40th Anniversary Screening!
With a live performance and DJ set by Canadian hip-hop artists Wordburglar & More or Les!
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of one of the all-time undisputed cinema champs of hip hop and b-boy cinema, 1984’s BEAT STREET is also a Christmas movie in case you forgot, with one of the all-timer Christmas raps plus breakdancing galore.
Shot in the heart of hip hop ("This ain't New York, this is the Bronx!"), BEAT STREET was the big studio take on WILD STYLE, and much like that seminal film follows a group of characters immersed in the four pillars of hip hop culture – graffiti, MCing, DJing and B-boying – and their dreams, schemes and tragedies. Also it’s stacked with star appearances and a fantastic soundtrack - “Beat Street Breakdown” by Grandmaster Melle Mel is a show-stealer, but it also features killer performances and tracks by The Treacherous Three with Doug E. Fresh, Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force, Jazzy Jay, and many more.
BEAT STREET brought hip hop culture to mainstream America in the 80s, but it’s impact worldwide was even greater. In East Germany, for example, BEAT STREET landed like the coming of Elvis, fuelling competitive breakdance popularity that dominated east-of-the-Iron-Curtain youth culture until the fall of the wall. BEAT STREET remains a moving story of kids with nothing but talent fighting for recognition, respect and survival, packed top to bottom with jawdropping breakdance numbers by the Rock Steady Crew and the New York City Breakers and a soundtrack packed with needle drops. Beat Street Breakdown – rrrrrraaaahhh!!
ABOUT STOMPBOX:
Stompbox is a music-on-film screening, event and performance series active since 2016, curated by David Bertrand.