Remixing Spike Lee’s Joints

Week 1: Inside Man – The Introduction

Week 2: She’s Gotta Have It & Jungle Fever – Narrative

Week 3: Do the Right Thing & Clockers – Character

Week 4: Crooklyn & Get on the Bus – Setting

Week 5: Bamboozled & He Got Game – Cinematography

Week 6: Malcolm X & 25^th Hour – Editing

Week 7: School Daze & Mo’ Better Blues – Sound

Week 8: When the Levees Broke & If God Is Willing and da Creek Don’t Rise – Documentary

The students in my class would start off watching Inside Man because I would want them to start with something familiar, and Inside Man is the closest to a blockbuster that Spike Lee has ever made. By starting with what seems familiar, the students feel comfortable because many of them are probably used to films like this. From there, I would progress by having the students watch two films a week, but with the focus of each week being based on a certain aspect of filmmaking in general. For example, week 7 would be focused on sound in film. That week, the students would watch School Daze and Mo’ Better Blues, as different kinds of sound are prominent throughout those films, like in their music scenes (Good and Bad Hair, the band playing at the club, and so on). Through this, the students will learn the basics of these filmmaking techniques, but also how Spike Lee uses them to create his signature style.