Old school hip-hop culture, like it was waaay back
Written: Sep 22 '02 (Updated Sep 24 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Semi-documentary of old-school hip-hop culture as experienced from the inside.
Cons: Poor script, acting, plot, technical faults, sound.
The Bottom Line: Old school hip-hop like it was in New York in the early 1980s.
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| soothsayer's Full Review: Wild Style |
Wild Style presents to us what the hip-hop/rap scene was back in the days of the early 1980s, New York City. It’s raw, it’s live, and it’s real, with a few parts fictionalized. All the action takes place in the South Bronx with its gritty backdrop of bombed out buildings, and graffiti stricken subway lines. Graffiti artists are bombing the subway without mercy. There are club scenes featuring DJs, and rappers in clubs spinning for fame and respect. The influence, curiosity, and the money of mainstream media have yet to creep it’s way into hip-hop, but it is beginning. And all the action culminates with the final scene at a little amphitheater on the Lower East Side.
Most of the movie centers on Lee Quinones, the young graffiti artist who writes under the name “Zoro”. His graffiti is done in a new “wildstyle” that is admired (and stolen) by everybody. His doesn’t get much respect for his art either, not from his girlfriend Rose, or from the graffiti community who suddenly mistrust him for meeting--with the help of Fab Five Freddy--with an influential art collector, and a reporter. But somehow in the end, it all works out when Lee paints the apocalyptic hands-of-God mural for the all-star Amphitheater Jam, and he gets all the respect he deserves.
The music is all old school hip-hop featuring pioneers such as the Cold Crush Brothers, and the Romantic Fantastic Five, among others. Most of their time is spent going around clubs emceeing, spinning records, and chasing girls, all in the name of fame, and respect.
Among the best scenes of the movie is the one where the Cold Crush Brothers meet the Fantastic Five in a rap battle on a basketball court. The two groups square off, and each rapper razzes the other with braggadocio. It’s all serious rhymes, and the Cold Crush Brothers shows the rival group who is better. In the background, a few fly girls are rapping in support. Then the two groups finish to go shoot some hoops together. Grandmaster Flash is also featured in one scene in his kitchen mixing records interspersed with footage of Crazy Legs of the Rock Steady (b-boy) Crew breakdancing on a linoleum floor.
The film is a mixed bag. If you want to experience the history and the nostalgia of hip-hop from the music right down to the full mural graffiti on IRT cars, Wild Style is required viewing. However, if you are just looking for something to entertain you, then this film will be lost on you with its poor acting, script, pacing, and various technical faults. I’ve been told the Wild Style DVD will be released October 22, 2002 with better sound, and new scenes in it.
I saw a screening of this movie as part of the 20th Anniversary Jam reunion at the East River amphitheater, the exact same location as shown in the final scene of the movie filmed 21 years ago during the Amphitheater Jam on May 1981. Mixing up some excellent old school were Grandmaster Caz, and Grand Wizard Theodore (who is credited with the birth of scratching, and no, spilling Heineken over a turntable had nothing to do with it :) Tony Tone (never leaving the girls alone), Rahiem, and Whipper Whip did some rapping, and kept it real with their messages of anti-drugs (obviously not heeded by the young kids smoking pot in the crowd.) DJ Kool Herc, Sir Coxsone Dodd, and U-Roy (he has a great silky singing voice, and quite possibly is the godfather of all DJs) also came to represent the reggae roots of hip-hop. And I’m not even mentioning Charlie Ahearn the director, Busy Bee, and so many others. It was a great bit of nostalgia, and a chance for those new to hip-hop to see, and experience the history. And oh yeah, free.
Viewing Format: 35mm print
Rating: R
Website: http://www.wildstylethemovie.com
Recommended:
Yes
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