The Graffiti Artist

Starring:Ruben Bansie-Snellman, Pledgure Duoshun, Zachary S. Smalls, Robert D. Heath Jr., Rich Clemets, Rich Carlton, Pepper Fajans, Daniel Parker (VI), Luke Cook, Dan Stegner, Justin Lawrence, John Paulson, Megan Johnston (II), Don Connell, Angie Golds
Director: James Bolton
Studio: Blank Stare
Product Type: DVD

Description

Take an intense journey into the dangerous lives and obsessed minds of six of America's most prolific graffiti artists. Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Doug Pray (Hype! and Scratch) who teamed up with writer, publisher, and graffiti guru Roger Gastman, the movie takes you deep into the world of street legends Saber, Toomer, Jase, Claw, Earsnot and Enem. With brutal honesty, humor and charisma, these artists reveal why they are so willing to risk everything to spray paint their cities with "tags," "throwups" and full-color murals. You'll also meet Joe "The Graffiti Guerilla" Connolly, a notorious "buffer" who paints out graffiti on his neighborhood's walls with a vengeance matched only by those who vandalized them. From the streets of the South Bronx to the solitude of a San Francisco tunnel, from high atop a Hollywood billboard to North Philadelphia for a lesson in "Philly-style tags," from the Mexican border to a Cleveland train yard, Infamy doesn't analyze or glorify graffiti... it takes you there and brings it to life.

Customer Reviews:

Aerosolt.......2006-12-09

Infamy is about artists going for fame. Pure and uncut through the decades
it's all there. All the phat beats and mad stlyes are there but in the end thats it. The movie displays illegal crime activity and what happens next. Some flashbacks in the movie are pretty macabre. This is really though hardcore bombing in different cities. This is the essence of graffiti and it's a cry for props in a world of none.

Infamy is a funkin dope documentary.......2006-11-03

How can you not like this film? It's got such a wide diverse group of writers, from Jase to Claw, Earsnot, Saber and Enem. In depth and totally deep interviews. Amazing and beautiful footage. Even features the assclown Joe Connolly - the "Graffitti Guerilla" of LA who is a big graff artist himself with his buffwork. The best graff film since Style Wars, hands down. If you're into graffitti but not tagging, this will get you into it. If you're not into graffitti, this will still get you into it. See it. Worth it for the interviews with female writer Claw and gay writer Earsnot alone.

-feelsweird

I don't care who you are...if you're a fan of art and personal experssion, grab this flick!.......2006-10-14

For all graf heads (especially) and even those that turn their nose at graffiti but have any appreciation for art/street culture and self expression, you need to check this film out. It's fantastic! Doug Pray (director and maker of SCRATCH) made this film because even though he was never a fan of graffiti, and even had a distaste for a lot if, he was curious to find out what it was all about. And he did...and the point of view from which he shot this film is exactly why it's so good! It's not a typical documentary where you'd expect the filmmaker to simply glamorize or demean graffiti, just give you the history of the art form, or tryto convince you that graffiti is this way or that way...it's a raw look into the lives of 7 people who lives revolve around the art form (with MANY artist and icon cameos throughout), and it gives you tremendous insight into what it really means to live and breath whatever it is your true passion may be. In this film , it happens to be graffiti. So, check it out! I doubt you'll be disappointed. And don't expect another SCRATCH...this film is a totally different kind of film.

Average customer rating:

More dough
This movie is a Bomb
Fun and Pretty
Cool Visuals (Photography and Graffiti Alike) and Very Melodramatic Story
Amazing Film

Bomb the System
Starring: Mark Webber (II) , Gano Grills , Jade Yorker , Jaclyn DeSantis , and Joey Dedio
Director: Adam Bhala Lough
Manufacturer: Palm Pictures / Umvd
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

The Graffiti Artist
Infamy
Piece by Piece
Graffiti Verite' 4 (GV4): Basic Techniques for Creating Graffiti Art on Walls and Canvas
Style Wars

