Style Wars

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.

Director : Tony Silver
Encoding : All Regions
Format : Black & White, Color, Dolby
Audio Encoding : Dolby Digital 5.1
Rated : NR
Studio : Plexifilm
DVD Release Date : April 22, 2003
Run Time : 70
DVD Features :
Available subtitles : English
Available Audio Tracks : English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Commentary by director-producer Tony Silver and producer Henry Chalfant

Disc 1 :

 Over 23 minutes of original outtake footage
 Interview with Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant (2002)
 Interview with Style Wars editors Victor Kanefsky and Sam Pollard (2002)

Digitally remastered 5.1 Dolby soundtrack featuring classic tracks from Grandmaster Flash, The Treacherous Three, Trouble Funk, The Fearless Four, Rammellzee vs. K-Rob and more

Disc 2 :
32 artist galleries including new interviews, trains and rare photos of : Blade, Cap, Cey, Crash, Crazy Legs, Daze, Dez, Dondi, Doze, Duro, Duster, Frosty Freeze, IZ the Wiz, Kase 2, Kel First, Ken Swift, Lee, Mare139, Min One, Noc 167, Paze (Erni), Pink, Quik, Rammellzee, Revolt, Sach, Seen TC5, Seen UA, Shy 147, Skeme, Tracy 168, and Zephyr

Tributes to Dondi and Shy 147

Guest interviews : Fab 5 Freddy, Goldie, Guru, DJ Red Alert, and photographer Martha Cooper

"DESTROY ALL LINES" 30 min. loop of over 200 whole cars and burners

Featuring music from : Defintive Jux recording artists El-P, RJD2 and Aesop Rock, plus Mr. Wiggles, Kimson "Angola-Red" Albert, and Darryl Jenifer

Number of discs : 2

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. STYLE WARS has become an emblem of the original, embracing spirit of hip hop as it exploded into the world from underground tunnels, uptown streets, clubs and playgrounds. New York’s legendary kings of graffiti own a special place in the hip hop pantheon. This film is regarded by many as the definitive document of the emerging hip hop culture, and the continuing struggle to keep its authentic spirit alive.

No profanity, or inaproppriate remarks.

Style Wars, by John [2008-06-30 15:05:52]

Fans,

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, is now available for viewing on iTunes.

Just click the link below and you will be brought straight to the iTunes Store for viewing : http://tracking.newvideo.com/fclick.php ?34

Style Wars, by MaNiAkO [2007-01-13 22:17:21]

where can i found the ost or the song’s name from the movie ? anybody knows ?

> Style Wars, by PAUSE [2005-07-16 23:54:24]

IF YOU CLAIM TO BE HIP HOP AND NEVER SAW THIS FIRST TIME ROUND ON CHANNEL 4,WHATCH AND LEARN THIS IS OUR BIBLE,THE TRUE TRUESKOOL,EVERY THING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HIP HOP BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK,ITS ALL IN THERE....