BIG FUN IN THE BIG TOWN OFFERS A RARE GLIMPSE INTO THE BEGINNINGS OF HIP-HOP AND NY CULTURE CIRCA THE MID-80'S. The film, made back in '86, is a documentary piece on the then-emerging cultural movement by Dutch film maker Bram Van Splunteren. Since then, it has seldom been screened, despite capturing the budding New York rap scene during it's vital stages. Witness a hungry LL Cool J bust freestyle raps acapella, Doug E Fresh blowin' minds with insane beat box techniques, Roxanne Shante and Biz Markie freak a live show, Grandmaster Flash gettin' busy on the decks, a young Russell Simmons and Run DMC, and much more. Looking back now, the film is truly a treasure trove of rare footage from hip-hop's golden age. From the label: "This essential, fast-paced documentary shows hip-hop from just about every angle, and approaches its subjects with a journalistic sobriety and respect rarely given to this oft-misunderstood artform and culture, even to this day. It presents worldwide superstars and aspiring rappers, dancers and beatboxers on an even playing field, reminding us that rap was once a wide-open game for anyone with talent to grab at the brass ring of fame." Recommended.
