is a legend
thanks brother spike
I love every movie spike has made .. I am a movie buff todays movies plain out suck
He reminds me a little of Woody Allen
Short, skinny, neurotic, I can see it 😂