Get to Know Spike Lee In 6 Movies
A primer on one of our most insightful and provocative filmmakers.
It’s been nearly 35 years since Spike Lee took the film world by storm with a bold voice, an in-your-face attitude, and a tireless commitment to bringing the often overlooked stories of black Americans to the screen. With over 30 films to his credit, Lee’s provocative oeuvre is now a fixture in American popular culture. But after an electric early run, much of his 21st Century output has been overshadowed by films from a new generation of directors, many of whom clearly found inspiration in his classic catalogue.
Art and culture, however, are nothing if nothing if not cyclical. With the critical and commercial success of 2018’s BlacKkKlansman, which landed Lee his first Oscar, and the rapturous reviews greeting his just-released Netflix original, Da 5 Bloods, the irrepressible filmmaker appears to be experiencing a late-career renaissance. In this tumultuous moment of cultural upheaval, his fearless takes on race and society resonate with renewed relevance.
For the new generation of fans just now getting acquainted with Spike Lee, as well as lapsed stalwarts in need of a refresher, the following 6 films make for a quick and easy primer, highlighting all the hallmarks of his signature style.
