Beat Street (1984)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Stan Lathan

Writers:

Steven Hager (story)
Andrew Davis (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 June 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

The music and break-dance explosion of the summer!

Plot:

An aspiring DJ, from the South Bronx, and his best friend, a promoter, try to get into show business by exposing people to hip-hop music and culture.

Plot Keywords:

Rap | D.J. | Hip Hop | Subway | Graffiti

Cast

Rae Dawn Chong	...	Tracy Carlson
Guy Davis	...	Kenny 'Double K' Kirkland
Jon Chardiet	...	Ramon
Leon W. Grant	...	Chollie
Saundra Santiago	...	Carmen Cararro
Robert Taylor	...	Lee Kirkland
Mary Alice	...	Cora (as Mary Alice Smith)
Shawn Elliott	...	Domingo
Jim Borrelli	...	Monte
Dean Elliott	...	Henri
Franc Reyes	...	Luis
Tonya Pinkins	...	Angela
Lee Chamberlin	...	Alicia
Antonia Rey	...	Flora
Duane Jones	...	Robert

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:12 (re-rating) | UK:15 (original rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Norway:12 | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Fresh Pond Road Train Station, Fresh Pond Road, Ridgewood, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Trivia:

About 80% of the footage in the original theatrical trailer is not included in the final cut. Examples include Ramón getting his bag ripped off while walking with Kenny and Charlie, several battle outtakes including the classroom up-rocking scene, Ramón on a set of drums, and one dancer flipping off against a wall at the Burning Spear nightclub. Several other pieces of footage were included as well but were in freeze frame in the opening credits of the film. The trailer also includes an alternate version of title song performed by Kool Moe Dee, (who appears in the film in the "Christmas Rappin'" sequence with the rest of the Treacherous Three), which also did not appear in the movie nor on the original soundtrack albums.

Quotes:

Lee: [Lee explains about how he got arrested for dancing] Hey, Mom, these fools busted us for dancing, can you believe that?
Cora: I believe you better shut your damn mouth before I decide to leave you down here.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Boondocks: Riley Wuz Here (#1.12)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Battle Cry

a great story of 80s hip-hop including graffiti art and break dancing

A wonderful movie showing the roots of hip-hop in graffiti art and break dancing. The break battle scene is the highlight of the movie. It shows that there was a time when gangs would fight each other with dancing, not guns.