Do The Right Thing mise en scene

The general use of color as a part of mise-en-scene, in both the lighting and the costumes, provides a very unique style to the film. It pivots the film in a specific direction of which Lee had in mind. In the beginning it's easy to notice all the bright colors popping out. Bright reds, electric blues, blinding neon yellows, and dizzying greens jump out of the screen  demanding attention. It creates a vibrant atmosphere, almost like a prelude to explosion, foreshadowing the stories and characters to come. Without these colors the setting would appear drab and uninteresting. The colors of the costumes also provide a stark contrast against the squalid area in which the story takes place. The area is filled with old dark buildings, so the people are the ones left to provide the “color”. Apart from places such as the wall where Sweet Dick Willie hangs out to chat, and some murals around the neighborhood, the color is left alone. With the costumes Lee is somehow also able to intensify the heat, so to speak, on the exceedingly hot summer day. If they were wearing low pastel colors, and dark grays perhaps, the mood of the movie would drastically change. The only characters wearing this color palette are Da Mayor, and Jade, both signifying their inner peace and ability to remain calm under pressure. 

     The use of color in the lighting also brings another important element into the ways that certain scenes play out through the movie. There is a lot of natural lighting being used portraying the characters just as they are. But at the same time, different locations provide for different lighting styles. Such as is the case in Sal’s Pizzeria where it seems everything is a bit too dark and somewhat shady. Even in the introduction when Mookie wakes up for the day the lighting being used makes his room seem jumbled and is an insight into his life being a mess. The bright fluorescent lighting in the Korean store makes everything stand out too much, and does not make the place seem inviting, but strictly business instead. The light in DJ Mister Senor Love Daddy’s booth is relaxed and calm, just enough light comes in reflecting the cool personality he portrays. In the scene where Mookie decides to take yet another break from work and visits Tina the mood is entirely set by the color of the lighting. The sun is going down and the room becomes blue. It provides the cool, just as the ice Mookie brings, and makes everything slow down as it happens. The use of color in both the lighting and the costumes are critical, without which the story would take on a different meaning, and Lee did well in choosing specifically what went into each scene.