Wild Style (1982) on Netflix
In the Bronx, Raymond paints graffiti as Zoro, celebrated but anonymous. He scorns the Union Crew, who paint commissioned murals. His art strains his relationship with Rose, a fellow artist.
- Netflix4.0/5
- IMDb7.0/103,320 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes90%
Trailer
Plot summary
Raymond, a teenager from the Bronx, paints graffiti under the name Zoro. His work is celebrated, but he himself stays anonymous. He scorns the Union Crew, a group of graffiti artists who now take commissions for murals on playgrounds and business walls. Virginia, a journalist, takes an interest in their murals and carries uptown hip-hop into the downtown art world. Raymond's passion for his art pulls against his personal life, above all his strained relationship with Rose, a fellow artist. Around him are the city's graffiti writers, rappers and breakers, and the music, dance and art that connect their world.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Wild Style (1982)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Charlie Ahearn's Wild Style is regarded as the first hip hop motion picture, featuring seminal figures of the culture such as Grandmaster Flash, the Cold Crush Brothers, the Rock Steady Crew and Fab Five Freddy.
- An early version of the Wild Style logo appeared in 1981, when Charlie Ahearn hired graffiti artist Dondi to paint the "window down" subway car piece seen in the film; Dondi's piece inspired the animated title sequence designed by Zephyr and animated by Joey Ahlbum.
- Fab Five Freddy approached Charlie Ahearn about a hip-hop film in late 1981 but stepped back from co-writing and co-directing it; Ahearn said Freddy "didn't have the focus at that particular time to write or direct." Freddy instead helped Blondie's Chris Stein produce the soundtrack.
- Wild Style built a large cult following, and hip hop albums including Nas's Illmatic, A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders, Cypress Hill's Black Sunday, MF Doom's Mm..Food and the Beastie Boys' Check Your Head have used samples from the film.
