Release date
August 28 2012
Red Hook Summer was a Spike Lee movie released in 2012. Bruce Hornsby wrote and performed the soundtrack.
Track listing
- Boiler Room
- Gospel Camp
- Claus Ligeti
- Song E (flat)
- Arc de Terre
- Camp Variation
- Sordid Pastime
- Hymn in C (instrumental)
- Ogerman
- MNF
- Arc de Terre (Live)
- Ogerman (Live)
- Spirit Climbing
- Hymn in C
Personnel
Red Hook Summer movie: overview
Released in 2012, “Red Hook Summer” is a film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee. It serves as the fourth installment in Lee’s “Brooklyn Trilogy”, following “She’s Gotta Have It,” “Do the Right Thing,” and “Crooklyn.” Set in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, the film explores themes of faith, family, and the struggles of urban life through the eyes of its young protagonist, Flik Royale.
Plot
The story follows Flik, a young boy from Atlanta, who is sent to spend the summer with his grandfather, a retired preacher named “Bishop” Royale, in the Red Hook housing projects. The film delves into Flik’s experiences as he navigates the complexities of adolescence, his relationship with his grandfather, and the community around him. Through a series of encounters with local residents, Flik discovers the challenges and joys of life in Red Hook, confronting issues of faith, identity, and social justice.
Visual style and themes
Spike Lee’s signature visual style is prominent throughout the film, with vibrant cinematography that captures the essence of Red Hook. The film addresses contemporary issues faced by the community, such as gentrification, violence, and the impact of economic disparity. It also highlights the importance of community bonds and the strength of faith in overcoming adversity.
“Red Hook Summer” stands as an exploration of community, faith, and the complexities of urban life, with its soundtrack playing an integral role in conveying the film’s themes. Spike Lee’s storytelling, combined with Bruce Hornsby’s evocative score, creates a rich cinematic experience that resonates with audiences and invites reflection on the importance of connection and resilience in the face of adversity.
Movie reviews
Time Out – “The new drama, best viewed as a church movie, is a return to the kind of corner-chat indie cinema Lee revolutionized, with an emphasis on a towering performance by The Wire’s Clarke Peters as a local bishop inflamed with the Word.”
Rotten Tomatoes – “Red Hook Summer is just as bold and energetic as Spike Lee’s best work, but its story is undermined by a jarring plot twist in the final act.”
New York Magazine – “This is a film made by a wiser man who recognizes that everybody’s looking for salvation in their own way. In the end, as the camera revisits the cast of broken, fallen characters, we may realize that Red Hook, as far as Spike Lee is concerned, is a state of mind.”
The AV Club – “The film’s 121-minute running time is similarly cause for concern. Lee can be tight and focused as a gun-for-hire, but he’s always viewed personal projects as irresistible invitations to self-indulgence and overreaching. Red Hook Summer is no exception.”
Slate – “The result feels like a sketchbook, both in a good and bad sense; it’s alive and spontaneous and surprising in some parts, underdeveloped and shapeless in others.”
Village Voice – “An alternately evocative and lumbering portrait of a multifaceted community.”
New York Daily News – “We have little to hang onto once the film falls apart. Between the ongoing sermonizing and that final, sharp shock – which is gravely mishandled – we feel cowed into submission, rather than led towards enlightenment.”
Purchase
Amazon Red Hook Summer soundtrack purchase page (commission goes to Bruuuce.com)