Directed by Stan Lathan
Written by Andrew Davis, David Gilbert, Paul Golding and Steven Hager
Story by Richard Lee Sisco
Starring Rae Dawn Chong, Guy Davis, Jon Chardiet, Leon W. Grant, Saundra Santiago, Robert Taylor, Lee Chamberlin, Mary Alice, Shawn Elliot, Jim Borrelli, Dean Elliot and Franc. Reyes
USA, 1984
Now let's move on to a film Harry Belafonte produced (and produced some of the music in) but did not star in, BEAT STREET -- hip hop's answer to SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER. What a charming movie this is, so full of life and vibrance that things like plot hardly even seem to matter. Yes, the story has its share of tragedies, and it does not shy away from a few questions of race and class, especially touching on the idea of cultural appropriation, but in the end it is an exercise in the way art affirms life, in this case, through music and dance... oh, and graffiti.
Even though I just said the plot's not important, here's a little idea of what the movie's about -- we've got Guy Davis as an aspiring hip hop DJ, hoping to not only develop his own style and new sounds but also land a job at a cool club. His crew includes his break dancing little brother (Robert Taylor), his buddy who specializes in street art (Jon Chardiet) and eventually expands to include a college music student (Rae Dawn Chong) who he has eyes on (or who has eyes on him). Together they run around the Bronx (the film uses real locations to great effect) getting into hip hop-related adventures, including break dance fighting, rapping and creating giant graffiti murals on subway trains.
So, that about sums it up, except it doesn't at all, because you really have to see the dancing and hear the music to get what BEAT STREET is all about. There's a joy and exuberance to it that transcends time -- the movie's dated, and may have even been dated when it came out (after all, Public Enemy hit the scene just one year later) but that just adds to its charm. You can see its influence in stuff that ended up on MTV later (I bet you Michael Jackson was a fan of this movie, for instance) and guys like the Notorious B.I.G. referenced it in their lyrics. There's no doubt BEAT STREET was both groundbreaking and influential, even if it might not have gotten the greatest reviews.
Well, it gets a good review from me -- I'm a simple guy. I don't ask for much. And this movie over-delivers.
Plus, Duane Jones of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD fame is in it.
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