Director Spike is known for his movies – “Malcom X”, “The 25th Day” , “The Insider” and “Miracle of St. Anna” .
He makes good movies and sometimes great ones, but he also makes documentaries. He takes a risk and will veer from the fictional format that he’s conquered, to much acclaim, ever since his first films, “She’s Gotta Have It” and “Do The Right Thing”. When he tackles real events, the results are supreme.
“When the Levees Broke: Requiem in Four Acts”, originally HBO and now in DVD, was moving to watch because he let the people of New Orleans tell their stories about what happened in September 2005 when water and wind ravaged their city. Not out to ridicule or embarrass (like some recent “documentaries”), no need to fictionalize the tragedy- it is raw, angry, direct, sad.
Mr. Lee’s 1998 documentary – “4 Little Girls” also on DVD, is about the bombing of the 16th street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 and the little girls that died in the blast– he allows rage and grief to be expressed in a straight forward way. He also gives some insight into to what the racial climate was like before the tragedy and how the people of Birmingham dealt with the aftermath.
Spike’s films are often terrific. His documentaries have been terrific and powerful, always.
I’m looking forward to see his latest:
* The coming of age musical “Passing Strange”. I saw it on Broadway and was thoroughly charmed and entertained by “Stew”, who wrote the book, lyrics and music along with Heidi Rodewald.
* “Kobe Doin’ Work” about Lakers basketball star Kobe Bryant