Style Wars
| Style Wars | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Directed by | Tony Silver |
| Produced by | Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant |
| Starring | Various |
| Music by | Various |
| Distributed by | Public Art Films, Plexifilm |
| Release date(s) | 1983 (on television), 1984 (in theatres) |
| Running time | 70 minutes Director's Cut: 111 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Style Wars is a 1983 documentary on hip hop culture, directed by Tony Silver in collaboration with Henry Chalfant. The film has an emphasis on graffiti, although bboying and rapping are covered to a lesser extent. The film was originally aired on PBS television in 1983, and was subsequently shown in several film festivals to much acclaim, including the Vancouver Film Festival. It also won the Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Background
The documentary shows both the young artists struggling to express themselves through their art, and their points of view on the subject of graffiti, as well as the views of then New York City Mayor Ed Koch, one-armed graffiti writer Case/Kase 2, graffiti writer Skeme and his mother, graffiti "villain" Cap, now deceased graffiti writer Dondi, Seen and Shy 147, graffiti documentarian (and co-producer of the film) Henry Chalfant, breakdancer Crazy Legs of Rock Steady Crew, police officers, art critics, subway maintenance workers, as well as several "people on the street".
[edit] Reception
In 2009, A. O. Scott of the New York Times examined the film; 'Style Wars is a work of art in its own right too, because it doesn't just record what these artists are doing, it somehow absorbs their spirit and manages to communicate it across the decades so that we can find ourselves, so many years later; in the city; understanding what made is beautiful'[2]
[edit] Featured Graffiti Artists
- Demon
- Se3
- Spank
- Dez
- Skeme
- Ces 157
- Min 1 (NE)
- Iz the Wiz
- Quik
- Sach
- Dondi
- Seen
- Kase2
- DUSTER UA
- Zephyr
- Revolt
- Wasp 1
- Noc
- Kase
- D-5
- Trap
- Butch
- Zone
- Kid 167
- Cap
- Spooks One
- Shy 147
- Seen TC5
- SEEN UA
- Mare 139
- Daze
- Crash
- Paze
- Cey
- Futura
- Fred
- Duro
[edit] Featured Break Dancers
- Crazy Legs
- Frosty Freeze.
[edit] Featured Music
- "8th Wonder" by The Sugarhill Gang
- "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash
- "Beat Bop" by Rammellzee and K.Rob
- "Pump Me Up" by Trouble Funk
- "Rockin' It" by Fearless Four
- "Jam Hot" by Johnny Dynell
- "Feel The Heartbeat" by Treacherous Three
[edit] DVD release
The digitally remastered DVD edition also contains:
- 23 minutes of outtake footage
- Commentary and interviews by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant
- Interviews with Style Wars editors Victor Kanefsky and Sam Pollard
- Art galleries by Blade, Cap, Cey, Crash, Crazy Legs, Daze, Dez, Dondi, Doze, Duro, Duster, Frosty Freeze, IZ the Wiz, Case/Kase 2, Kel First, Ken Swift, Lee, Mare139, Min One, Noc 167, Paze (Erni), Lady Pink, Quik, Rammellzee, Revolt, Sach, Seen TC5, Seen UA, Shy 147, Skeme, Spook, Tracy 168, and Zephyr
- Tributes to Dondi and Shy 147
- Guest interviews with Blade, Lee, Kel First, Seen, Tracy 168, Cap, MIN (NE), QUIK, IZ the Wiz, Fab 5 Freddy, Goldie, Guru, DJ Red Alert, and photographer Martha Cooper
[edit] 2011 Restoration Auction
On June 9, 2011 it was announced that Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist, Flea along with actors Brad Pitt and James Franco and director Spike Jonze were donating items to an eBay auction that would raise money for restoring the film negatives for Style Wars. The Auction will end on June 11, 2011.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Fox, Margalit. "Tony Silver, 72, Documentary Director, Dies". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/movies/05silver.html. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ Scott, A.O.. "Critics' Picks: Style Wars". Critics' Picks: Style Wars. New York Times. http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/04/20/movies/1194747016962/critics-picks-style-wars.html. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
- ^ "Flea donates bass guitar to charity auction". Express.co.uk. 2011-06-09. http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/251365/Flea-donates-bass-guitar-to-charity-auctionFlea-donates-bass-guitar-to-charity-auction#ixzz1Oi6gtFKU. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
[edit] External links
- Stylewars.com Official site
- Style Wars at the Internet Movie Database
- Style Wars on YouTube
- Style Wars Director Dies
- Critics' Picks: 'Style Wars'
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Sundance Grand Jury Prize: Documentary 1984 |
Succeeded by Seventeen |
