The Directors - Spike Lee
While this Spike Lee installment ofThe Directorsincludes observations from actors Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Alfre Woodard, Wesley Snipes, and others, the real value of the hour-long program comes from the interview with Lee himself. While clips from all of Lee's films up to 1996'sGet on the Busillustrate most of Lee's cinematic achievements and thematic concerns, his own words are the most revealing and instructive. Often (mis-)perceived as a provocateur whose films are more confrontational than entertaining, Lee is aware of his tenuous place in the Hollywood scheme; what matters to him, ultimately, is the body of work by which any artist must finally be judged. He's notably stung by the fact that his great filmDo the Right Thinglost the 1989 Oscar race toDriving Miss Daisy, observing, with ample justification, that the latter film offered a comforting image of a black man that white audiences could more readily accept. Through ups and downs, Lee remains pragmatic about the film business, allowing the consistent quality of his films to speak for itself. Of the other interviewees, Ossie Davis is the most perceptive, but when he makes the fascinating suggestion that Lee should remakeMalcolm Xwhen he's older and more experienced, you're instantly reminded of Denzel Washington's conspicuous absence. It's unfortunate that we don't hear from the star of Lee'sMo' Better Blues,Malcolm X, andHe Got Game. It's a serious flaw in this otherwise engaging program.--Jeff Shannon