Iconic New York hip-hop film, 'Wild Style,' celebrated on 30th anniversary

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Director Charlie Ahearn's tale of a graffiti artist's quest is a snapshot to a former age - and gets its due with a 2013 screening.


Thirty years ago, of course, New York had a whole different energy.
The opportunity to experience that era again is merely one reason "Wild Style," the 1983 hip-hop verite-drama celebrating its 30th anniversary this week at IFC, is a must-see.
"It was a portrait of people I thought were spearheading a whole new movement that was going on," says "Wild Style" director Charlie Ahearn.
"These guys in the Bronx had developed hip-hop into a language. It was like making a big art movie populated by all these creative individuals."
The film holds a place in history for being the first representation on film of New York's hip-hop scene. In it, a graffiti artist named Raymond (Lee Quinones) who, under the pseudonym "Zoro," traverses the city - especially the South Bronx - spray-paining subway cars (stationary targets are too easy for him).
He avoids the cops, romances a girl (Sandra Fabara) and hits big when he tags the background for a major "underground" rap competition outside an abandoned downtown theater.
Among the famous faces in the film are Fab 5 Freddy, Grandmaster Flash and Busy Bee.



The IFC Center is located at 323 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10014 For tickets and information go to www.ifccenter.com or call 212-924-7771