He had directed and released two films prior to this, and had made a small splash, but it’s with this hand grenade of a film that Spike Lee truly exploded to the top ranks of American filmmakers. A searing and incendiary study of race relations, Do the Right Thing not only was among the most polarizing and original films of its time, but it also helped to open the door for a host African-American filmmakers. It’s a shame that Lee has never quite risen to this height since.