From Amazon.com
A slightly dated but nonetheless fascinating snapshot of musical history,
Beat Street is an urban musical detailing the roots of hip-hop. Set in early-1980s New York, the film focuses on the lives of a small group of young people setting their experiences against the larger backdrop of the city's burgeoning music scene. The story of up-and-coming DJ Kenny (Guy Davis) and his relationship with jazz musician Tracy (Rae Dawn Chong) may only be a device, but it's surprisingly effective, as is the ultimately tragic tale of graffiti artist Ramon (Jon Chardiet). The movie's real raison d'être, however, is to showcase the sounds of the street, so it's full of some of hip-hop's most influential names--Melle Mel, Doug E Fresh, Kool Moe Dee, the Rocksteady Crew, Jazzy Jeff, and Arthur Baker. And while the combination of electro and rapping may sound a little crude to modern ears, there can be no doubt that
Beat Street is the sight and sound of history being made.
--Phil Udell
Review
Released just a month after the immense success of Breakin', Beat Street added to the shameless product that Hollywood pumped out to fuel the ever-growing obsession with breakdancing culture, though it strived for more than just your usual underdogs plotline. More in line with the strife presented in the similarly themed Rappin' from the following year, Beat Street offers a view of life in the inner city that doesn't always end in a rousing musical number. That's not to say that there aren't lively set pieces. With appearances by Afrika Bambaataa and Grand Master Melle Mel & the Furious Five fueling showdowns between the real Rock Steady Crew vs. the New York City Breakers breakdancing crews, the dance sequences are wild, bright, and shimmering with that '80s sheen that later generations would either emulate or try hard to forget about. What also sets the film apart is the focus on all aspects of the culture, including graffiti art and DJing, both of which mostly got the shaft in other productions at the time. Add in hot outfits, neon nightclubs, and fresh beats that move everyone's feet, and you have yourself one heck of a breakdance flick. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
DVD ~ Joel Silberg
DVD ~ Sam Firstenberg
DVD ~ Afrika Bambaataa
DVD ~ Michael Schultz
DVD ~ Charlie Ahearn