ASIN: B000AMJG6W
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Amazon.com

To "bomb" is b-boy slang meaning to create graffiti. In Adam Bhala Lough's striking debut, the "system" is the NYPD's Vandal Squad. Anthony (Mark Webber, Broken Flowers) is a 19-year-old bomber--tag name "Blest"--with plans to go legit, like Keith Haring or Jean-Michel Basquiat back in the "wild style" 1980s, who went from New York's mean streets to its most exclusive galleries. Alas, both met tragic ends. Blest, too, appears to be on the fast track to artistic success...or personal decline. He may have skills, but he's also a thief and a drug user. When he meets the politically minded Alex (Jaclyn DeSantis), it seems he's finally found the angel he needs to guide him in the right direction. After all, he already lost his brother to the graffiti game. Alex wants him to run away with her, but that's easier said than done. Bomb the System is the kind of ambitious first feature where, despite the best of intentions, style trumps substance every time. That said, the look NYU grad Lough achieves--an impressionistic world of black skies, glowing lights, and saturated colors--helps his rather obvious message that crime doesn't pay go down with ease. The tragic tale gets a welcome boost from El-P's ominous instrumental score along with moody tracks from Schoolly D, Madvillain, and Radiohead. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Description

Anthony `Blest' (Mark Webber) is one of the most talented and notorious graffiti artists in New York City. Despite the tragic loss of his older brother during a nightly 'bombing' foray with a graffiti crew, Anthony has the same insatiable addiction. With the other members of his `crew,' Anthony parties, shoplifts spray-paint and 'tags' virgin walls with his signature 'Blest.' He does his best to avoid run-ins with the cops and hostile rival crews, but he can't avoid the pressure from his mother to attend college, and from his girlfriend to leave New York with her. As tensions rise, a physical threat from the cops causes the crew to intensify their bombing excursions, calling an all out war on the city. When the inevitable confrontation happens, a tragedy results that pushes Anthony to make a decision that has even darker consequences.

Customer Reviews:

More dough.......2006-12-09

This movie was okay. The scenes are pretty lifeless and I guess artists could go through this. I feel this ones solely for cash. It's more of a lewd romp for cash and fame. But this really is how some sh$t could go
down. It's like that movie Kids, but Kids had more made up problems that
actually exist. Still a solid movie in terms of cinema.

This movie is a Bomb.......2006-07-30

Graffiti is fascinating stuff. The people who do it are artists. This movie, however, is garbage. Over-acted and force-fed with idiotic slang that is already dated, "Bomb the System" takes a fascinating subject and portrays it in a way that trivializes all the motivations and purpose behind graffiti. I can only assume that the stellar reviews this movie has gotten so far are from people with no first hand experience of the subject, the same way that "You Got Served" was praised for its accurate portrayal of the breakdancing subculture by an overweight housewife in Muncie, Indiana.

Avoid this steaming pile at all costs.

Fun and Pretty.......2006-01-20

I really enjoyed the act of sitting down and watching this film.If you have a big enough screen (or sit close enough to the television) this film will take you on a fun visual and thematic roller coaster right of emotions and stimuli. I don't know much about graffitti, but the main character and the visuals really drew me in. The story-line wasn't shakespearian in complexity and originality, but it did what it was supposed to do (and I think bringing in aliens or a vast govermental conspiracy would have been a bit distracting anyway).

Even if you aren't into the film at all, if you find the main actor as attractive as I do you might just as well go out and buy the film anyway:p

Cool Visuals (Photography and Graffiti Alike) and Very Melodramatic Story.......2006-01-14

I went to `Bomb the System' thinking it might tell us something about the lie of the graphic artists in New York City. I knew it is not documentary, and the film stars Mark Webber has worked with two of the today's most eminent New Yorkers in the film industry (Woody Allen's `Hollywood Ending' and Al Pacino's `People I Know') And it has been more than 20 years since we saw `Wild Style,' and it is time that we should see another work using graphic art as its theme, set in more contemporary situation.

But I was disappointed. OK, Mark Webber is good as the protagonist `Blest' talented artist who has not yet decided his future plan -- to go to college or to keep doing what he is doing with his friends and fellow artists. Blest tells us some rules about doing (illegal) murals, but the film actually showed me the inner world of the artists much less than I had expected.

