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Abstract
Screenwriting is art of writing scripts for films. Screenwriter is a very important person in the process of filmmaking. This paper studies the works of Spike Lee, a well known and appreciated African-American screenwriter, who also obtains the roles of a director, produces and actor.
Spike Lee, the Screenwriter
Screenwriting is also known as script writing, it is a kind of art focused on creating scripts for film, television programs, video games, commercials. Screenwriters role in a movie is to identify an interesting and attractive story for it, and deliver it in the most authentic and special way following the correct format. Screenwriter has major influences over the film, its emotional and literary sides, its key and mood. Screenwriter Spike Lee usually works alone, but he cooperates with such well known actors as Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Samuel L. Jackson and Wesley Snipes. Some of Lees works were done in collaboration with Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Prince. In his film Spike Lee performs the tasks of a writer, producer, director and actor. Lee writes for movies, television and commercials. Spike Lees talent significantly changed the role of African-American artists in Hollywood. This screenwriter works in such genres as drama, romance, crime, biography and history. The main themes explored in his films are social issues and conflicts, racial and gender identities, class differences. I chose Spike Lee because his works are directed at crucial subjects for the highly diverse society of the United States, this is what makes this screenwriter so important.
The films taken for this work are the following:
Do the Right Thing (1989). Director Spike Lee. Writer Spike Lee. Starring Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee.
The film features a drama unraveling over a pizza place and evolving into a rather violent conflict. This film became Spike Lees third work in his career of a screenwriter and brought great success to him putting the writer at the top of the filmmaking community in America (Ankeny 2010). Do the Right Thing cover such genes as Drama and Crime and also has some elements of Comedy. It is quite different from Lees previous movie called Shes Gotta Have It , which had a rather sexy style.
Jungle Fever (1991). Director Spike Lee. Writer Spike Lee. Starring Wesley Snipes, Annabella Sciorra, Spike Lee.
In comparison to Do the Right Thing exploring racial tension, Jungle Fever is focused on a different, yet still very provocative subject of this aspect the interracial romance. This film became one of the most discussed works of Spike Lee because it overviews an important subject of cheating in a marriage and adds the conflict of interracial prejudices. This is also one of the films where Lee participates as an actor.
Malcolm- X (1992). Director Spike Lee. Writer Alex Haley. Starring Denzel Washington, Angela Bassett, Delroy Lindo.
This film is one of the most known works of Spike Lee as a director, it was shot in several different countries, and was one of the works Lee have dreamt to create. Spike Lees artistic evolution can be seen on the budget and global character of the film and its geography and plot line. The film follows the life of a Black Nationalist, who is also a gangster and a part of the Nation of Islam. This project was highly politically charged (Malcolm X 2014).
After learning some facts about Spike Lee, I became more aware of this writers artistic courage and boldness. I started to notice more social and political conflicts in his works, viewing them from the perspective of their provocative and controversial sides. I definitely value Lees creations much more now and appreciate the immense role of a writer in a movie. I think a writer can be called a movies soul.
Reference List
Ankeny, J. (2010). Spike Lee. Web.
Malcolm X. (2014). IMDb.com. Web.
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