The American Film Institute and Universal Pictures are teaming to offer free rentals of Spike Lee’s classic “Do The Right Thing” on digital platforms this week, and AFI will also host a special online conversation with the director this Thursday.
The Spike Lee Joint is AFI Movie Club’s selection for the day, and audiences looking to watch it can rent “Do The Right Thing” between June 22 and June 29 for free on Amazon, Apple, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Dish, DirecTV, FandangoNOW, Google, Microsoft, Redbox, Sony, Verizon and Vudu, among other services.
AFI will also host Lee in conversation about the film and about what it says about society today in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in a live discussion on June 25 at 8 p.m. EDT that can be viewed on the AFI YouTube channel.
Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” star John David Washington introduced the film in a video on the AFI Movie Club website and called it “arguably THE Spike Lee Joint.”
“The social relevancy is just as important as it is now,” Washington said of the 1989 film.
“AFI Movie Club’s global reach has inspired the need for more thoughtful discussions about films that have shaped our culture,” Bob Gazzale, president and CEO of AFI said in a statement. “‘Do The Right Thing’ is a timeless and timely classic, and Spike Lee has forever proven himself the voice for change that we need now more than ever. We would like to thank our partners at Universal for their essential support in educating and inspiring audiences around the world.”
Lee recently edited together clips from “Do The Right Thing” with moments from the viral videos of George Floyd and Eric Garner’s murders, showing the striking similarities between the climax to his film and to the real world horrors. In his short film, he labeled his character Radio Raheem as “brothers” with Floyd and Garner.
AFI Movie Club launched on March 31 to provide daily viewing options for people stuck at home during the coronavirus, and each day a new celebrity has introduced a film for that day’s recommended viewing, along with links as to where people can rent the films.
Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” landed was nominated for two Oscars and was nominated for the Palme d’Or in 1989, and the AFI named it among its Top 100 American Films of all time.