Do the Right Thing
Rosie Perez was actually furious while filming this scene. It was her first major film role. Director Spike Lee made her dance to the song continuously for eight hours to get the different angles and lighting setups. By the end of the day, she was exhausted and physically in pain, and that frustration translated perfectly onto the screen. The scene serves as a manifesto. Unlike traditional Hollywood musicals where dance is used for romance or whimsy, here it is used as a form of protest. The harsh red lighting and the physical combat moves sync with the Public Enemy lyrics to tell you exactly what kind of movie you are about to watch: loud, hot, and unapologetic. Spike Lee originally discovered Rosie Perez at a dance club in Los Angeles called Funky Reggae. "Fight the Power" was written specifically for the movie at Spike Lee's request; Public Enemy recorded it to capture the tension of a New York summer. The outfit Rosie wears—the boxing gloves and the spandex—became an iconic image of late 80s streetwear aesthetic.