The Writing on the Wall (1986)

1986-12-1128m

"In this half-hour documentary, Producer Sandra King provides an intimate portrait of a public phenomenon: Graffiti. Over an 18 month period, King and her crew followed the teenage members of a graffiti 'crew,' Vandals on the Street, as they painted and rapped and moved through the streets of downtown Newark. What emerges is a unique glimpse behind the 'tags' at the kind of inner city kids who write on walls, but who also make art; who create out of wedlock children, but who also form binding relationships; who drop out of school and never read a book, but who create their own brand of poetry through the medium of 'rap.'

Related Movies

2287-thumbnail

Rize (2005)

A documentary film that highlights two street derived dance styles, Clowning and Krumping, that came out of the low income neighborhoods of L.A.. Director David LaChapelle interviews each dance crew about how their unique dances evolved. A new and positive activity away from the drugs, guns, and gangs that ruled their neighborhood. A raw film about a growing sub-culture movements in America.

267267-thumbnail

O Rap Pelo Rap (2014)

To do this documentary, the director Pedro Henrique Fávero featured 42 characters - among MCs, DJs and producers - to make a detailed map of its kind in the country. Without mincing words, they speak openly here about 8 topics proposed by the film and try to understand Hip Hop in Brazil. The result is a collection of stories from a lot of fighting, where there are many eternal start-end-start, overcoming the difficulties of being understood and feeling of belonging to a group and many clichés.

827207-thumbnail

10 mai 1981 : Changer la vie ? (2021)

Fourty years ago, in May 1981, with François Mitterrand's election, some people were letting themselves dream about a better life while others were predicting the coming of soviet tanks upon the Champs-Élysées. If we gladly remember the turning point of austerity in 83, there were also the wage rises, the fifth week of paid leave, the abolition of death penalty, the decriminalisation of homosexuality, or the advent of independent radio stations. Rare archives and accounts by those who were at the heart of this story give an overview of it and shed light on lesser-known aspects.

268299-thumbnail

Ghetto - The Secret Life of the City (1996)

Belgrade in the 1990s seen through the eyes of Goran Čavajda 'Čavke', the late drummer of Serbian rock band "Electric Orgasm". Under dictatorship of Slobodan Milošević, his city became one of the worst places to live in Europe, while the country suffered highest inflation rate in its history, accompanied by mass poverty and political isolation. Documentary follows Čavke walking through the Belgrade streets where total chaos and decline of moral values rule. He finds his only shelter underground, where his friends - musicians and artists - live and work invisibly.

634570-thumbnail

It's Yours: A Film on Hip-Hop and the Internet (2020)

By the dawn of the 21st century, hip-hop sales had reached an all-time high, but one thing has remained the same. The doors were still locked, and the music industry held the keys. Young artists began to self-market on the Internet, ultimately helping to collapse the music industry as we knew it. It’s Yours explores how it became possible to become a rap star through a Twitter account, YouTube site or Myspace page. It tells this story through the unique perspectives of numerous artists, producers, record industry insiders, and music and cultural critics.

633556-thumbnail

The Untold Story of Detroit Hip Hop (2018)

"The Untold Story of Hip-Hop" Narrated by Chuck D. Tells the colorful true stories of the people, places and sounds behind the mainstream names we know and love. We start in Detroit, host of one of the most important and influential music movements of the 21st century.

825743-thumbnail

Supermalo (2021)

As the walls of Cuba's ageing infrastructure continue to crumble, a burgeoning street art scene is born in Havana. Murals of hand-painted masked character – Supermalo – with the tag “2+2=5?” have begun to appear in seemingly every corner of the heavily foot trafficked city.

1207931-thumbnail

Lil B, Believe in Earth: A Very Rare and Based Visual Experience (2017)

Lil B “The Based God” is one of modern rap’s most influential figures, a musical trailblazer whose “based” philosophy of open-mindedness and positivity has already shaped countless artists who have followed in his wake. For this very rare motivational experience featuring artists E-40, G-Eazy, Vince Staples, Clams Casino, Lil Yachty, Kreayshawn, Joey Purp, and Lil B himself, Noisey journeyed to Lil B’s hometown of Berkeley, California—and deep within ourselves—to find out what it really means to be based.

