Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Style Wars, the Holy Grail of hip-hop films, on Blu-ray Nov 4th


Style Wars, the legendary hip-hop documentary and timeless film classic, the indispensable record of a golden age of youthful creativity and exploding hip hop subculture, will be available on Blu-ray on November 4th, 2014.

When director Tony Silver and co-producer Henry Chalfantdelivered 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. 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.

The soundtrack features classics performed by The Sugar Hill GangThe Treacherous Three,The Fearless FourGrand Master Flash and The Furious FiveTrouble FunkRammellzee / K-Rob and Dion. New York's kings of graffiti and b-boys own a special place in the hip hop pantheon. In Style Wars they continue to empower new generations with the original spirit of hip hop, as it reached out from underground tunnels, from uptown streets, clubs and playgrounds, to the world at large

Bonus materials include:

The Outtakes, A brand new 40 min film culled from 30 hours of left over materials filled with hidden gems and fascinating moments never before seen.

B-Boy Showcase: is a montage of fast paced phenomenally acrobatic Rocksteady Crew at their tour launch party, in the studio, on the streets, and battling it out against Dynamic Rockers at the United Skates of America in Queens.

Style Wars In The Cutting Room: In the summer of '83 a camera crew visited Valkhn Films, an editing house where Style Wars was being painstakingly spliced together. This 25 min piece is a rare glimpse at the process of telling a real story as it's happening.

"Anybody who wants to understand what hip hop is all about needs to see a movie called Style Wars-- KRS-One

"A breakthrough documentary." -- A.O. Scott, The New York Times

"The Holy Grail of hip-hop movies." -- XLR8R

"Hip hop's Rosetta Stone." -- VIBE


  


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