Scratch (2001)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Doug Pray

Release Date:

7 November 2001 (France)

Genre:

Documentary | Music

Plot:

A feature-length documentary film about hip-hop DJing, otherwise known as turntablism. From the South Bronx in the 1970s to San Francisco now...

Plot Keywords:

Hip Hop | D.J. | Rap | Turntable

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Marc 7	...	Himself - Jurassic 5
Afra	...	Himself
Carlos Aguilar	...	Himself (as DJ Quest)
Akil	...	Himself - Jurassic 5
The Allies	...	Themselves
Almighty K.G.	...	Himself
D.J. Babu	...	Himself - Dilated Peoples / Beat Junkies (as DJ Babu)
Afrika Bambaataa	...	Himself
The Beat Junkies	...	Themselves (as Beat Junkies)
Jon Bernson	...	Himself
John Carluccio	...	Himself - Director
DJ Craze	...	Himself
Frank Cuevas	...	Himself (as DJ Cue)
DJ Curse	...	Himself
Steve Dee	...	Himself
Eddie Def	...	Himself
Dilated Peoples	...	Themselves
D.O.A.	...	Himself
Dot-a-Rock	...	Himself - MC (as Dot a Rock)
Grand Mixer DXT	...	Himself
Emanon	...	Himself
Snayk Eyez	...	Himself
DJ Faust	...	Himself
DJ Flare	...	Himself
Grandmaster Flash	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Grand Master Flash)
Yoga Frog	...	Himself
Doze Green	...	Himself
Herbie Hancock	...	Himself (archive footage)
Mark Herlihy	...	Himself
Naut Humon	...	Himself - Asphodel Records
Billy Jam	...	Himself - Record Label Owner
DJ Jazzy Jay	...	Himself
Jurassic 5	...	Themselves
Kevie Kev	...	Himself - MC
Klever	...	Himself
DJ Krush	...	Himself
Lucas MacFadden	...	Himself - Jurassic 5 (as Cut Chemist)
DJ Marz	...	Himself
Melo-D	...	Himself - Beat Junkies
Mix Master Mike	...	Himself
Mysterio	...	Himself
DJ NuMark	...	Himself - Jurassic 5 (as Numark)
Christie Z. Pabon	...	Herself
Dave Paul	...	Himself - Record Label Owner
DJ Premier	...	Himself - Gang Starr
DJ Q-Bert	...	Himself
Roc Raida	...	Himself - X-ecutioners
Kool DJ Red Alert	...	Himself (as DJ Red Alert)
DJ Relm	...	Himself
Swift Rock	...	Himself
DJ Shadow	...	Himself
Shortcut	...	Himself (as Shortkut)
DJ Shortee	...	Herself
Mista Sinista	...	Himself - X-ecutioners
Jay Slim	...	Himself
Soup	...	Himself - Jurassic 5 (as Zaakir)
Gang Starr	...	Themselves
Steinski	...	Himself - Double Dee / Steinski
Charles Stewart	...	Himself - Jurassic 5 (as Chali 2NA)
DJ Streak	...	Himself
DJ Swamp	...	Himself
Rob Swift	...	Himself - X-ecutioners
The Guru	...	Himself - Gang Starr (as Guru)
Grand Wizard Theodore	...	Himself
Total Eclipse	...	Himself - X-ecutioners
X-ecutioners	...	Themselves
DJ Z-Trip	...	Himself (as Z-Trip)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

92 min | UK:91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

National Orange Show Event Center, San Bernardino, California, USA

Company:

Firewalks Film

Trivia:

In the DVD commentary, director Doug Pray says that he was having a lot of difficult arranging interviews with many DJs, until DJ Qbert signed on. After Qbert's interview, DJs started calling Pray volunteering themselves.

Movie Connections:

Features Wild Style (1983)

Soundtrack:

Hip Hop (Instrumental)

Scratcher's Delight

Scratch is the story of scratch music's evolution from its birth in the late seventies/ early eighties to its ever growing musical status in modern day culture. Scratch tells the story of the music with the help of some of the most important scratch pioneers of the last 20 years, such as Babu (of Dilated Peoples and Beat Junkies), DJ Q-Bert and Afrika Bambaataa amongst others. These interviews give us an incite about how the music was born and its growth. We also get helpful tips on the art of scratching from Q-Bert and Mix Master Mike (from The Beastie Boys).

I am interested in a lot of genres of music, jazz, rock, indie etc. but I have never invested much interest in scratching, sure I have all the classic rap albums, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem etc. and I have recently got into new hip-hop (a musical genre that uses DJs a lot) such as Dilated Peoples (who's performance in the film made my day), Blackalicious and Jurassic 5 (also featured), but I still had no idea of the art of scratching (or turntablism as it's referred to here), so I went into this movie no sure what to expect.

This movie is very similar to a lot of the documentaries that have been appearing in the last few years from America, such as Baadasssss Cinema (the story of blacksploitation films), The Backyard and Beyond the Mat (both about the growing popularity of wrestling). But the documentary it seemed to have the most in common with was American Pimp (the story of surprise, surprise American pimps). It was almost the same documentary, sharp editing, grainy camera work, loud soundtrack, sharp dialogue and the DJ's taking over the part of the flamboyant, over the top and eccentric pimps and matching them for madness on every level. And I was justified in my beliefs when I read in the credits that the film was produced by the two directors of American Pimp, Allen and Albert Hughes (who also directed Dead Presidents and From Hell) and later found out that the director of Scratch, Doug Pray was also the editor of American Pimp (he also edited Scratch).

It's not surprising that it is edited by the director as the editing is an important part of the movie and helps the music get noticed a lot more. He almost makes the footage like the music, rewinding it slowing it down, speeding it up and all sorts of other techniques, which although brilliant do give you a bit of a headache after an hour or so.

But apart from the moderate headache this is a very good movie that I thing will really change your opinion on scratching if you aren't a fan. And if you are a fan then this is a must see. Good direction, superb editing and an interesting subject matter, go and see it if you get the chance.

7 out of 10