Customer Reviews

Breakin' [VHS]

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I purchased the soundtrack when this movie came out in 1984, but I never really saw the complete movie. When it was on TV, I always seemed to catch the last half-hour. Luckily, I was able to find a new VHS copy, and I must say it's one of my favourite movies in my collection. It stars Lucinda Dickey as an up & coming dancer who befriends two breakdancers (Adolpho Quinones & Michael Chambers)who fight for the respect of the dance community to get break dancing taken as a serious art form. The soundtrack is still great after all of these years, and the story is total '80s "breakploitation". Even though it has been criticized for being total trash, and plagued with bad acting, just remember that this movie was the starting vehicle for all the actors involved. I never found the acting THAT BAD. It's a movie that will WOW you with solid jams, and hype mid-'80s fashion, plus lots of high energy breakdancing and other forms of modern dance that make the film interesting & entertaining. I was lucky to find a new VHS copy of this movie, but it would be nice if it was available on DVD in North America. In conclusion, if you really like '80s movies, then this one will not disappoint.

Do not rent or buy this movie if you are looking for a movie with a strong plot line or decent acting. Both of these items are pretty much nonexistent.

There is really no sense in trying to explain the plot line to this movie, mainly because it only takes up about 20 minutes of this 86-minute movie. The rest of the movie involves the characters dancing (mostly break dancing to be exact). To be honest, the story actually gets in the way of the dancing (never thought I would say that about a movie).

Okay, if the story line isn't worth talking about and the acting is pretty much non-existent, then why the 4-star rating? Because of the dancing. This is one of those movies where the story and the acting don't really matter. For those of us with no dance talent, these dance moves will leave your mouth wide open. And any movie that can successfully do that is worth a high rating.

Remembering those days in 1984 where any corner with a cardboard and a boom box would become an arena are brought back to life with the release of the first Breakdancing Movie. I was 10 when I first saw this movie in San Gabriel, CA., and I remember how I used to challenge kids my age (girls and boys)to break. At the end, there were no losers (most of the time everyone danced together) and it didn't involved social status, race, origin, etc, what mattered most was how well you could break. If I tried any of the floor moves I used to do, I would need a paramedic on my side just in case. I've encountered several people who would rather not remember those days, but what I can say is that if in a movie theater you had people getting out of their seats to dance and break to the beats while the movie was playing, there had to be something magical to it. I cannot say less but recommend this movie to everyone, and hopefully you will recover those lost memories just like I have.

This movie was great in the 80's and still great now. It takes you back to when "Kids" broke it down in the local warehouse club. Bustin' moves to gain respect, and showing off your "crew". While most kids today havn't the clue, this was the anti-Brat pack movie. No Molly Ringwold, Anthony Michael Hall, Just "Ozone" and "Turbo". To those who know those names live in the movie "Hall Of Fame". Just buy this movie it's worth the 8 bucks. You'll watch it on a rainy day, or lazy Sunday with some pop corn. For even more fun invite all the friends from the 80's pop it on before they come over, and watch the topics of conversation ROLL!!!!!

Jean-Claude Van Damme trying to shake his groove thang in a spandex onesie at the beach...

That is reason enough to buy the damn thing right there.

I admit, when I saw this at age 13 I thought "Breakin'" was the coolest thing since Star Wars. I never had anywhere *near* the athleticism for true breakdancing/floorwork, but my moonwalk and robot weren't too bad. Flash forward to 2005 - I'm a married goth with a penchant for film scores. I find both "Breakin'" AND "Breakin' 2" on DVD. I braved the eye-rolls and head-shaking to reclaim this piece of my youth.

Don't sweat the storyline. (Three dancers find their groove in challenging the snobs.) The film isn't called "Highlights from The Lee Strasberg Institute". The movie's reach matches its grasp; some scenes feature moves and routines that make your jaw drop. Michael Chambers during Kraftwerk's "Tour de France". Adolfo Quinones and Bruno Falcon during the first Radiotron duel. Lucinda Dickey during "99 1/2".

