Editing Wild Style

{{Short description|1982 film by Charlie Ahearn}}
{{Other uses|Wildstyle (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Wild Style
| image          = Wild Style (film poster).jpg
| caption        = [[VHS]] cover
| director       = [[Charlie Ahearn]]<ref name="afi">{{cite web |title=AFI Catalog - Wild Style |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/58164 |website=American Film Institute |access-date=23 March 2025}}</ref>
| writer         = Charlie Ahearn<ref name="afi"/>
| producer       = Charlie Ahearn<ref name="afi"/>
| screenplay     =
| story          =
| based_on       = 
| starring       = {{plainlist|
* [[Lee Quiñones]]
* [[Fab Five Freddy|Fred Braithwaite]]
* [[Patti Astor]]
* [[Sandra Fabara|Sandra "Pink" Fabara]]
}}
| narrator       = 
| music          = {{plainlist|
* Fab Five Freddy
* [[Chris Stein]]
}}
| cinematography = {{plainlist|
* Clive Davidson
* John Foster 
}}
| editing        = Steven C. Brown
| studio         = Wild Style Productions, Inc.<ref name="afi"/>
| distributor    = [[First Run Features]]<ref name="afi"/>
| released       = {{Film date|1982|11||[[Festival du nouveau cinéma]]|1983|11|23|United States}}
| runtime        = 82 minutes
| language       = English
| budget         = $500,000<ref name="afi"/>
| gross          = $15,122 (US){{citation needed|date=May 2021}}
| country        = United States
}}
'''''Wild Style''''' is a 1982 American [[hip hop]] film written, produced and directed by [[Charlie Ahearn]]. Regarded as the first hip hop motion picture,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Ebiri|first=Bilge|date=September 17, 2020|title=The Timeless Honesty of Wild Style, the First Hip-Hop Movie|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/09/the-timeless-honesty-of-wild-style-the-first-hip-hop-movie.html|access-date=2020-10-06|website=Vulture|language=en-us}}</ref> it includes appearances by seminal figures such as [[Ad-Rock|Adam Horowitz]], [[Fab Five Freddy]], [[Lee Quiñones]], [[Lady Pink]], [[The Rock Steady Crew]], [[The Cold Crush Brothers]], [[Rammellzee]]<ref>[https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/rammellzee-estate-jeffrey-deitch-1234611664/] Estate of Enigmatic Hip-Hop Hero Rammellzee to Be Represented by Jeffrey Deitch Andy Battaglia November 30, 2021 Art News</ref> with Shockdell, Queen Lisa Lee of [[Universal Zulu Nation|Zulu Nation]], [[Grandmaster Flash]], and [[Zephyr (artist)|ZEPHYR]].<ref name=pastemag>{{cite web|last=Krotov|first=Mark|title=Wild Style celebrates anniversary|url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2007/10/wild-style-celebrates-.html|publisher=Paste Magazine|access-date=17 August 2011|archive-date=30 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230002158/http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2007/10/wild-style-celebrates-.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Mc Call|first=Tris|title=Rock Steady Crew to throw 34th Anniversary party in Newark's Lincoln Park|date=29 July 2011 |url=http://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/index.ssf/2011/07/rock_steady_crew_to_throw_34th.html|publisher=NJ.com|access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref>

Filmed in 1981 and completed in 1982,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Interview: Charlie Ahearn, Wild Style Director|url=https://daily.redbullmusicacademy.com/2017/03/charlie-ahearn-interview|access-date=2021-07-17|website=Red Bull Music Academy|language=en}}</ref> ''Wild Style'' premiered in November 1982 at the [[Festival du nouveau cinéma]] in [[Montreal]], followed by its theatrical release in the United States on November 23, 1983. The film was later released on [[VHS]] by [[Rhino Home Video]] in 1997. In 2007, it was released on [[DVD]] for its 25th anniversary.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Mattin|first=David|date=August 3, 2007|title=Wild Style (2007)|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2007/08/06/wild_style_2007_review.shtml|access-date=2020-10-06|website=BBC}}</ref> A 30th anniversary collector's edition was released on Blu-ray in 2012.

==Synopsis==
''Wild Style'' centers around a Bronx teenager named Raymond (Lee Quiñones), who under the pseudonym "Zoro" is a celebrated but anonymous graffiti artist. Raymond scorns a group of graffiti artists, known as the Union Crew, who have turned their talents to legitimate, commissioned murals on the walls of playgrounds and business establishments. Their graffiti murals attracted the attention of Virginia ([[Patti Astor]]), a journalist, who brings the uptown hip-hop culture to the downtown art world. There are a series of encounters with graffiti artists, rappers and breakers, leading up to a giant rap-break concert in a Lower East Side band shell decorated by Raymond.<ref>https://inspiringcity.com/2024/12/26/how-wild-style-helped-to-spark-a-global-graffiti-revolution/</ref>

