Watch CBS News

Spike Lee critiques Hollywood's blockbuster culture

(CBS News) Spike Lee's long career as a writer, director, producer and actor began in his native Brooklyn back in the '80s. "Red Hook Summer," about a 13-year-old boy who visits his deeply religious grandfather for the summer, is the sixth movie in Lee's chronicles of Brooklyn.

Lee financed the project himself. "We're in a difficult time in Hollywood as far as what films are being made," Lee said Friday on "CBS This Morning." "It has nothing to do with black or white. Unless you're James Cameron, Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Chris Nolan, couple of names I'm missing, I don't care who you are, it's very hard to get a film made and the majority of films being made today are colossal, super effect, blowing up, flying through the air. I mean, I'm not condemning Hollywood. That's just how they're rolling now."

Lee said he's not frustrated though. "I'm keeping it moving. I just made 'Red Hook Summer' and it's going out to the world."


"Growing up, the blockbusters started, they went from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Then once fall came, you had your more serious adult (movies in theaters)," Lee said. "Now it's 12 months. They don't care. It's 12 months a year."

"Red Hook Summer" opens Friday in New York theaters and nationwide on August 24.

In addition to his new film, Lee discussed why Michael Jackson is important to him, and his allegiance to the New York Knicks even as Brooklyn gets the Nets. Watch the video in the player above for all that and more.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.