THE LOST AND FOUND

So you think break dancing was an art form that died in the ‘80s. And so you think you’ve seen it all and the dance isn’t worth five minutes of your time when you are passing through Time Square subway station. You haven’t seen the last of b-boying if you watch this dance documentary as it mines b-boying from underground and proves it is still as alive as any other dance that has ever existed.

Benson Lee’s study of this art form, Planet B-boy, has all the flashy elements that spectators love to see; head-spins, flips, windmills, etc., but he also manages to grasp the glory of true b-boy style; their exuberant passion. B-boying, with its serious competitive dynamic, allows each dancer to break through the social constraints and channel their creativity, and even frustration and anger.

Planet B-boy is a dramatic documentary about an international, famed b-boy battle, “Battle of the Year” which marks its place in Braunschweig, Germany. Much like its title suggests, it is literally and figuratively the battle of the year as every crew from around the world trains and prepares to bring back the title to their respective countries. Think world-cup for b-boying. This documentary follows five predominant crews from Japan, Korea, France and the U.S. and provides a global scope to portray what is left in b-boying today. Has the culture become commercialized? Perhaps. But the filmmaker accurately portrays the physical hard work and mental dedication necessary to succeed in such a competitive scene, as well as exploring the social misconceptions and family background struggles the b-boys have to endure in their pursuits. Their passion remains evident; “I don’t break to make money; I make money to break,” – B-boy Baebaeng, Last For One, Korea.

Lee is wise not to include too much background history on the come-about of b-boying, as this aspect has already been widely explored in other films. If you are looking for a historical lesson, dig into Wild Style (1983) or The Freshest Kids (2002); essential films for any “hip hop enthusiasts,” they really do a good job of taking you to the source and breaking everything down to the core fundamentals. Lee’s approach to modern b-boying is, perhaps, an oriental one as much of the lens is framed at the Japanese and Korean b-boys. We are already familiar with the way b-boying is dealt with in the West and now that Hip hop has become a global phenomenon, there is really no need to restrain it in one continent. As Uncle Ronald would say, “Change is good”. But you should note that the Japanese are very skilled at flipping the Western traditions around (think curry pork cutlet burger). Chou oishii.

- jnn

VANCOUVER SCREENING INFO:
CINEMARK TINSELTOWN - 88 WEST PENDER:
MAY 30 - JUNE 5 - CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

MUSIC FROM THE FILM:
CLICK HERE

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
WWW.PLANETBBOY.COM

MOVIE TRAILER:
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