Review of David Breskin's Interview

David Breskin asks Spike Lee many evoking questions. Some subtle, some not so subtle. There was a line of questions about what inspired Spike to pick up a camera. Spike isn’t sure why. Then Breskin asks, “just out the blue, you decided to get a Super-8?” (Breskin 152). Spike has no response. I believe no response is as good as a response. Breskin stumped him.

Another interesting line of questioning deals with Do the Right Thing not receiving an award at Cannes Film Festival. Spike believes people should judge movies by the same rules. Breskin asks:
“Do the Right Thing, even in its very title, sets up a moral universe and a code, so it’s going to provoke a kind of scrutiny on the action that a movie in which things are more relative will not” (159).

Spike responds: “See, I never buy that shit. Because I want my shit – I mean, if you’re ever going to critique my work use the same motherfucking standards for everybody…” (159). Lee gets really pissed off at the question because he believes his movie should have been judged with the same standards – e.g. the idea of heroism – with sex, lies, and videotape, because sex… won even though it was unheroic. If they had been judged for heroism, therefore, Lee’s film would have won.

Another question that elicits an interesting reaction:
“How do you respond to the criticism [in She’s Gotta Have it], although they are not as central to the film as Nola, are actually more definite characters, whereas she is more of a body to be explored and fought over?” (165-1666)
Spike admits that his weakness as a filmmaker is writing strong female characters and it’s something that has been improving. He responds so candidly because the question was indirect. Breskin asks how Spike would respond to criticism that the female characters were less defined than male characters, not that they “are” less defined.

One more great question is:
“Your inspiration comes very much from the real world, whereas some artists are primarily inspired by other art, the imaginative world” (178-179).
Lee compares himself to big name directors like Steven Spielberg, and says, “they wanted to be filmmakers when they were still in Pampers.” That’s such a funny and honest response. The question is framed as a compliment and allows Spike to stand on the soapbox and let everything out honestly.


Breskin, David. Inner Views: Filmmakers in Conversation. Expanded Ed. New York
Da Capo Press.