Funky Films

Rip It Up, Issue 85, 1 August 1984, Page 8

Funky Films

BEAT STREET Bffa _ Director Stanftajham These days dance films seem to be coming thick and fast from the dream factory, what with Flashdance; Footloose and, soon, 1 Breakdance} jThe last time the cry of "gotta dance" was heard so strongly was during the Depression of the 19305. During times of economic and societal stress people create new cultures to express themselves in a physical sense. This is the essence of Beat Street: new cultures] and the characters' physical search for identity; Kenny through" his turntables, Lee his dancing and Ramo his*art/BBpHOOMW9 This search is set against the hip-hop culture )[ of the South Bronx; the community dance

centres created from burnt-out tenements, dance duels at the Roxy and in the street, the art of scratch mixing on the DJ desk, the Moslem message of the Zulu nation. Beat Street is the politics of existence. The scenario unfolds at an easy pace, each frame crowded with information like the pictures of

Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Bob Marley on Kenny's wall. At times it's almost a documentary, with non-actors like the legendary Kool King Here adding cultural realism. Despite the romanticism of some scenes, Beat Street succeeds as a cinematic representation of a new and vital culture. Kerry Buchanan

PURPLE RAIN Director: Albert Magnoli So far this year Prince has made a great album and an inauspicious debut as a movie star. This is an empty story of a struggle for musical success and love. Set against this are Prince's troubles with his mother and father (that's where 'When Doves Cry' fits in).

The problem doesn’t lie with Prince but with the film itself. Magnoli directs it as if it were one long video clip merged with an Electric Blue episode. All intense close ups of wet lips and search ing eyes nice to look at but ultimately weak cinema. You get to see lots of shots of Prince on stage, as well as the Time and Apolloma 6 (it seems Vanity walked out on the movie and Apollonia Kotero has become lead singer and Prince’s love interest in the film) and this is

where the film works. Since it's unlikely we’re going to see the ’’international lover" and his supporting cast in New Zealand this film gives us a good opportunity to get some idea. Most of the film is shot in Minneapolis’ famed First Avenue Club, where most of the clientele seem to be white and rock-orien-tated interesting to compare with the Roxy Club in Beat Street, a different cultural kettle of fish. Shame about the film but Prince is dynamite on stage, soulful in ’The Beautiful Ones’ and loud and funky in 'Let's Go Crazy’. Worth seeing for the music and for a great comic performance from Morris Day of the Time.

Kerry Buchanan