Style Wars

Style Wars is an early documentary on hip hop culture, made by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant, made in New York City in 1983. The film has an emphasis on graffiti, although breakdancing and rapping are covered to a lesser extent. The film was originally aired on PBS television in 1983, and was subsequently shown in several film festivals to much acclaim, including the Vancouver Film Festival.

"Style Wars" shows both the young artists struggling to express themselves through their art, and their points of view on the subject of graffiti, as well as the views of then New York City Mayor Ed Koch, one-armed graffiti writer Case/Kase 2, graffiti writer Skeme and his mother, graffiti "villain" Cap, now deceased graffiti writer Dondi, Seen and Shy 147, graffiti documentarian (and director of the film) Henry Chalfant, breakdancer
Crazy Legs (dancer) of Rock Steady Crew, police officers, art critics, subway maintenance workers, as well as several "people on the street".

"Style Wars" gives a remarkable view into the graffiti subculture (as well as urban New York City life in the 1980s), documents the embryonic stages of New York City Hip Hop, and shows that its members were a racially and ethnically diverse group of creative young artists.

Featured Graffiti Artists

Demon, Se3, Spank, Dez, Skeme, Ces 157, Min, Iz the Wiz, Quik, Sach, Dondi, Seen, Dust, Zephyr, Revolt, Wasp 1, Noc, Kase, D-5, Trap, Butch, Zone, Kid 167, Cap, Shy 147, Lil' Seen, Mare, Daze, Crash, Paze, Cey, Futura, Fred, Duro,

Featured Music

* "8th Wonder" by The Sugarhill Gang
* "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash
* "Beat Bop" by Rammellzee
* "Pump Me Up" by Trouble Funk
* "Rockin' It" by Fearless Four

DVD release

The digitally remastered DVD edition also contains:
* 23 minutes of outtake footage
* Commentary and interviews by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant
* Interviews with "Style Wars" editors Victor Kanefsky and Sam Pollard
* Art galleries by Blade, Cap, Cey, Crash, Crazy Legs, Daze, Dez, Dondi, Doze, Duro, Duster, Frosty Freeze, IZ the Wiz, Case/Kase 2, Kel First, Ken Swift, Lee, Mare139, Min One, Noc 167, Paze (Erni), Lady Pink, Quik, Rammellzee, Revolt, Sach, Seen TC5, Seen UA, Shy 147, Skeme, Tracy 168, and Zephyr
* Tributes to Dondi and Shy 147
* Guest interviews with Blade, Lee, Kel First, Seen, Tracy 168, Cap, IZ the Wiz, Fab 5 Freddy, Goldie, Guru, DJ Red Alert, and photographer Martha Cooper

External links

*
* [http://www.stylewars.com/ Stylewars.com Official site]
* [http://www.formatmag.com/reviews/style-wars/ Review at Format Mag]