David LaChapelle's RIZE

[meatball]

Trailer: http://www.davidlachapelle.com/film/rize_trailer.html


"Rize" reveals a groundbreaking dance phenomenon that's exploding on the streets of South Central, Los Angeles. Taking advantage of unprecedented access, this documentary film brings 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. "Rize" tracks the fascinating evolution of the dance: 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 troupes 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 dance becomes a vital part of who they are.

Availability
June 24th, 2005

Cast: Tommy the Clown, Lil Tommy, Larry,
Lil C, Dragon, Tight Eyez, Baby Tight Eyez, Miss Prissy, Swoop, El Nino, Daisy, Big X, La Nina, Quinesha
Directed by: David LaChapelle
Executive Producers: Ishbel Whitaker, Barry Peele,
Ellen Jacobson-Clarke, Starvos Merjos, Rebecca Skinner
Producers: David LaChapelle, Marc Hawker,
Ellen Jacobson-Clarke, Richmond Talauega, Tone Talauega

[modage]

i want to smack david lachapelle for looking at me like that.

[meatball]

I guess no Xixax members are interested in South Central culture.

[MacGuffin]

I guess no Xixax members are interested in South Central culture.

I own Menace II Society and Boyz N The Hood.

[pete]

I saw this last night, it was okay.  the subject was interseting and it didn't try to depict the dance like this "hip new craze" or try to package it in any way other than how the interviewees described it.  however, I wish it was a lot longer.  it offered very limited vignettes into a vast world: battles, rivalry, street violence, church, family...etc. and every topic felt just like another music video number, or public announcement.  I never even saw one complete dance number; everything was cut up and it never really delivered.  also, what kinda cinematographer of dance always keep the dancers' feet out of the shot?
that's pretty much my gripe against anything spectacle related these days, be it kungfu movies or dance sequences or whatever: editors always cut that shit up.

[GoneSavage]

I'm sure in 20 years the stars of Rize will look back on it the same way the stars of Breakin' look back on their film.

[ᾦɐļᵲʊʂ]

It sounds like a good idea, but I really don't know how it can stretch to be feature length.

[pete]

I can and it did, but my problem was the opposite: it was too short and everything was cut up.

[Bethie]

http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/30/features-hardy.php

I didn't read it, but you can.