One of Spike Lee’s Most Overlooked Films Is a Movie Adaptation of a Stage Musical

Spike Leegives it his all when he directs a film, an essential trait for a director who frequently tackles weighty subjects and complex social issues in America. The passion of his characters in Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, and BlacKkKlansman is matched by Lee's bold formalist choices behind the camera and loud voice on the page. Due to his prevalence in commercials and eminent stature as a celebrity, always seen courtside at every New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, Lee is a household name, but most of his expansive filmography is overlooked by the mainstream public. Between his features, shorts, documentaries, and commercials, there is no subject or medium Lee hasn't brought his unique flavor to, including the stage. Passing Strange, the Broadway play by Stew, only filmed its live theatrical performance, but it feels like a cousin to his work about the contemporary Black experience.