Sadly, it seems the distributors like the films about as much as my wife does. Weren't there even bloopers? Even Adolfo Quinones couldn't deliver a line like "I think I hear yo' mama calling you!" with such intensity right out of the gate. C'mon.

Try the Spanish overdub option. If you don't wet your pants, you've got the TV on mute.

Frankly, I think the three leads should reunite and revive the storyline in a different setting - say, Renaissance France...

WALTZIN': ELECTRIC MINUET!

Just watch the movie, and giggle at how much you dug that part of the 1980's. Hindsight is 20/20, after all.

Breakin' is One of The greatest 80s movies ever made..Add it to you Collection,,You'll love it ...I bought the dvd and I enjoyed watchin' :)

This the ultimate 80's dance movie, i love Flashdance and Footloose but nothing beats this little gem. It stars Lucinda Dickey(best jazz dancer in the world),Shabba Doo(best body popper in the world), and Boogaloo Shrimp)the ultimate Breakdancer. A trio of dancers takes on the dance world by using a big time contest to make the big time on broadway. Some great performances by Ben Loky and Christopher McDonald and the dancing is totaly mind blowing. And who can forget the awesome hip hop soundtrack with Ollie & Jerry and Chaka Khan. Get this dvd now and expirience the best movie to come from the 1980's.

i saw this movie when it was first shown in theaters back in '84. even then, the acting was already suspect. the plot is so thin it is almost non-existent. all in all, the movie is cheesy. so cheesy you can almost taste it. but still, when it become available at amazon(it was in my wish list for quite some time), i readily bought it. why? coz i'd like to buy a piece of history that i was very much into.

the movie is more about freedom, respect and recognition than anything else. for us street dwellers who were heckled and stared down by most "normal" people, this movie is our anthem. it tells us that no matter what you do, so long you put your heart and soul in to it, you'll bound to make it. this was our outlet, our ticket to say that, "hey were as normal as you are guys". we just happen to like breakin', lockin' and poppin'!

the broom dance sequence of TURBO alone is well worth every cent you'll spend. the secret in enjoying this movie is to never expect anything grandiose. just take it as it is.

i was seventeen when i saw this and now my 9 yr old son is enjoying it more than i do. everytime i see a smile in his face makes me think that i made the right investment. i now work as a marketing manager for a commercial bank. not bad for an old popper and locker.

i was so excited to find out they were finally putting one of my favorite movies on DVD. atleast until i saw that it is no different than the VHS. this, as all theatrical releases (except Kubrick's films) have been shot in some aspect of widescreen since the seventies. so why they didn't take this film off the original print in order to restore the widescreen is beyond me. not only is this DVD in fullscreen but it doesn't even have any extras, so what's the point. you are better off with the VHS or see it on cable. there is no difference.

I must say first to the kid who has his timeline mixed up: Shabadoo aka O-Zone is an official campbell. I.E. he is a campbell locker. The rest of us are just Pop Lockers. (Including Re-Run). Shabadoo's father invented the dance style. I find it highly unlikely "Re-Run" (who is brilliant) would win anything against him.

The movie is full of classic dancers from boogaloo shrimp (turbo) to poppin' taco (who is responsible for most of Michael Jackson's moves) and Poppin Pete. This is a lighter version of what breakin' culture was at the time, but it was hot. The dancin' was real, the West Coast answer to Break dancin.It was around the same time as Beat Street (which actually was NOT as good on the dancing side, but better on the overall appeal of the Hip Hop culture from emceein' to bombin' to djin' to breakin) but Breakin' totally creatin' an image. No one was poppin' as hard as turbo, taco or pete. No one was lockin' on the level of Ozone. Lot as much actual floor work, but this movie for poppers and lockers (called strutters back in those days in some circles) is the best out there.

If you are interested in breakin', this movie and its sequel are the movies that you must memorize move for move.