The reason is simple. The story by first-time writer/director Adam Bhala Louch is so melodramatic and cliché-ridden that you can spot instantly where Louch borrowed things from somewhere else, like numerous police dramas made for TV. The love story is so feeble and the female characters (mother and girlfriend of Blest) are caricatures. And look at the white cop from vandal squad of NYPD, who keeps watching Blest. He is the worst example, a sociopath wearing a badge, ready to blackmail the prostitutes, and bully the weak. Even with the appearance of the real-life artist Lee Quinones as himself cannot save the film from the stale formulaic script.

I must say one thing about the visuals of the film. The camera captures the darkly-lit streets and the blocks surrounded by demolished buildings very well, and though it is regrettable that he overuses the now corny MTV styles, it should be admitted that Adam Bhala Louch stops that when the characters are supposed to say something serious about their way of living.

Still I cannot help thinking that this is a missed opportunity. `Bomb the System' could have been a more thrilling and insightful film about art and life than what it is now. For the real-life artists, Giuliani's efforts to eradicate graffiti must have had more significant meaning for their career as artist. Ignoring more immediate and complex issues surrounding the graphic artists, however, the film relies on the not-so-original idea that crime doesn't pay. Maybe so, but just because doing graffiti is a crime doesn't mean that the film needs a handgun and a violent cop.

Amazing Film.......2005-12-28

Wow,,, after watching this movie I was really impressed. The filming is great and the story line is fantastic. The plot isn't all that realistic but the setting is. The soundtrack is a good fit for the film and the artwork is good. People interested in the underground artwork community will love this as well as serious writers.
Overall I was extremely satisfied with this film and would recommend it too most.

Average customer rating:

Why the title change? A msg from the Director.
a pretty good movie, gloomy, dark and hopeless
Complex story with believable characters
Same thing man!
fresh but definitely should peep other version

Against the Wall: Quality of Life
Starring: Lane Garrison , Brian Burnam , Luis Saguar , Mackenzie Firgens , and Tajai
Director: Benjamin Morgan
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Infamy
Piece by Piece
Bomb the System
The Graffiti Artist
Edison Force

ASIN: B000EWBKL2
Release Date: 2006-06-13

Customer Reviews:

Why the title change? A msg from the Director........2006-10-18

Interesting to see the dialogue around the title change. Thought I should comment to clear the air. The distributor opted to change the title (and the key art). They felt that, although everyone in the subculture knows what quality of life laws & offenses are, the general public would not. We were actually OK with the title change (to widen our audience). We were not, however, thrilled with their key art. Authenticity was/is our core value. The key art on this version basically throws that out the window. (As you can see, this is a CG creation of an SF alley way, and they superimposed our actors heads on some random bodies to get the hoodies and spray can in there.)

If you're interested in buying the real, authentic, filmmaker approved version, go to our website www dot qualityoflife-themove dot com. We're offering a grip of tasty extras that are available only from our website (in addition to our exclusive Sam Flores shirts and behind-the-scenes book). Thanks for the support!

a pretty good movie, gloomy, dark and hopeless.......2006-09-14

the graffitti artworks were really amazing. what a sad and hopeless story. again, the majority americans are struggling while the politicians are bragging that america is the most powerful and the richest nation on the planet. all the roles were played wonderfully realistic and so naturally performed, a great achievment here. this is a movie turned out to be almost great but also very dark. i couldn't say i enjoyed it because it's a very sad story.

Complex story with believable characters.......2006-07-07

This movie isn't light, fluffy entertainment, it's a film with a message. The underlying theme is on graffiti art and its culture, but there's a lot of social commentary mixed in throughout the whole movie. Seeing how fluidly and easily the two main actors can create their art was amazing. Good casting all around, and having San Francisco's Mission District as the setting couldn't have been more appropriate. There's a lot of garbage coming out of Hollywood these days -- they should pay attention to indie movies like this.
One of the great things about movies on DVDs are the commentaries and this one didn't disappoint me at all. I found the commentary on this movie to be one of the most interesting I've heard. They did a great job not only detailing background information about making the movie, but the way they presented the Mission District, and the people who live there, in such a real and heartfelt light was very enlightening. They also touch on topics tied to our culture and society on a scene by scene basis. Whether graffiti is art or vandalism can be a simple question, but this movie did a great job to make me consider both sides.

