Dave Chappelle's Block Party - Film Review
April 27th 2006 22:46
Give him a ravenous all-star hiphop lineup, though, et il est le roi. He is The King.
Back in 2004, Dave Chappelle was holding the reins on The Chappelle's Show, an HBO sketch comedy program that received huge ratings and big shout-outs. That same year, he held an old skool block party in Brooklyn, inviting some of the most intelligent and classiest hip hop acts to perform for this stellar show.
Dave Chappelle's Block Party is a film chronicling the party and the events prior to the party.
Unlike most other concert documentaries, it's a non-stop train ride of exhuberance, hilarity and sheer violent energy. And the train kept a-rollin', all night long.
Mr. Chappelle, in addition to being a raving lunatic, is also a diabolical genius. Yes, if he had a nuclear missile, or a vial of deadly virus, the world would have to fork over a lot of cold cash. With a block party in his hands, though, all he can do is make some noise.
He went to his old hometown in Ohio and gave free tickets, accomodation and travel to people in his 'hood; some of them refused him gently ('Oh no, sorry, I've got something to do on Saturday') and some of them went wild. He even found the Central State University marching band, and convinced the university to let them all come to Brooklyn to attend the show - the marching band members were ecstatic with joy, and some of them even burst into tears on film.
One of the reasons that Dave Chappelle is a genius (evil) is that he convinced notable director Michael Gondry to take over the film project. Gondry has directed various music videos for top-selling artists and directed the excellent Human Nature and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, two films written by the esteemed Charlie Kaufman.
Gondry has a slick sense of control and timing, and much of the energy in the film comes from the precise editing and camera control. It's too good. It's so good, you'll have to chew on razor blades to distract you from that infectious rhythm.
Mos Def
Mos Def
Talib Kweli
Common
The Roots
Jill Scott
Erykah Badu
Kanye West
Dead Prez
and the muthafucking reunion of the muthafucking Fugees...
...and it was good.
Not just good. But so damn good that I had trouble sitting down. I was bopping my head to the beat, tapping my foot to the bass, and fighting the overwhelming urge to stand up and throw my fists in the air. I could sense that the people around me were getting restless, too... many of them looked like coffee-drinking, poetry-reading intellectuals that twist ironic smiles at Goddard films, but for a split-second, I believed they would have stood up with me and screamed along with the film:
'Fuck the radio, don't play that bullshit!'
In one of the interviews, the Roots describe how, before any of them had record deals, they and many of the other artists on the bill used to jam at a hip hop club in Brooklyn. It shows on stage... these are seasoned performers and they like each other, and they're not trying to outsell each other. Shit, this is like watching some of your best and most talented friends, fool around on the microphones in front of '5000 black people and 16 white people'.
The rest of the film is footage of Dave Chappelle joking around, Dave Chappelle pretending to sing, Dave Chappelle making an ass of himself, Dave Chappelle talking to crazy people, ad infinitum...
...and it was funny.
Not just funny, but so hilarious, in fact, that I experienced a cramp in my uterus.
And I don't even have a uterus! You want to talk about The Divine Comedy? To err is human, but this shit is divine!
Dave Chappelle's Block Party is an exhilirating ride, to say the least, and, in my humble opinion, it's one of the best films to come out this year. It's about time someone threw a block party, and Dave Chappelle is just the cat to do it. Watching this film was, for me, like having sex for the first time, after abstaining for a year... like discovering that part of you that has been disused and abused, and you've just re-opened your eyes to a dazzling array of lights and explosions. This is an orgasm, etched in film.
Thanks to Vice Magazine, which provided the screening and gave me two free tickets. I love this magazine, ever since it was a vile, vulgar piece of detritus in Canada. Now, it's international and it's poised to headbutt other, shittier magazines.
Dave Chappelle's Block Party will open in Australia on May 4th!
Show Highlights:
Edmonton Oilers classic jersey
- Lauryn Hill's incredibly rich and soulful voice belting out 'Killing me softly' - she almost shed tears!
- A little kid asking Dave Chappelle if he could drive the limousine to Alabama (it's far).
- Mos Def, Talib Kweli and Common doing their best to pump up the crowd. These fools are hot, boy.
- The old hippie telling the camera that people should swear so much, aand rap music is bad for children.
- The chubby bassist wearing the Edmonton Oilers old-skool hockey jersey (pictured).
- Erykah Badu throwing away her huge-ass afro wig and body surfing into the crowd.
- Praz grabbing his crotch so you can see the outline of his big ol' penis.
- The Dead Prez singing a violently anti-white song, and seeing all the white people in the movie theatre smiling and nodding their heads. Oh boy...
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Comment by Stanley
Comment by Cibbuano
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go and see the block party!
Comment by Trina
Hiphop
Confessions of a Serial Dancer
Competitions
Clubbing
Can't wait to hold my own block party... most of you aren't aware but within the dance scene in Sydney we're tryna start getting out into the streets more to jam or perform; the breakers gonna have a raw street session next Sunday at Hyde Park from 3pm onwards, and over at UNSW, Kensington we basically jam every week at random public places on campus. I usually have dance practices and some classes just on the side of the Entertainment Centre, or at World Square - takin' it back to the streets!
Comment by Cibbuano
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Study = bad. Block party = good.
Hell, if you throw a block party, I'd be there in a flash.
If you're promoting an event, that's definitely post-worthy!
Cibby
Comment by Trina
Hiphop
Confessions of a Serial Dancer
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Clubbing
Oh I was planning to post all upcoming events, just gotta get one more exam out of the way. Then we'll party like it's my birthday.
Trina
Comment by Cibbuano
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I believe you made an error...
Party = meet goodlooking bboy at party = spend time in idyllic bliss with said bby = use newfound love of life and passion to write incredibly insightful essay on Cheerful Philosophy = fantastic grades
So, you see, you can't afford NOT to party!
Comment by Sisi
Comment by Trina
Hiphop
Confessions of a Serial Dancer
Competitions
Clubbing
The really weird thing is... all the above is true except for the essay part.
Trina
Comment by Cibbuano
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Sisi, thanks! I'm glad someone finds me charming. Especially after all that swearing in that post!
Comment by Sisi
Comment by amy
(might have to post about using coffee and ice in the bedroom just to keep up)
Cibby get along to American Dreamz - I rate it three spuds (out of a possible five spuds) and I also request a review of Candy - STAT!
(whoah, anyone out there into demanding women?!?)
Comment by Cibbuano
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But do we really want to go down that slippery road? It's a deep, descending spiral into depravity, and our blogs might just degenerate into porn and spam.
Candy? With Heath Ledger?
Comment by amy
The very same - I want Heath Ledger's Candy!
Meagan Spencer (JJJ) rates it very highly. It's not out for the general public yet but don't you have contacts you can sleep with in the spirit of serving your demanding public?
Comment by Sarah
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