Style Wars

Starring:Seen, Kase 2, Skeme, Edward I. Koch, Daze, Frosty Freeze, Iz the Whiz, Mare, Min One, Crazy Legs, Cap, Dondi
Director: Tony Silver, Henry Chalfant
Studio: Plexifilm
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
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.

Product Description

STYLE WARS (DVD MOVIE)

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

Customer Reviews:

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.

know your history...........2007-01-11

No, it is not Dirty Hands.. but if you are a young buck, or even an OG... this is a must for your video collection.

I bough the VHS in Amsterdam 10 years ago.. but was disappointed to find it did not work in US machines. So I recently got the DVD.

Average customer rating:

Where Spiderman meets Dr. Octopus
1 ** star for deceptive advertisement 5 stars for orginal movie

Style Wars: Revisited
Starring: Style Wars
Manufacturer: Mvd Visual
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Music Video & Concerts | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Infamy
Rock Fresh
Wild Style
Piece by Piece
The Freshest Kids - A History of the B-Boy

ASIN: B000GYI3AO
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Customer Reviews:

Where Spiderman meets Dr. Octopus.......2006-12-09

Okay, theres no Spiderman or Doc but this is the one of the earliest forms of recorded graffiti. This is the element of that whole youth driven culture. Raw and smacks you in the face this is the real story. This is that whole keepin' it real thing before keeping it real. Cold streets and and that whole feeling of how far man has come can be felt in this film going back. More points of authority and the people who rebelled against spoken word. An era gone forever.

1 ** star for deceptive advertisement 5 stars for orginal movie.......2006-10-22

First, let me say that the original PBS documentary is a 5 STAR ***** film and I love the two-disc DVD issue that came out a few years ago, BUT this one??? NO WAY. It's the same as the other DVD even though they claim that the "revisited" one had 34 minutes of extra footage etc. It's the SAME as the other DVD and they say that once you play it. No new old footage in there, except maybe a few small but insignificant clips. If you want the good one, buy the 2-disc DVD that came out in 2004 I think. This is a rip off quite frankly and I am not even sure why they bothered to issue another DVD, simply because they have 4 new interviews and a few minor clips.

Average customer rating:

Much better than Cats
Critical FIlm for Hip Hop Lovers
Classic
history
know your history....

Style Wars
Starring: Seen , Kase 2 , Edward I. Koch , Frosty Freeze , and Min One
Director: Henry Chalfant , and Tony Silver
Manufacturer: Plexifilm
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Biography | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( S ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Wild Style
The Freshest Kids - A History of the B-Boy
Beat Street
Subway Art
Scratch (Ws Dol Dts)

ASIN: B00008MTWY
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Amazon.com

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.

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

know your history...........2007-01-11

Average customer rating:

Style Wars
Starring: Style Wars
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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