Same thing man!.......2006-06-29

Dude?! Same thing happened to me. I bought it from the movie's website and got deleted scenes and songs and stuff but my friend Gabe bought it from here and got the wack version. I don't even think that's a real picture of SF on the cover! Whatever this is a good movie but buy the RIGHT version. Peace like chickengrease.

fresh but definitely should peep other version.......2006-06-29

This movie's pretty dope. I like films about graff in general, but this one had a lot of things going for it. The cinematography, capturing the gritty but vibrant aesthetic of the Mission district, totally meshed with the appeal of graff culture, and I thought the plot, which centered on the disintegrating friendship between two writers due to problems with the law, was compelling. I first checked it out cuz' my homie had a copy from net flix, but when I ordered it from the Quality of Life website, the one I received was way different from the one I first peeped. This dvd (Against the Wall) seems sorta like a chopped-down Hollywood version of the official film- the movie's basically the same, but it doesn't have extra features and the cover art's pretty lame. If you wanna check it out, I think you'd be better off getting the official version.

Average customer rating:

Art Frees You
Another excellent film from Portland Oregon
ehh a little to for my tastes
Nothing To Do
I liked it...but WATCH OUT your in for a BIG SURPRISE!

The Graffiti Artist
Starring: Ruben Bansie-Snellman , Pledgure Duoshun , Zachary S. Smalls , Robert D. Heath Jr. , and Rich Clemets
Director: James Bolton
Manufacturer: Blank Stare
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Bomb the System
Mysterious Skin (Deluxe Unrated Director's Edition)
You I Love
Sin Destino
Young Gods

ASIN: B00092991A
Release Date: 2005-05-03

Product Description

Nick is a shy and rebellious teenage graffiti artist who roams the Portland and Seattle streets late at night, looking for empty walls to tag. But when he meets and become friends with another tagger, he starts to emerge from his alienated shell. Featuring striking cinematography, carefully sparse dialogue, and a surprisingly nuanced performance from newcomer Ruben Bansie-Snellman as Nick, this indie from writer/director James Bolton became a critical success on the festival circuit.

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

Art Frees You.......2007-05-15

"The Graffiti Artist"

Art Frees You

Amos Lassen and Cinema Pride

I sat down today to watch James Bolton's "The Graffiti Artist" having no idea what to expect except that I had read mixed reviews. As a reviewer myself, I am very distrustful of what others say until I decide myself so I cleared my mind and sat back and waited for the movie to suck me in.
Set in an urban landscape, Nick, and finds himself a young post-modern boy is our hero. His agenda is to paint the walls of downtown Seattle and Portland. The walls represent capitalistic oppression to him as well as places that are just waiting to be exploited and to show his anger with the status quo. His bywords of "rupture the system' are his calling card and his life as a "tagger" seems to be his only desire. He worked alone until he met Jesse, another young tagger. The murals that they collaborate on seem to be the products of their kindred spirits. However, what they assume about each other is soon challenged and because of uncompromising political, ethical and emotional ideas, their relationship soon dissolves.
We go deep into the mind of a tagger ad examine the sub-culture of graffiti. Nick has exiled himself from society and belongs nowhere. He wanders within thoughts of ethical, professional, sexual and moral conflicts. He feels constantly confronted ad his response is through direct experience--graffiti. His desire to survive ad his struggle to do so in a way that challenges the conventions of the society in which he lives is what the film is all about.
There is not a great deal of dialogue in the film and it is not really necessary anyway. The beauty and surrealism of the story and the background music by Kid Loco causes the spoken word to be secondary in a film like this. Nick or "Rupture" as he tags himself manages to get in trouble with the law and moves from Portland to Seattle where he meets Jesse who tags himself "Flip". The two begin to tag together and develop a relationship and move in to live together. They become sexually intimate in one of the most sensuous scenes, albeit understated, ever filmed. Jesse becomes quite uncomfortable with the sexual feelings and goes back to Portland and poor Nick is left behind, alone. But the relationship plays only a small part in the film--it s more important to concentrate on what a fine artist Nick is and to what limits he will go to show it.
The movie is almost like a dream that takes the viewer into the life of a graffiti artist.
There is a little of Nick in all of us and we see this as the movie asks questions that are valid to all--the kinds of questions that should be asked more often. We get a look at a society as anonymous and see the need of individual expression; Nick represents both our hopes and our fears. He does what everyone wants and he does what he loves to do, compromising nothing in the process but he pays a very dear price for it. He lets us see that one who wants a self-determined life can indeed have one and he refuses to adapt to common constraints of society. He, therefore, faces the coldness of that society strongly and fearfully. The movie is not so much the story of a teenager but is more the story of social problems.
Ruben Bansie-Snellman is Nick, the teenager who lives a solitary life and commits himself to tagging under the name of "Rupture". He is a man against the world and his portrayal is a thing of beauty. He owns the movie and his magnetism helps him to create a character that is simple in his complexities. Snellman is Nick ad he ropes us in on his first appearance on the screen.
This is a beautiful and personal movie that has gone unnoticed. It is in no way mainstream cinema as it deals with urban art. It is not an easy movie to watch but you will feel rewarded when you see it. It is a gem and many of us will be able to relate to Nick--for that alone, it is worth a view.

