back in the early 80’s when there was a popular genre of gang movie, where you would have two opposing gangs who would resolve their differences by doing battle in the form of dancing? Like they would confront each other with all their tough gear, belts with spikes on it and angry faces, and lay out cardboard right then and there (where were they keeping that?) and break dance! The leader of one gang would stand there looking all angry in his B-Boy stance challenging the other leader to show his best poppin’ or breakin’ moves. Then the police would come in SWAT gear and break up the break dancing battle. In the end there would be a big show down at the local club. Man I miss those movies, but the concept is truly corny in retrospect.
The best of these movies by far is Beat Street. It has an awesome soundtrack with many stars from the early hip hop days (Afrika Bambaata, Doug E Fresh, Kool Moe Dee to name a few). Then there was Breakin’ which was OK, but in Breakin 2:Electric Bugaloo they were able to stop the demolition of their neighborhood center by dancing in front of it. Then there were others that should never have been made like Body Rock starring Lorenzo Lamas. I have never been able to take anything starring Lorenzo Lamas seriously again. Why they cast someone sans rhythm as the lead role about someone who danced, I do not know. I suppose he could have had rhythm in other apsects of his life, he just lost it in this movie.
I have been so nostalgic lately from the fun stuff of my youth-it must be a sign of getting old. Don’t get me started about Battlestar Galactica.
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Good movies.
I used to think “Planet Rock” was sooooo cool LOL. Don’t tell my kids 🙂
Wasn’t the Michael Jackson “Beat It” video the originator of this (important) concept?
I am not sure if it was the originator or just a sign of the times. There actually were non-violent “gangs” (for lack of a better term) who danced and did breakdancing battles on the streets, but I think more for fun than life or death or to save neighborhood centers. Two of them, The New York City Breakers and The Rock Steady Crew are showcased in Beat Street. We all used to think they were so cool.
Yes, the people who were “bad” in Beat Street were the people like Lee who got arrested for breakdancing.
…There’s nothing like a good Rae Dawn Chong movie…
no-no-no. best rival gang movie ever made: the warriors!
no dancing, but lots of funky music and roller-skates.
Warriors is one of the greatest!! ^5 Smockmomma. I love that movie! Talk about campy ‘Warriors come out and play” with the roller skating gang, and the baseball gang and the clasic line “I ain’t neva been to da BRonx!” I love that movie!
I never saw the Warriors, but Mom once told me to watch it. She said that I might like it. What do you think, sister?
Very fun. It is a classic. Just remember like with so many movies, it is (or has to watched with the idea that it is) tongue and cheek. I mean the movie starts Michael Beck (from Xanadu) and I think he is wearing short shorts again. LOL