Style Wars

Amazon.com

Some call it tagging, some call it writing, still others call it bombing--it's all graffiti. Whether it's art or not is another matter, but it's undeniably illegal. Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant's historic PBS documentary Style Wars tracks the rise and fall of subway graffiti in New York in the late 1970s and early 1980s. At the peak of its popularity, graffiti was as much a part of B-boy culture as rapping, scratching, and breaking. The filmmakers present a sympathetic, but well-rounded portrait of their subject through extensive interviews with taggers--notably Seen, Kase, and Dondi--art collectors, transit authorities, and even Mayor Ed Koch, who would eventually put the hammer down. Along the way, they documented the burgeoning breakdance scene, with a focus on the world-famous Rock Steady Crew. The soundtrack features selections from Grandmaster Flash, the Treacherous Three, and other tagger-approved icons of old-school hip-hop. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

When director Tony Silver and co-producer Henry Chalfant delivered the broadcast version of their prize-winning film to PBS in 1983, the world received its first full immersion in the phenomenon that had taken over New York City. The urban landscape was physically transformed by graffiti artists who invented a new visual language to express both their individuality, and the voice of their community. In STYLE WARS, New York's ramshackle subway system is their public playground, battleground, and spectacular artistic canvas. Opposing them by every means possible are Mayor Ed Koch, the police, and the New York Transit Authority. Meanwhile, as MC's, DJ's and B-boys rock the city with new sounds and new moves, we see street corner breakdance battles turn into performance art.

STYLE WARS has become an emblem of the original, embracing spirit of hip hop as it exploded into the world from underground tunnels, uptown streets, clubs and playgrounds. New York's legendary kings of graffiti own a special place in the hip hop pantheon. This film is regarded by many as the definitive document of the emerging hip hop culture, and the continuing struggle to keep its authentic spirit alive.

Customer Reviews:

An Outstanding Documentary.......2007-08-01

Style Wars documents the early graffiti scene in NYC and places it in the context of hip hop culture and the city at large. The film does a great job of conveying the passion graffiti writers have for their art, but is less successful at bringing into focus the conflicts between writers, parents, and city government. (The writers are never asked directly, for example, why they think it's acceptable to damage public property in pursuit of their art.) Nor is the connection between writers and b-boys and rappers drawn explicitly, despite the considerable time spent showing dancing. Nevertheless, there is a lot of good material here and, despite the filmmakers' obvious bias, all sides in this conflict are treated respectfully. The presentation itself is also quite artful, particularly the opening.

In addition to an extensive gallery, the bonus disc updates the story of 1983's Style Wars with interviews circa 2002. Not only do we get the artists' thoughts about the technique and history of graff and its relationship to music and dance, we get to hear what it meant to them then and now and how it changed their lives.

Much better than Cats.......2007-06-22

Art historians comb through years of research to find landmark events or works of art that launched a new era or genre. This documentary is that catalytic event for graffiti at the global level, and hip hop culture in general. The ripple effect that this documentary had across the world was amazing. If you were a kid in 1984, and your parents took you to the museum to see the World Graffiti Tour (I still have the poster) you went out the next day and spray painted your name on something.

After re-watching this in 2007, I noted something that I missed in 1984. The writers are plagued by CAP, the nutball renegade who is bent on crossing out all pieces with his toy throw-ups, yet they refuse to band together and resolve the problem. It struck me that although CAP's actions are antagonistic to the community of graffiti writer's, his principals are the same. He is putting his name up where it will get the most attention. On some subconscious level the larger graffiti community recognizes this and sees that by persecuting CAP, their hypocritical actions would place them in the same category as those that criticize and decry the merits of Graffiti as an art form. As an adult looking back at that time period, I was impressed by this unwillingness to turn against one who is basically on the same side, especially given the general opinion that New Yorkers had at the time of Graffiti writers being a destructive and violent group. I bet those New Yorkers are now longing for the days when kids carried spray paint in their back packs instead of AK-47s in the back seat of their Escalade. Personally, I would prefer it if the kids got the money for the Escalade from painting murals rather than slinging llello, but whatever. Right?

BakaTBakaSTakaT.Cz

Critical FIlm for Hip Hop Lovers.......2007-05-26

If you know your Hip Hop, you'll love this movie. Whether it's the time-capsule like footage tha brings you back, or it's the celebrity citings... you'll be sure to learn a thing or two about Grafitti, and what the 80's were like for young people in New York. Be on the look out for the "Drama King" DJ Kay Slay (DEZ) looking like a true Vandal! Respect

Classic.......2007-02-03

Not only a great documentary, but a fascinating look into early Hip Hop culture and early 80's era New York Cty. The film makers help document the art, the lives of graf writers and the struggle to control public spaces. For those interested in Graf, this is a must see. No matter which side of the debate you are on, you will be glued to the screen awaiting each new character, plot twist and new government sponsored counter graf project. Considered one of the original Hip Hop productions, this film gives the viewer a unique view into the culture before it became a globalized, marketable phenomenon.

history.......2007-01-12

style wars is a crash course in hip hop in it's infancy. If you are a life long b-boy or just someone who's into the culture and wants to know its roots, style wars will show you everything about the birth of hip hop.