== Cast ==

* [[Lee Quiñones]] (Lee) as Raymond Zoro
* [[Fab Five Freddy|Frederick Brathwaite]] (Fab 5 Freddy) as Phade
* [[Lady Pink|Sandra Fabara]] (Lady Pink) as Rose Lady bug
* [[Patti Astor]] as Virginia
* Andrew Witten (Zephyr) as Zroc 
* Carlos Morales as Raymond's Brother
* Alfredo Valez as Boy with Broom 
* Niva Kislac as Art Patron 
* [[Bill Rice (actor)|Bill Rice]] as TV Producer
* [[Joe Lewis (artist)|Joe Lewis]] as Community Art Organizer
* [[Glenn O'Brien]] as Art Dealer

==Production==
Fab Five Freddy (Fred Brathwaite) approached Ahearn about making a film focusing on what would become known as hip-hop culture and they began working together in late 1981. The idea was a hybrid of narrative musical and documentary, having hip-hop pioneers play themselves in a loosely scripted story shot entirely in the [[South Bronx]], the [[Lower East Side]], and [[Metropolitan Transit Authority|MTA]] subway yards.<ref name=":0" /> Freddy eventually stepped back from co-writing and co-directing with Ahearn ("Freddy didn’t have the focus at that particular time to write or direct," Ahearn said), but helped [[Chris Stein]] of [[rock music|rock]] band [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] produce the soundtrack.<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1991/06/17/living-large | title=Fab Five Freddy, the Coolest Person in New York | magazine=The New Yorker | date=10 June 1991 | last1=Orlean | first1=Susan }}</ref> 
An early version of the ''Wild Style'' logo appeared in 1981, when Ahearn hired graffiti artist [[Dondi White|Dondi]] to paint the "window down" subway car piece that appears in the film.<ref name="Witten (2001)">{{cite book|last=Witten|first=Andrew|title=Dondi White, Style Master General|url=https://archive.org/details/stylemastergener0000witt|url-access=registration|year=2001|publisher=Regan Books|pages=[https://archive.org/details/stylemastergener0000witt/page/94 94–95]}}</ref> The Dondi piece was the inspiration for the film's animated title sequence, designed by artist Zephyr and animated by Joey Ahlbum in 1982.<ref>{{cite book|last=Cooper|first=Martha|title=Hip Hop Files Photographs 1979-1984|year=2004|publisher=Here To Fame|pages=188}}</ref> The ''Wild Style'' mural was painted by Zephyr, Revolt and Sharp in 1983.

==Music==
{{Main|Wild Style Original Soundtrack}}

[[Chris Stein]] of [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] worked on the soundtrack and score of ''Wild Style''.<ref name=":2" /> The original 1983 soundtrack was released by Animal Records.<ref name=":3" /> It consisted of 13 tracks recorded by various artists included in the film. A 25th anniversary edition expanded this to 17 tracks, plus a bonus disc of remixes, instrumentals and DJ tools. The album has been described by [[Allmusic]] as "one of the key records of early 1980s hip-hop".<ref>{{cite web|last=Stanley|first=Leo|title=Wild Style Original Soundtrack|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/r308733|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=9 January 2012}}</ref>

== Release ==
''Wild Style'' was first shown at the [[Festival du nouveau cinéma]] in [[Montreal]] in November 1982.<ref name="complex">{{cite web |last1=Gale |first1=Alex |title=The Oral History of "Wild Style" |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/a/alex-gale/oral-history-wild-style |website=Complex |access-date=24 March 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Carruthers |first1=Jim |title=Out of My Mind |journal=[[The Link (newspaper)|The Link]]|date=November 5, 1982 |volume=3 |issue=18 |page=11 |url=https://thelinknewspaper.ca/pdf/The_Link_-_Vol_03__No_18_text.pdf |access-date=24 March 2025}}</ref> The film had its US premiere as part of the [[New Directors/New Films Festival]] at the 57th Street Playhouse in New York on March 18, 1983.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Canby|first=Vincent|date=March 18, 1983|title='WILD STYLE,' RAPPING AND PAINTING GRAFFITI|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/18/movies/wild-style-rapping-and-painting-graffiti.html|access-date=2021-07-17|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Interestingly, the film was shown in theaters in Tokyo a month before it opened at Embassy 46th Street Theatre on [[Broadway (Manhattan)|Broadway]] on November 23, 1983.<ref name="afi"/><ref>{{Cite news|date=November 25, 1983|title=SCREEN: 'WILD STYLE,' A BRONX VIEW|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/25/arts/screen-wild-style-a-bronx-view.html|access-date=2021-07-17|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> By January 1984,<ref name="afi"/> it was being shown in other major cities.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|last=Palmer|first=Robert|date=February 22, 1984|title=THE POP LIFE; RAP AND HIP-HOP MUSIC IN 'WILD STYLE'|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/22/arts/the-pop-life-rap-and-hip-hop-music-in-wild-style.html|access-date=2021-07-17|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Reception==
[[Vincent Canby]] wrote for ''[[The New York Times]]'' that ''Wild Style'' "never discovers a cinematic rhythm that accurately reflects and then celebrates the rare energy and wit of the artists within the film." However, he noted that the "subjects are appealing, especially Mr. Quinones, a graffiti artist in real life, and Frederick Brathwaite as a very cool artist promotor."<ref name=":2" />