Another excellent film from Portland Oregon.......2007-02-22

The Graffiti Artist is the second feature film from director James Bolton and it shows an increasing confidence from his previous film Eban and Charley. The relationship depicted in that earlier film gained the work notoriety by fact that the U.S. has higher age of consent laws than most other nations in the world but it also showed a low-key, naturalistic directorial vision that didn't feel the need to inflate the drama of it's small, intimate love story.

When people speak of low-budgets they often refer to independent productions that cost a few million rather than many millions of dollars and which are often in fact funded by the indie branches of existing studios. The Graffiti Artist on the other hand shows what is possible when one is truly working on a low-budget...shooting on video, with very minimal dialogue, only two main characters and no special effects to speak of. It's reminiscent of Gus Van Sant's first feature film Mala Noche in its ability to extract maximum impact from minimum resources.

The main actor Ruben Bansie-Snellman is in every scene and the gentle, introverted nature of his character is well portrayed. His most immediately endearing physical characteristic is his sleepy eye (or Ptosis as the medical world terms this "condition"), a harmless physical trait that is exactly the sort of "flaw" that makes a person seem more attractive and human. Given some of the awful gay-themed films that get produced (Another Gay Movie for example) it's nice to see a film that looks to break out of the traditional concepts and assumptions of gay life, in this case into the world of skateboarders and graffiti artists. The gentle, discreet lovemaking scene is one of the best I've seen simply because it grows organically out of the story and the director doesn't rush it or hype it with overdone music.

As for the plot itself, there are any number of ways to interpret the characters and their sexuality. I would read Jesse as a sort of Ennis Del Mar on a skateboard, deeply conflicted over his relationship with Nick...then again perhaps he is just a lonely kid going through a "difficult" period (as he calls it) who just badly needs some brief human contact. Nick remains an enigma, most likely gay, possibly bisexual, definitely open to the options that come his way.

What qualms I have are minor one's and perhaps one's that would only be noticed by someone who lives in th Northwest. For example, it seemed like the Union Station in Portland was being used in one scene when a character is supposed to be leaving from the King Street Station in Seattle and I question how one could ride the Amtrak line back and forth without one of those little tickets they require riders to show. I may have missed something though.

The director is currently working on an adaption of the acclaimed book Dream Boy by James Grimsley and at this point looks likely to become another chronicler of youth culture in the tradition of fellow Portlander Gus Van Sant.

ehh a little to for my tastes.......2007-01-06

i like graffitti movies so i bought this ,
and right off the bat it has tha cheesy graff flick feel, but is put together good almost like BOMB THE System ,
but this was before that.it tries to show the relationship between graffti art and gang graffitti and the violence between the two,
hehhh.
but sooner than you think it turns into a an homo-erotic love storie about two juvenille boys , in the streets,
its has a preachy vibe and its really a weak plot. sad ending, ive given the director his due for taking on this story like this
but it think the majority of its target audience wont relate to the homosexual charcters..
get Bomb The System Instead,

Nothing To Do.......2006-12-09

This is probably the oldest re-run of getting mad props. Racking cans, racking the camera and watching one kid have morals, but this is a movie.
I guess the gay part is different because the two monkeys have foreplay and pretty much say nothing at all. This one gives none and takes none.
This one's probably for the cash also but I don't know about society playing part in it. Continuity was cool in this one though.

