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Spike Lee is a singular director. His films (known as “joints”) generally explore issues of class and race relations, with a focus on the experiences of ordinary people. They are known for their energetic camerawork, especially Lee’s signature dolly shots, alongside eclectic soundtracks. His finest films, like Do the Right Thing and Malcolm X, are among the most acclaimed movies ever made.
Over the years, Lee has shared many of the movies that inspired him. They include several obscure gems, as well as movies that might have been well-reviewed on release but which are not so well-remembered now. Like Lee’s own work, many of these stories follow working-class people and their struggles with the social forces that shape and constrict them. Fans of Lee are sure to find something to enjoy amongst these selections.
‘Daughters of the Dust’ (1991)
Set during the early 1900s, this film follows a family living on Saint Helena, a small island off the coast of Georgia. Most of the people on the island are descendants of slaves from various parts of Africa, giving rise to a unique language and culture. But travel between Saint Helena and the mainland is increasing. People bring back stories of new ways of life, and a new faith that conflicts with the islanders’ beliefs.
Daughters of the Dustis a poetic movie that explores three generations living on the island, and the tension between tradition and modern ways of life. It was praised on release, especially for its gorgeous cinematography, but many viewers may not have seen it yet. It’s worth it simply for the visuals, which inspired the music videos for Beyoncé’s 2016 album Lemonade.
‘Stranger Than Paradise’ (1984)
Director Jim Jarmusch might be most well-known these days for films like Only Lovers Left Alive and the criminally underrated The Dead Don’t Die, but one of his most impactful movies is the black-and-white Stranger than Paradise. It’s a meandering story revolving around a young man’s visit from his Hungarian cousin.
Stranger than Paradise broke many filmmaking conventions and caused a buzz in the independent scene in the 1980s. It firmly established Jarmusch as an arthouse talent. The film has been acclaimed in the decades since, with fans including critic Pauline Kael and Akira Kurosawa. But despite its critical regard, it remains a niche movie that deserves more viewers. Fans of Jarmusch’s more recent movies are sure to find it an interesting window into the director’s development.
‘Killer of Sheep’ (1978)
Killer of Sheep explores life in a working-class African-American district of Los Angeles in the 1970s. Director Charles Burnett made the film as part of his Master’s at UCLA. However, due to difficulties in securing the rights to music used in the film, Killer of Sheep never went into wide release. For decades, it was considered a lost classic.
The film was finally restored and re-released in 2007, drawing positive reviews. Critics have compared it to the neorealist early films by Fellini and the intimate dramas of Satyajit Ray. Its resonant depiction of inner-city life connected with many artists, not least Spike Lee but also rapper Mos Def, who used a frame from the movie as the cover of his 2009 album The Ecstatic.
‘The Seduction of Mimi’ (1972)
The Seduction of Mimi is a farce from Italian director Lina Wertmüller, who passed away in 2021. It was the first of Wertmüller’s many collaborations with actor Giancarlo Giannini, the most famous being Seven Beauties. Here, Giannini plays a manual laborer who is mistreated by his bosses, by politicians, by the mafia, by his lovers. The film skewers life in Italy in the decades after WWII, especially the over-the-top (and increasingly obsolete) machismo.
The Seduction of Mimi also satirizes politics in a fairly even-handed way. The capitalist characters and the communists are equally horrible. With its screwball sensibility and sharp take on class, it’s easy to see why Spike Lee is a fan.
‘Dirty Pretty Things’ (2002)
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars in this drama about immigrants living in the UK. He plays a doctor from West Africa who fled his home country after being falsely accused of murder. He ekes out a living in London by driving a cab and working at a hotel. There, he befriends a Turkish migrant named Senay (Audrey Tautou), with problems of her own.
Dirty Pretty Things is a smart social thriller that delves into the immigrant experience. Director Stephen Frears handles the material with care and skill. He shot the film in a documentary style, which lends it an air of authenticity that adds to the impact.
‘Blue Collar’ (1978)
Blue Collar is the debut film by veteran director Paul Schrader. It stars Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto as autoworkers in Michigan. Hard up on cash, the trio break into the safe in the office of their own union. However, they find it almost empty – except for a ledger which seems to contain evidence of the union’s illegal activity.
The film is worth it purely for the performances by the leads, who are all excellent (young Keitel is always a treat). But Blue Collar has also aged well as an exploration of big business and big labor, as well as the toxic effects of corruption. It’ll appeal to fans of more recent films likeDark Waters or the Hulu seriesDopesick.
‘Sugar Cane Alley’ (1983)
Sugar Cane Alley follows an orphan, Jose (Garry Cadenat), from a poor, rural part of the French-speaking island of Martinique in the 1930s. He and his friends live in a collection of shacks near the sugarcane fields, where most of the adults work. Much of the film follows the kids in this harsh environment. Despite the conditions, they play and explore and embrace life. Their innocence shields them from reality.
Jose is a smart kid, and dreams of getting an education. His pursuit of his dream is the central thrust of the narrative, as he prepares for an exam that could change his life. This might be a somewhat stale premise, but director Euzhan Palcy portrays Joses’s struggle with nuance. Palcy would go on to direct several great American projects, including the apartheid drama A Dry White Seasonstarring Donald Sutherland and Marlon Brando.
‘Black Rain’ (1989)
Shōhei Imamura was an influential Japanese director and a leading figure in the Japanese New Wave. His films, like Intentions of Murder and Vengeance is Mine, frequently explore the psychology behind violence. Black Rain, one of his later projects, takes a slightly different tack, focusing on victims instead of perpetrators. It chronicles one family of survivors in the aftermath of the atom bombing of Hiroshima.
The film looks at people’s responses to the bombing, and how they make sense of it. Some of the characters almost blame themselves for what happened, while others live in fear of developing radiation sickness, or shame at already having it. Black Rain is a great companion piece to John Hersey‘s Hiroshima, which describes the bombing and the days immediately after. Black Rain takes a longer view, showing the effects of that day many years later.
‘Dead End’ (1937)
Dead End follows a gang of street churchins in New York as they cause trouble and committ petty crimes. Things escalate suddenly after the boys assault and rob a rich kid. The child’s father gets involved, leading to a scuffle. In the melee, one of the boys, Tommy (Billy Halop), fatally stabs the man. Tommy flees, the police in pursuit.
The film, based on a play, is a portrait of New York’s East River slums during the Great Depression. Director William Wyler would go on to much greater heights with classics like Ben-Hur, but Dead End remains a fascinating snapshot of its moment in time. Some viewers might also enjoy it for the great pre-stardom performance from a young Humphrey Bogart.
Honorable mention: ‘Thief’ (1981)
It’s a stretch to call Thief underrated, since it was critically acclaimed on release. Nevertheless, it is often overshadowed by director Michael Mann‘s more famous projects. Thief was his debut feature, but it feels like it was made by an experienced craftsman. James Caan stars as a safecracker who is trying to go straight, and Tuesday Weld plays his wife Jessie.
Thief is an unusually smart crime flick, boasting a moody score, whiplash editing and, of course, a great, multi-dimensional performance from Caan. Spike Lee listed Thief as one of the movies he thinks all young filmmakers should see. In light of Caan’s recent passing, now is a great time to check out (or rewatch) this 80s gem.
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