Average customer rating:

Crazy Streets
Starring: Patti Astor , Alec Baldwin , Susan Blommaert , Helen Lloyd Breed , and Judith Cohen
Director: Amos Kollek
Manufacturer: Legacy Entertainment
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ASIN: B0007CILRA
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Vol 15 - Art Intensity Network Tattoo DVD

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Vol 15 - Art Intensity Network Tattoo DVD
Starring: Crazy Philadelphia Eddie; Bowery Stan Moskowitz; Coney Island Freddie
Director: Scott McCool
Manufacturer: West Street Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000DN5WWU
Release Date: 2005-10-01

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Crazy Streets
Starring: Patti Astor , Alec Baldwin , Susan Blommaert , Helen Lloyd Breed , and Judith Cohen
Director: Amos Kollek
Manufacturer: Mac Filmworks
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000K7UHII
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Average customer rating:

Debbie's first film since Videodrome
"My stars have uncrossed."
Very Nice Comedy!!
forever lulu

Crazy Streets
Starring: Alec Baldwin , Susan Blommaert , Helen Lloyd Breed , Bill Corsair , and Jonathan Freeman
Manufacturer: Digital 1 Stop
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Release Date: 2004-06-01

Customer Reviews:

Debbie's first film since Videodrome.......2007-08-30

Debbie Harry of Blondie made a very supporting role in this comedy/murder/drama that was a take off of Desperately Seeking Susan. The comedy is weak and Debbie is in about 10 minutes of the film. She looks great in her Stephen Sprouse outfit, but is lost in a movie that tries to be funny but is not and tries to be suspenseful and is not. A stinker in every aspect. Debbie took this role as she was attempting to make a comeback in the music and movie world after taking time off to care for her then boyfriend Chris Stein. So I guess she thought this might be a funny film. Sadly, it was not and the film was one of the worst of 1987. Notable for the film debut of Alec Baldwin and one of the rare English speaking films for German Hanna Schygulla.

"My stars have uncrossed.".......2004-09-11

In the film, "Forever Lulu", Elaine (Hanna Schygulla) works for a toilet seat company by day and writes scripts for adult films by night. But what she really wants to do is to write a serious novel. Things go from bad to worse when she's fired, receives an eviction notice, and her agent tells her to re-write her novel to make it more sensationalistic. Just as things hit rock bottom, Elaine's life changes when a smartly dressed couple mistake Elaine for a mugger and hand over their valuables. Soon Elaine is being stalked by a Mafia hit man and surrounded by dead bodies.

The plot is, obviously, far-fetched. Normally, this sort of thing might be carried off if it contained great comic performances. Unfortunately "Forever Lulu" is cursed with cliched lines and uneven performances. Some of the roles are surprisingly good--the snotty waiter, for example. And the role of Elaine's blind date, the obnoxious life insurance salesman, is a gem. Other performances are simply bad. Hanna Schygulla is a fine German actress, and Deborah Harry (from Blondie) has managed to deliver some good performances in the past too. Deborah Harry stars as the elusive and mysterious Lulu in this film. This role doesn't call for many lines--just a few appearances, and the few lines Harry has aren't very exciting. Schygulla and Harry--in spite of their talents--just can't drag this film anywhere. All in all, "Forever Lulu" tries hard--perhaps too hard--but it's just not an interesting, original or funny film--displacedhuman

Very Nice Comedy!!.......2002-10-07

This Movie is shot on some of the seedy streets of New York City is about an aspiring novelist Schygulla(Hanna Schygulla) as she accidently becomes involved in a real life mystery involving murder and drugs.In one of Alex Balwins first film appearances as a cop trying to catch the drug dealers with special cameo appearances by Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Deborah Harry,this film is a very nice comedy!!

forever lulu.......2002-09-15

well i had just seen the movie forever lulu and my mother and i loved it so much that we really want to own it and i would love to get it for her as a gift her birthday is coming here in December so if i can find a video 10$and below i will be very happy to make my mother happy thank you have a wonderful day

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Summer City & Crazy Streets (2pc) (2pk)
Starring: Summer City , and Crazy Streets
Manufacturer: Mac Filmworks
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000K7UHKQ
Release Date: 2007-01-23

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