Rize (2005)

Rize chronicles a dance movement that rises out of South Central Los Angeles with roots in clowning and street youth culture.

Director:

David LaChapelle

Stars:

Larry Berry, Tommy the Clown, Dragon

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Larry Berry	...	Himself
Tommy the Clown	...	Himself
Dragon	...	Himself
La Niña	...	Herself
Miss Prissy	...	Herself
Kevin Scott Richardson	...	Music producer
Christopher Toler	...	Lil C
Ceasare Willis	...	Tight Eyez

Storyline

Reveals a groundbreaking dance phenomenon that's exploding on the streets of South Central, Los Angeles. Taking advantage of unprecedented access, this documentary film bring to first light a revolutionary form of artistic expression borne from oppression. The aggressive and visually stunning dance modernizes moves indigenous to African tribal rituals and features mind-blowing, athletic movement sped up to impossible speeds. We meet Tommy Johnson (Tommy the Clown), who first created the style as a response to the 1992 Rodney King riots and named it Clowning, as well as the kids who developed the movement into what they now call Krumping. The kids use dance as an alternative to gangs and hustling: they form their own troupe and paint their faces like warriors, meeting to outperform rival gangs of dancers or just to hone their skills. For the dancers, Krumping becomes a way of life--and, because it's authentic expression (in complete opposition to the bling-bling hip-hop culture), the ...

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Plot Keywords:

dance | clowning | gang | south central los angeles | clown | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for suggestive content, drug references, language and brief nudity

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 December 2005 (UK)

Also Known As:

Pathos gia zoi

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,574,787 (USA) (24 June 2005)

Gross:

$3,278,611 (USA) (15 July 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

David LaChapelle Studios, HSI Productions, Darkfibre Entertainment Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min 86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dedicated to the memory of Quinesha "Lil Dimples" Dunford.

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Quotes

Miss Prissy: [on people saying South Central L.A. is dangerous] It's not dangerous, it's life.

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Connections

References SpongeBob SquarePants (1999)

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Soundtracks

"In Da Club"
Written by C. Jackson and A. Young

User Reviews

Rize will lift your mind and move your spirit

Tonight I ended up unexpectedly seeing the advance screening of "Rize" today.

My suggestion: When this movie opens on June 24, stop everything and see it at your first opportunity. It is an eye-popping, total delight.

David LaChappel has accomplished a cinematic triumph in filming the true story of the rise of a phenomenal new dance style. The movie is not what you would typically expect. The main characters let you know right away that they have no intention of succumbing to the exploitive commercialization of hip hop with it's guns, violence and persistent misogyny. The filmmaker avoided that tired approach too.

Instead, these amazing young people have invented a way to transform their grief, anger and fears into a vibrant new art form that will make your spirit thump to the beat. They are over-comers who have decided to move beyond surviving to brilliantly thriving against the dire odds of South Central LA.

You will love this story. You will respect these people. You will rave over David LaChappel's stunning, original and immensely entertaining film.

But hey, don't take my word for it. Go and see Rize for yourself. You'll see why Rolling Stone calls this movie "a visual miracle," and why the Sundance crowd was so taken with this movie.