''Style Wars'' is a 1983 American

documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...

hip hop culture Hip-hop culture is an art movement that emerged in New York City, in the borough of The Bronx; Primarily within the black community. Hip Hop as an art form and culture has been heavily influenced by both male and female artists. It is charac ...

, directed by Tony Silver and produced in collaboration with

Henry Chalfant Henry Chalfant (born January 2, 1940) is an American photographer and videographer most notable for his work on graffiti, breakdance, and hip hop culture. One of Chalfant's prints is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in N ...

. The film has an emphasis on

graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...

, although bboying and

rapping Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates " rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backin ...

are covered to a lesser extent. The film was originally aired on the television network

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

and was subsequently shown in several

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theater, cinemas or screening venues, usually annually and in a single city or region. Some film festivals show films outdoors or online. Films may be of recent ...

s to much acclaim, including the Vancouver Film Festival. It also won the Grand Jury Prize: Documentary at the

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...

. The documentary captures and includes many historical moments of

during its earliest days in the 1970s onward towards the early 1980s. Many film elements from ''Style Wars'', including outtakes, are now housed at the

Academy Film Archive The Academy Film Archive is part of the Academy Foundation, established in 1944 with the purpose of organizing and overseeing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' educational and cultural activities, including the preservation of mot ...

as part of the Tony Silver Collection.

Background

The documentary explores divergent perspectives on graffiti, articulated by graffiti artists, city officials including former

New York City Mayor The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, ...

Ed Koch Edward Irving Koch ( ; December 12, 1924February 1, 2013) was an American politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and was mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989. Koch was a lifelong Democrat who ...

, and other stakeholders such as police officers, subway maintenance personnel, and citizens. Prominent figures in the graffiti community, including artists Kase 2, Dondi, Shy 147,

Seen Seen may refer to: * ''Seen'' (album), by Tom Bailey, 2001 * Seen (artist) (born 1961), American graffiti artist * Seen (Winterthur), a district of Winterthur, Switzerland * Shin (letter) Shin (also spelled Šin (') or Sheen) is the twenty-fi ...

, and Skeme along with his mother, feature prominently. The film also highlights contributions from graffiti documentarian and co-producer

and breakdancer Crazy Legs of

Rock Steady Crew {{Infobox musical artist , name = Rock Steady Crew , image = , landscape = yes , caption = , alias = , origin = The Bronx New York, Manhattan New York, U.S. , genre ...

. While the documentary posits graffiti as a legitimate artistic expression, it concurrently portrays the vigorous efforts by municipal authorities and law enforcement to curtail this form of urban art. The administration under Mayor Koch undertook substantial measures, including the allocation of considerable funds towards anti-graffiti campaigns in subway systems, the construction of barriers at subway entry points to deter graffiti artists, and the deployment of police dogs to these locations. The narrative extends beyond mere criminalization, presenting viewpoints from established artists who argue that the lack of accessible venues drives young artists to express themselves on public and private edifices. This demographic, often marginalized, seeks to engage with the community and articulate their identities through visible, albeit illegal, marks on urban landscapes. The documentary navigates these complex social dynamics, positioning some participants as intermediaries who recognize the artistic value while critiquing the methods of execution, thus embodying a dual role in the discourse on graffiti as both art and act of defiance.

Reception and legacy

In 2009,

A. O. Scott Anthony Oliver Scott (born July 10, 1966) is an American journalist and cultural critic, known for his film and literary criticism. After starting his career at ''The New York Review of Books'', '' Variety'', and ''Slate'', he began writing film ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' examined the film: "''Style Wars'' is a work of art in its own right too, because it doesn't just record what these artists are doing, it somehow absorbs their spirit and manages to communicate it across the decades so that we can find ourselves, so many years later, in the city, understanding what made it beautiful." A 2018 review from ''The New Yorker'' also recommends the film, citing its soundtrack and its ability to capture the historical moment it centers on.

Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...

referred to the film as the "defining documentary of early hip-hop culture".