632347-thumbnail

Locked Off (2016)

Rave Culture is one of Britain’s great cultural exports, but after its first wave in the late eighties and early nineties, it was soon forced into the underground by stringent new laws and superclubs. But forward 25 years into in the midst of a nationwide purge on the nation’s nightlife, where nearly half of all British clubs have shut down in the last decade, and a new kind of scene has emerged. Clive Martin investigates this 21st century version of Rave, where young people break into disused spaces with the help of bolt-cutters and complicated squatting laws, to suck on balloons and go hard into the early morning. But with the police using increasingly extreme tactics to clamp down on these parties, and more than one fatality causing nationwide media panic, can the scene survive?

292-thumbnail

Dave Chappelle's Block Party (2005)

The American comedian/actor delivers a story about the alternative Hip Hop scene. A small town Ohio mans moves to Brooklyn, New York, to throw an unprecedented block party.

448155-thumbnail

Mac Dre: Legend of the Bay (2015)

Bay Area rapper Mac Dre began his career at 18 and quickly became an influential force in early west coast hip-hop. In 1992 he was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery when his lyrics were used against him in court. He left prison with a new lease on life, founded an independent record company, and then was murdered just when he began to emerge as a star. For the first time ever, his mother Wanda reveals the true experiences of a hip-hop legend.

1684-thumbnail

Prinzessinnenbad (2007)

A film about three teenagers - Klara, Mina and Tanutscha - from the Berlin district of Kreuzberg. The trio have known each other since Kindergarten and have plenty in common. The three 15-year-olds are the best of friends; they are spending the summer at Prinzenbad, a large open-air swimming pool at the heart of the district where they live. They're feeling pretty grown up, and are convinced they've now left their childhood behind.

1401152-thumbnail

CORRES (2023)

268451-thumbnail

Nas: Made You Look - God's Son Live (2003)

Nas' first concert DVD, filmed at Webster Hall in New York. Special guests include Jadakiss, Ludacris, Bravehearts, DJ Kay Slay and a special testimonial by Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC. Also includes never-before-seen footage from the making of the "Made You Look" video.

268452-thumbnail

Public Enemy: Prophets Of Rage (2011)

Fascinating documentary about the history and legacy of the rap group "Public Enemy".

268612-thumbnail

DJ Q-Bert - For Intellectual Dumasses (2007)

Watching DJ Q-Bert in action is witnessing history in the making. "DJ QBert for Intellectual Dummies" is a delightful behind-the-scenes journey with one of the most influential DJs of all time. From Vestax and Apple Computer, to the Sundance Film Festival, QBert is leaving no place on the planet earth untouched by his talent, vision, dedication, and humor. For the decades, DJ QBert and business partner Yogafrog have traveled the world and unified this young industry; sharing it, shaping it. Today they have propelled it light-years into future with the invention of the QFO... arguably the defining icon in showing the world that the turntable is a musical instrument and will continue to outsell guitars. Woven with personal interviews and previously unseen footage, watch the eccentric life of QBert as he makes his way through the world one scratch at a time and experience the unequivocal skill one man can possess literally in his fingertips...

5675-thumbnail

Hollywood Rated 'R' (1997)

A roller-coaster ride through the history of American exploitation films, ranging from Roger Corman's sci-fi and horror monster movies, 1960s beach movies, H.G. Lewis' gore-fests, William Castle's schlocky theatrical gimmicks, to 1970s blaxploitation, pre-"Deep Throat" sex tease films, Russ Meyer's bosom-heavy masterpieces, etc, etc. Over 25 interviews of the greatest purveyors of weird films of all kind from 1940 to 1975. Illustrated with dozens of films clips, trailers, extra footage, etc. This documentary as a shorter companion piece focusing on exploitation king David F. Friedman.

635853-thumbnail

Solidarność: How Solidarity Changed Europe (2019)

Gdańsk, Poland, September 1980. Lech Wałęsa and other Lenin shipyard workers found Solidarność (Solidarity), the first independent trade union behind the Iron Curtain. The long and hard battle to bring down communist dictatorship has begun.

46907-thumbnail

Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life (2007)

The greatest rapper to ever pick up a mic - with his velvety flow and unparalleled rhyme style he captivated everyone from Jay Z to Tupac. Now Notorious B.I.G. is revealed.

1070009-thumbnail

Ice Cube: The Making of a Don (2004)

A true-life tale of the Great American Dream, this movie showcases one man's rise from the streets of South Central L.A. to the hills of Hollywood. Features photos and videos of the man himself and his contemporaries.