I liked it...but WATCH OUT your in for a BIG SURPRISE!.......2006-01-15

(((May contain Spoilers)))

This kid Ruben Bansie did really great in this movie!
He was very believable as a drifting graffiti artist.
This is a cool movie but,I guess this is one of those movies that everyone never sees eye to eye on.
We watched the same movie but we all have different interpretations from it.
For instance, alot of people saw Nick as
being gay but I actually didn't. I saw him as being
super obsessed with tagging up that it's left him
being a loner and he came to a point where even
just to make a friend (be him gay or not) he was
willing to "roll with the punches" even though he
wasn't.

He was constantly giving a Wary eye to Jesse
especially when he was offering to buy him a skateboard,
he was wondering "why is this dude being so nice to me?".
He stays at Jesse's place, Jesse comes out the shower
naked,and puts on his underwear in front of him, the way
Nick looked at him was like "this dude better not try nothing".
I dunno if it was just the way Nick's eyes looked (he kinda
had that droopy, lazy, high look) why I interpreted it this way.
He even pulled the covers to his chest a little closer after
he saw that.

Check the next scene at the smoothie shop, Jesse offered
to buy them breakfast, Nick says something to the affect of
"no I'm alright" or something..he had that Wary look again
of "why is this dude being so nice to me?"; Jesse probably
reading Nick's mind suddenly looks at the girl making the
smoothie then blurts out with an unexpected "cute isn't she?".
Then Nick suddenly satisfied with that, basically says I'll
take some too.

So all in all I was REALLY shocked when he so easily
succumbed to Jesse giving him ...a "hand".

It was almost like an unecessary twist to the movie.
And here I was thinking that they were going to make
masterpieces together and probably one or the other
was going to get jealous of the other over who's name
was more popular....boy was I wrong!

Average customer rating:

Stereotypical Gangster Nonsense

Transit
Starring: Will Morales , Marcelo Molina , Andres Padilla Infante , Carrie R. Wallace , and Bron Theron
Director: Terrence Williams
Manufacturer: Maverick
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Customer Reviews:

Stereotypical Gangster Nonsense .......2005-08-15

There were high hopes that the first movie released about graffiti would be as interesting as the art itself. Unfortanately it sings the same old tune of x - "graffiti writer" (subsititute graffiti writer for any other urban cliche, i.e. thug, theif, etc.)who is trying to clean up his act. there is the friend who he feels he owes something too which gets him pulled back into the old rhythms that got him in trouble in the first place. Then there is a "graffiti battle" between two "crews". (Mind you the movie makes no attempt at defining graffiti terminology for the sake of the uni-informed viewer). Guess where it goes from there (not very far).

Now im sure everyone was expecting a low budget. With that comes the hope that the movie will make up for it in some "artistic" ways (i.e - movies like Pi and Kids; low budget but well done). This movie reminds me of my highschool video projects! only worse!!! I could write paragraphs about how poorly executed this movie was from a technical standpoint. And the acting, i wasnt kidding when i said highschool video project. Within the first MINUTE of watching this movie you are going to be like " i spent $3 and called seven video stores to rent, sigh, this".

NOW WHAT ABOUT THE SUPPOSED STAR OF THE FILM, THE GRAFFITI?!?!? Sadly there really isnt any!!! there are some moments in the movie where it provides a backdrop to dialogue. The only graffiti that is showcased is most likely the AMATEAUR efforts of the movie director and his friends... and seriously folks were are talking 7th grade styles. Now aside from the piece on the cover and a photo montage at the begining of the film, the rest is just lousy. Its the kind of stuff everyone does when they first start learning how to do graffiti , i.e.- "SQUIGGLY LETTERS THAT FLARE OFF IN POINTLESS DIRECTIONS, NO FLOW, NO SYMMETRY, AND ABOUT 6 UNDERLINES! YEAHHHHHHH!!!" I mean come on!! the director/producers could have spent one afternoon at the Venice Beach public walls and spoken to some real writers to lend their hard earned talents... "but hey its our movie and we are the cool graffiti writers!!!".

the films few redeeming qualities are the excellent beats, and the... i mean its only redeeming quality (hence the one star).

