Sal is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out, becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.
Direction
Spike Lee's fourth wall breaks are iconic and confrontational.
Cinematography
Red heat radiates off every frame—Ernest Dickerson's masterpiece.
Writing
Dialogue so authentic it spawned decades of imitators.
Director
Spike Lee
Danny Aiello
Sal
Ossie Davis
Da Mayor
Ruby Dee
Mother Sister
Richard Edson
Vito
Giancarlo Esposito
Buggin Out
Spike Lee
Mookie
Bill Nunn
Radio Raheem
John Turturro
Pino
Paul Benjamin
ML
Frankie Faison
Coconut Sid
Robin Harris
Sweet Dick Willie
Joie Lee
Jade
Miguel Sandoval
Officer Ponte
Rick Aiello
Officer Long
John Savage
Clifton
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Korean grocery store scene—where Sal defends his 'black neighborhood' against new immigrants—perfectly captures how oppression creates complicity in protecting hierarchies.
The actual pizzeria location was a real Bed-Stuy spot; Spike Lee's father Bill Lee composed the score, and the character Mookie was written specifically so Lee could play him.
US
