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NYC As Seen On TV: Revisit The '80s With <em>Beat Street</em>
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 6, 2012
Modified Feb 6, 2012
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 6, 2012
Modified Feb 6, 2012
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After seeing Steven Siegel's amazing photos from 1980s New York City, we wondered how the boroughs were repped on the big screen back in the Bad Old Days. From Fame to Crocodile Dundee to Splash to Annie to Escape From New York, we'll be taking a look back at these movies, starting today with 1984's Beat Street.
This movie (which was influenced by Style Wars and followed 1983's Wild Style) was filmed entirely on location in New York City—revolving around a group of friends from the South Bronx—and you'll see shots from almost every borough (sorry, Staten Island), including scenes from the subway system and tunnels. These underground scenes were filmed mostly at 57th Street-Sixth Avenue, Fresh Pond Road, and Hoyt-Schermerhorn (where Martin Scorsese would film Michael Jackson's Bad video two years later).
Most of the interior dance sequences were filmed at the Roxy in Chelsea (others were filmed at the City College of New York). In the movie the group of friends frequent the Burning Spear, a fictional club run by the non-fictional DJ Kool Herc.
The movie also featured many other old school performers, including: US Girls, Kool Moe Dee, Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force, Jazzy Jay, The Rock Steady Crew, The New York City Breakers, Doug E. Fresh and The Magnificent Force, and Melle Mel and The Furious Five.
Interestingly, most of the graffiti you'll spot was done by set decorators, and not real taggers of the time. One of the characters, Ramo, is a graffiti artist who several times spots the illusive white train. Sidenote (and spoiler!): The Notorious B.I.G mentioned Ramo in his song "Suicidal Thoughts," saying, "Should I die on the train tracks like Ramo in Beat Street/People at my funeral frontin' like they miss me."
You can watch Beat Street on Netflix Instant.
Tagged
1980s
Beat Street
movie
nyc as seen on tv
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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