This movie is a disgrace to those who care about graffiti (like me), and will create a very negative and unrealistic stereotype in the minds of those who know little/nothing about it. If you are hoping to gain some insight into just what "graffiti" is dont look here.

May I suggest a real graffiti video which you can purchase at any "hip-hop" store, or online. I even noticed that Amazon sells "Graffiti TV vol 1, 2, 3". See the real stuff to feel the real action.

Average customer rating:

Expected a lot more

Dithers
Director: Reid van Renesse
Manufacturer: Build World Wide
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Infamy
Rock Fresh
Graffiti Verite' 4 (GV4): Basic Techniques for Creating Graffiti Art on Walls and Canvas
Piece by Piece
Up Until Now

ASIN: B00061QIY0
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Description

FIFTY24SF in collaboration with Upper Playground is proud to announce Dithers, an extraordinary showcase DVD featuring exclusive art and interviews with some of today¹s most influential fine, graffiti and street artists, designers and photographers. Dithers represents the first time many of the graffiti and street artists have been captured on film creating their art.

The 30 innovative artists featured on Dithers have produced inspiring work and contributions to today's cultural vocabulary and history. On the DVDs, they are featured in real-world situations discussing their influences, the environment in which they create art and the current art climate.

Dithers includes a bonus DVD under the direction of famous street photographer Ricky Powell that includes interviews and studio visits with eight artists: Team, Jest, Kostas, Dalek, Dr. Revolt, SSUR, Seen and Quick; as well as never-been-seen-before bonus footage. The footage is shot in a style Powell characterizes as, "unorthodox, avant-garde with a bohemian twist," similar to the relaxed format of his cult-classic New York public access cable TV show Rappin' with the Rickster. Ricky Powell has photographed some of the best known rap and hip hop artists of all time including The Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, Run DMC, Cypress Hill, LL Cool J, Easy E, Slick Rick and Method Man. His first book, Oh Snap! was published in 1998 and he released his second, The Rickford Files: Classic New York Photos, in 2000. He currently writes a column for Mass Appeal magazine, is compiling a third book and produces a clothing line, The Ricky Powell Collection under the Upper Playground label in San Francisco.

Customer Reviews:

Expected a lot more.......2006-01-15

They profile something like 25 really great and inspiring artists on this triple dvd. However, each only gets a max of like 10 mins, which is fine, but that 10 mins is a very unfocused period. The first 2 discs are done by someone who basically interviews every Westcoast graphic designer/'street' artist, most of whom have since been commissioned by skate companies etc., and talk a bunch about their collabos with major companies. the interviews are lacking. Then, on the 3rd disc, Ricky Powell handles the interviews, and while he gets to interview GODS in the original NYC grafitti scene like Seen, Kwik, Jest, Dalek, Kostas etc., Ricky is such a mind-wandering burnout that they're more like a wasted idiot with a camera fixed on a giggling, confused artist more than they are actual interviews. I love Ricky powell's humor and his place in nyc is certainly well deserved as a lippy luminary, but bottom line is he's done way too much dust to be asking anybody questions about anything. The 'extras', which by their titles seem really dope, are a waste of time, save for the Revolt one, which at least lasts a bit. In the video of Ssur's studio (who is my personal hero in that scene, and from whom I expected a full interview), SSur says like mayyybe 2 words. Literally. Because nothing like this has really been done before, with this type of collective of artists at least, or this long a roster, I have to give it some props, but it is definitely not well put together, cohesive in any way, and oh yeah the music backdrops to each interview are all from Ubiquity (wack) and some other fake instrumental hiphop labels that obviously didn't charge much or anything for music licensing.
All in all, I was decently satisfied, but by the 3rd disc, I was really hoping for so much more. Considering how much lots of these guys (and a couple gals) have contributed to modern design and culture in metro city society, there could have been a much more professional and/or in-depth approach to the whole DVD set.
Worth checking out, but I'll probably sell mine on ebay.

Average customer rating:

El Arte de la Calle
Starring: Various Artists
Manufacturer: Universal Latino
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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