Featured graffiti artists

* Demon * Se3 * Spank * Dez * Skeme * Ces 157 * MinOne (NE) * Iz the Wiz * Quik * Sach * Dondi * Seen UA * Seen TC5 * Dust *

Zephyr In European tradition, a zephyr is a light wind or a west wind, named after Zephyrus, the Greek god or personification of the west wind. Zephyr may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional characters * Zephyr (comics), in the Marvel Comics univers ...

* Revolt * Wasp 1 * Noc 167 * Mare 139 *

Kase2 Kase2 (December 12, 1958 – August 14, 2011), also known as King Kase2 and Case2; born Jeff Brown, was a graffiti writer and a significant contributor to the hip-hop movement. Biography Jeff Brown was born in New York City. He painted his fi ...

* Dee 5 * Butch * Trap * Duro * Soe * Spin * Zone * Kid * Cap * Daze * Crash * Paze *

Cey CEY may refer to: * Cononley railway station, England National Rail station code CEY * Murray-Calloway County Airport, Murray, Kentucky, IATA airport code CEY * Ron Cey, a former Major League Baseball player * Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, offici ...

* Futura *

Fred Fred or FRED may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Fred ...

Featured breakers

* Crazy Legs * Frosty Freeze * Ken Swift * Lenny Len * Kippy Dee * Lil' Crazy Legs * Take One * Ty Fly *

Mr. Freeze Mr. Freeze is the name of two supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Dave Wood and artists Sheldon Moldoff and Bob Kane, the character initially debuted in ''Batman'' #121 (February 1959) as Mr. ...

* Doze * Kid Glide * Wavy Legs * Kid Freeze * Nelly Nell * Eddie Ed * Flip-a-matic * Lil' Flip * Junior Fastbreak * Joly

Featured music

* " 8th Wonder" by

The Sugarhill Gang The Sugarhill Gang is an American hip hop group formed in Englewood, New Jersey, in 1979. Their hit " Rapper's Delight", released the same year they were formed, was the first rap single to become a top 40 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, rea ...

* " The Message" by

Grandmaster Flash Joseph Robert Saddler (born January 1, 1958), known by his stage name Grandmaster Flash, is a Barbadian-American musician and DJ. He created a DJ technique called the Quick Mix Theory. This technique serviced the break-dancer and the rapper by el ...

* " Beat Bop" by

Rammellzee Rammellzee (stylized RAMM:ΣLL:ZΣΣ, pronounced "Ram: Ell: Zee"; December 15, 1960 – June 28, 2010) was a visual artist, gothic futurist graffiti writer, painter, performance artist, art theoretician, sculptor and a hip-hop musician from New Yo ...

and K-Rob * " Pump Me Up" by Trouble Funk * " The Wanderer" by Dion * " Rockin' It" by The Fearless Four * " Jam Hot" by Johnny Dynell * " Feel The Heartbeat" by

Treacherous Three The Treacherous Three was a pioneering American hip hop group that was formed in 1978 and consisted of DJ Easy Lee, Kool Moe Dee, L.A. Sunshine, Special K and Spoonie Gee (who left in the late 1970s), with occasional contributions from DJ D ...

DVD release

The digitally remastered DVD edition also contains: * 23 minutes of outtake footage * Commentary and interviews by Tony Silver and Henry Chalfant * Interviews with ''Style Wars'' editors Victor Kanefsky and Sam Pollard * Art galleries by Blade, Cap, Cey, Crash, Crazy Legs, Daze, Dez, Dondi, Doze, Duro, Duster, Frosty Freeze, IZ the Wiz, Case/ Kase 2, Kel First, Ken Swift, Lee, Mare139, Min One, Noc 167, Paze (Erni),

Lady Pink Lady Pink, born Sandra Fabara (born 1964), is an Ecuadorian-born American graffiti and mural artist, active in New York City. Early life Fabara was born in Ambato, Ecuador in 1964, and moved to the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, New York wh ...