On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 90% based on 20 reviews.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wild Style|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/wild_style/|access-date=20 July 2020|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> Phelim O'Neill of ''[[The Guardian]]'' noted that despite the low production values, "nothing else comes close to capturing the atmosphere of the early days of hip-hop and [[spraycan art]]..."<ref>{{cite news|last=O'Neill|first=Phelim|title=Wild Style|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/aug/10/drama.romance|work= [[The Guardian]] |access-date=9 January 2012|location=London|date=10 August 2007}}</ref> Reviewing the film for [[BBC]], David Mattin wrote that "''Wild Style'' is a [[cult classic]] - indisputably the most important hip hop movie, ever."<ref name=":1" />

==Legacy==
The plot of ''Wild Style'' is fairly loose and the film is more notable for featuring several prominent figures from early hip hop culture such as [[Busy Bee Starski]], [[Fab Five Freddy]], [[The Cold Crush Brothers]] and [[Grandmaster Flash]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Wild Style (1982)|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084904/fullcredits|access-date=22 November 2017|via=www.imdb.com}}</ref> Throughout the movie, there are scenes depicting activities common in the early days of hip hop. These include MCing, turntablism, graffiti and b-boying. The film demonstrates the interconnections between music, dance and art in the development of hip hop culture.

The film has received a large cult following over the years after its initial release. Highly regarded hip hop albums such as ''[[Illmatic]]'' by [[Nas]], ''[[Midnight Marauders]]'' by [[A Tribe Called Quest]], ''[[Black Sunday (Cypress Hill album)|Black Sunday]]'' by [[Cypress Hill]], ''[[Resurrection (Common album)|Resurrection]]'' by [[Common (rapper)|Common]], ''[[Big Shots (album)|Big Shots]]'' by [[Charizma]], ''[[Mm..Food]]'' by [[MF Doom]], ''[[Check Your Head]]'' by [[Beastie Boys]], ''[[Beat Konducta]]'' by [[Madlib]], ''[[Jay Stay Paid]]'' by [[J Dilla]] and ''[[Quality Control (album)|Quality Control]]'' by [[Jurassic 5]] have used samples from the film.

In 2007, the [[VH1]] [[Hip Hop Honors]] paid tribute to ''Wild Style'' in recognition of its influence upon the culture. The film was also voted as one of the top ten rock and roll films of all time by the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]].<ref name="pastemag" /> In 2012, ''Wild Style'' was ranked No. 1 on Billboard's list of the Top 10 Best Hip-Hop Movies Ever.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Erika|first=Ramirez|date=November 8, 2012|title=Top 10 Best Hip-Hop Movies Ever|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/474260/top-10-best-hip-hop-movies-ever|access-date=2021-07-17|magazine=Billboard|language=en}}</ref> The film was exhibited as part of a 1980s art retrospective at the [[Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago]] and the [[Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston]] in 2012.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/04/25/museum-of-contemporary-art-looks-back-at-the-80s/ | work=Chicago Tribune | first=Lori | last=Waxman | title=Museum of Contemporary Art looks back at the '80s | date=25 April 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Art, Love and Politics in the '80s: An exhibition at the ICA – The Daily Free Press|date=15 November 2012 |url=https://dailyfreepress.com/2012/11/15/art-love-and-politics-in-the-80s-an-exhibition-at-the-ica/|access-date=2021-07-17|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2021, it was shown at the [[Museum of Fine Arts, Boston]] to celebrate the closing weekend of the exhibition "Writing the Future: Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wild Style|url=https://www.mfa.org/event/film/wild-style|access-date=2021-07-17|website=Museum of Fine Arts, Boston|language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==
* ''[[Style Wars]]''
* ''[[Beat Street]]''
* [[List of hood films]]
* [[The Times Square Show]]
* [[No wave cinema]]
* [[New Cinema]]
* [[Graffiti]]
* [[Breakdancing]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb title|id=0084904|title=Wild Style}}
* [http://www.wildstylethemovie.com/ Wild Style]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110517045105/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/film_reviews/article2223337.ece Wild Style: Times Online movie review]
* [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C0DE0DA103BF93BA25750C0A965948260 New York Times Review]
* [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r308733|pure_url=yes}} Soundtrack]
* [http://askhiphop.com/blog/the-hip-hop-history-of-wild-style/ The Hip Hop History of Wild Style]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Graffiti in New York City]]
[[Category:1980s hip-hop films]]
[[Category:Films set in New York City]]
[[Category:American docudrama films]]
[[Category:American independent films]]
[[Category:Street culture]]
[[Category:Musical film soundtracks]]
[[Category:New York City hip-hop]]
[[Category:1982 films]]
[[Category:1980s English-language films]]
[[Category:1980s American films]]
[[Category:English-language musical films]]
[[Category:1982 musical films]]