Wild Style

If you think you are a true Hip Hop fan and when I talk about Wild Style and you are asking me "What?", then something must be wrong...

Wild Style is the first and true Hip Hop documentary/film about a culture that remained one of the strongest of the past few decades. Never has there been an artform of music that was just basically made of other music styles, but has managed to grow and evolve on its own.

If you want to understand the basic elements of Hip Hop (Rappin', DJin', Breakdancin' & Grafitti) then don't look any further, here's what you need.

As one of the top titles wanted on my "Please-Release-It-On-DVD-List", this movie is not a movie in its real form. Because it was pretty much lowbudget, it has a feel of documentary, but it certainly has a story. Not very much, but the knowledge that almost everyone of the cast was/is someone in the Hip Hop Community 1982, makes this title very interesting to see what they contribute to this movie, and Hip Hop in general.

You've probably read the plot outlines in other reviews, so I won't tell you anything you've already read in those reviews. All I can say is, if you wanna know what the TRUE meaning is of Hip Hop, instead of the BLING-BLING type o' Hip Hop which is totally (well, almost totally) commercialised, see if you can get a copy of this movie and "take a trip down memory lane", like my man Nas said in his 1994 DJ Premier produced cut "Memory Lane (Sitting In Da Park)", another Hip Hop Gem..

RECOMMENDED!!

As much a document of primordial hip-hop culture as it was an arbiter of what hip-hop would become(for a time), this film perfectly encapsulates the earthshaking inventiveness and fun of hip-hop and, upon this viewing, reminds me of how much of that loose, experimental spirit is missing in the current scene. The flimsy story(carried, as it were, by the singularly inarticulate graffiti legend "Lee" Quinones) is aptly subordinate to the raw, bouncy hip-hop soundtrack(provided by Blondie's Chris Stein and the ever-smooth Fab 5 Freddy, who folks of a certain musical disposition might remember from Yo! MTV Raps and who also co-stars). A must not just for hiphop heads but also for anyone striving to understand why this "fad" caught on like it did. 10/10

Much like the later documentary STYLE WARS, this is a portrait of the blossoming New York hip hop scene of the early 80's, encompassing rap, break dancing, and graffiti art. However, this film weaves in a fictional plot line about a tagger (real graffiti artist "Lee" Quinones) struggling with his persona and his art and its place in society. As a film, the word that comes to mind is "amateurish". The cast consists mostly of real personalities from the scene, and none of them are particularly good at acting. The photography is lackluster and the editing is sloppy, and the low budget is obvious (a scene of people frolicking in a pile of money takes on an unintended comic edge when it turns out to be all $1 bills). But as a celebration of artistic expression, it's a joy. If the dramatic scenes aren't exactly Oscar-caliber, they're at least heartfelt, and serve well enough as the glue between the performances, which are electrifying. Featuring Grand Master Flash, Busy Bee, Lisa Lee, Double Trouble, Rock Steady Crew and more, and culminating in a dynamite outdoor amphitheater show, it's a showcase for a lot of great talent. Not the best filmmaking in the world, but a hell of a party.

I had heard that Blondie was in this movie, but was disappointed to find that they didn't appear, although two Blondie songs were used as background music (including Rapture). Chris Stein also played synthesized guitar for the soundtrack. This film is very good as a documentary of the early days of old school rap (it's fascinating to see Grandmaster Flash & Busy Bee work) & graffiti (we get to see all the ugly subway train car logos we could ask for, & some of the beautiful wall murals), but in reality, the movie is only a pseudo-documentary. Real graffiti artist Lee Quinones (Lee) plays graffiti man Zoro in the movie, & Fab 5 Freddie tries to hook him up with Manhattan art gallery types. As a movie, the plot is childish, the subplot (Lee & Pink's romance) undeveloped, & the acting is, well, adolescent. As a documentary, I give it 8/10; as a movie, I give it 2/10; overall 5/10.

If you want a movie with a plot and a story, this isn't for you. If you want to see the founding fathers of a musical movement which changed the world, this is it. It's the real deal - the artists play themselves, and there are extensive breaks showing all that was wonderful about rap, graffiti and break-dancing in NYC in the early 80's. I was lucky enough to live there at the time, and I will never forget the amazement of seeing full-painted subway cars, and hearing the unique beats of Red Alert and his kind on Kiss and WBLS. This movie captures a wonderful moment in time.It was the best of times, it was ... the best of times. I have no idea where all these people are now, but if you ever read this - thanks - you changed my life.