, Quik,

, Revolt, Sach, Seen UA, Shy 147, Skeme, Rafael 666, Tracy 168, and

* Tributes to Dondi and Shy 147 * Guest interviews with Blade, Lee, Kel First,

, Tracy 168, Cap, MIN (NE), QUIK, IZ the Wiz, Fab 5 Freddy,

Goldie Clifford Joseph Price MBE (born 19 September 1965), better known as Goldie, is an English music producer, DJ, and actor. Initially gaining exposure for his work as a graffiti artist, Goldie became well known for his pioneering role as a musi ...

Guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...

DJ Red Alert Frederick Crute (born November 27, 1956), known professionally as Kool DJ Red Alert, is an Antiguan-American disc jockey who rose to fame on WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM in New York City and is recognized as one of the founding fathers of hip hop music ...

, and photographer Martha Cooper

2011 restoration auction

On June 9, 2011 it was announced that

Red Hot Chili Peppers The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982, consisting of Anthony Kiedis (vocals), Flea (musician), Flea (bass), John Frusciante (guitar), and Chad Smith (drums). Their music incorporates elements of a ...

bassist

Flea Flea, the common name for the order (biology), order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by hematophagy, ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult f ...

along with actors

Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. In a Brad Pitt filmography, film career spanning more than thirty years, Pitt has received list of awards and nominations received by Brad Pitt, numerous a ...

and

James Franco James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has starred in numerous films, including Sam Raimi's Spider-Man (2002 film series), ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007), ''Milk (2008 American film), Milk'' (200 ...

and director

Spike Jonze Adam Spiegel (born October 22, 1969), known professionally as Spike Jonze (), is an American Filmmaking, filmmaker, actor, musician, and photographer. His work includes films, commercials, music videos, skateboard videos and television. Jonze ...

were donating items to an

eBay eBay Inc. ( , often stylized as ebay) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that allows users to buy or view items via retail sales through online marketplaces and websites in 190 markets worldwide. ...

auction that would raise money for restoring the film negatives for ''Style Wars''. The auction ended on June 11, 2011.

References in other media

DJ Mutt used quotes from the movie in his song titled "Big Lights, Big City" taken from his album ''Treading Water''. Black Star used a clip from the movie in the intro to the song "

Respiration Respiration may refer to: Biology * Cellular respiration, the process in which nutrients are converted into useful energy in a cell ** Anaerobic respiration, cellular respiration without oxygen ** Maintenance respiration, the amount of cellul ...

" on the Black Star album. The

Drum and Bass Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated as DnB, D&B, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterised by fast Break (music)#Breakbeat (element of music), breakbeats (typically 165–185 Tempo, beats per minute) with heavy Bass (music) ...

group Ganja Kru, composed of DJ Hype,

DJ Zinc Benjamin Pettit (born 12 March 1972), known professionally as DJ Zinc, is a British DJ and record producer. Zinc first became known for 1995's "Super Sharp Shooter", a hip hop music, hip hop/jungle music, jungle fusion, notably one of the pione ...

, and Pascal, used quotes from the movie in their song titled "Plague That Never Ends". Swedish band

The Radio Dept. The Radio Dept. is a Swedish dream pop band from Lund, Sweden. History In 1995, schoolmates Elin Almered and Johan Duncanson started a band which they named after a gas-station-turned-radio-repair-shop called "Radioavdelningen" (Swedish language ...

used audio samples from the film in their single "Never Follow Suit" from the album '' Clinging to a Scheme''.

References

External links

Official site
*
''Style Wars''
on

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...

''Style Wars''
on Folkstreams
''Style Wars'' on MUBI
{{Sundance Grand Jury Prize Documentary 1983 films 1983 documentary films American documentary films Graffiti in New York City Documentary films about graffiti Documentary films about hip-hop music and musicians Films shot in New York (state) Films set on the New York City Subway New York City hip-hop Sundance Film Festival award–winning films 1980s English-language films 1980s American films English-language documentary films 1980s hip-hop films 1983 musical films