Beat Street felt a little off track. It's a movie that took elements from an emerging culture and tried to fuse them with typical Hollywood fluff. As a result, it was sort of a glamorized version of Wild Style in how it was produced and presented, but it lacked the same authenticity. I've heard more than a few 'purists' denounce it over the years. Personally speaking I tend to agree with them. I will cut it a little slack for a solid effort, keeping in mind that in 84 they didn't exactly have a tried and tested template to work with when it came to HipHop cinema.Still a classic though, in certain respects. With many great cameos and HipHop moments nobody else was giving us at the time, even the most die-hard purist might have a hard time writing it off completely. The Melle Mel title track comes to mind, as does the Treacherous 3 featuring Doug E Fresh 'Santa's Rap' performance. At six years old when this came out, HipHop was still new to my young ears. I do recall 'Santa's Rap' in particular being a playground favorite. While they may have been trying to cash in on a rising star, they did manage to introduce HipHop to a broader audience.

Hilariously obvious "drama" about a bunch of high school (I think) kids who enjoy non-stop hip-hop, break dancing, graffiti and trying to become a dj at the Roxy--or something. To be totally honest I was so bored I forgot! Even people who love the music agree this movie is terribly acted and--as a drama--failed dismally. We're supposed to find this kids likable and nice. I found them bland and boring. The one that I REALLY hated was Ramon. He does graffiti on subway trains and this is looked upon as great. Excuse me? He's defacing public property that isn't his to begin with. Also these "great" kids tap into the city's electricity so they can hold a big dance party at an abandoned building. Uh huh. So we're supposed to find a bunch of law breakers lovable and fun?I could forgive all that if the music was good but I can't stand hip hop. The songs were--at best--mediocre and they were nonstop! They're ALWAYS playing! It got to the point that I was fast-forwarding through the many endless music numbers. (Cut out the music and you haver a 30 minute movie--maybe) There are a few imaginative numbers--the subway dance fight, a truly funny Santa number and the climatic Roxy show. If you love hip hop here's your movie. But it you're looking for good drama mixed in--forget it. Also HOW did this get a PG rating? There's an incredible amount of swearing in this.

Closer to reality and containing more depth than "Breakdance", Stan Lathan's "Beat Street" is still a pretty dull show. Again this pic is really only cashing in on the 'breakin' craze but at least we get a little bit of entertainment from the plot, which concerns the lives of three young friends and a younger brother, all growing up in Queens, New York. Each has their own unique talent. One is a hustler, one a d.j., another an artist who creates 'burners', while little bro' Lee is a hot 'hip hop' dancer.Lathan is unable to generate any real audience interest in the story though, and his young cast are likewise struggling with their characters. Therefore it is left almost entirely to the funky music and the 'fresh' dancing to save the day.Choreography is again sharp for both club and street scenes, but this alone is not enough to lift ""Beat Street" to greater heights. Unfortunately the film really falls flat late on, after showing a glimmer of hope that it just might get interesting.Sunday, August 25, 1996 - Video

It's fine to appreciate this film through the sieve of nostalgia. Even I have a hard time viewing this film without reciting all the words- I've seen it many many times. But the important thing to note here is that while Harry Belafonte made a noble effort to shape a story out of the Bronx's greatest cultural export, it's only successful half of the time. The result is a film that garners lots of groaning through scenes while waiting for the 'good parts'. Rae Dawn Chong is flimsy and ineffective as usual, in the role of the dance school instructor who 'discovers' Lee and KK. The ensuing romance that KK and Tracy have is terribly trite and makes for sleepy viewing. Likewise the sopping wet story of Ramon and his girlfriend, who have a child and disapproving parents. Heavy handed and poorly acted to boot- even for the time period. All the graffiti was designed by stage painters, and looks like it- distant and plastic. This is a depiction of a corny world indeed.What Beat Street is notable for, is managing to compile many notable music artists and b-boys/b-girls in performance. The Rock Steady and NY Breakers footage, the Us Girls group assembled for this film, Busy Bee, Melle Mel and the Furious Five, Bambaataa & Soul Sonic Force, Tina B., Brenda Starr, Treacherous Three and Doug E. Fresh- there's loads of it which greatly outweighs the mindless fluff of the so-called plot. The soundtrack (co-produced by Arthur Baker of "Planet Rock" fame) is extremely notable as well. It was originally sold in 2 volumes, and while each record has several watery ballads, the classic songs like "Frantic Situation", "Son of Beat Street", "Santa's Rap" and "Battle Cry" are very much worth the purchase. If you're like me and miss 'old New York' (it was only 20 or so years ago but NY is totally different) it's really great to see painted trains, old street scenes and the Roxy. Beat Street has been contrasted to Wild Style many times, especially with the scorn of Beat Street being the Hollywood retread of Wild Style's gritty budgeted reality. This might be the case, but it would seem that Beat Street has a better focus on b-boying (breakdance) whereas Wild Style's actual graffiti by famed writers remains the strong point of that film. There's a hokey wholesomeness present in Beat Street that just isn't realistic. Regardless, Beat Street is certainly worth viewing- particularly when it pops up on TV- but be prepared for some stale, hackneyed drama strewn into the great music and killer scenes. "Beat Street Breakdown--- RUAHHH!!!"