All the Streets Are Silent

Original title:	All the Streets Are Silent
Director:	Jeremy Elkin
Release:	Cinema
Running time:	89 minutes
Release date:	23 july 2021
Rating:

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the streets of downtown Manhattan were the site of a collision between two dynamic subcultures: skateboarding and hip-hop. Narrated by Zoo York co-founder Eli Gesner and accompanied by original music by legendary hip-hop producer Large Professor (Nas, A Tribe Called Quest), All the Streets Are Silent brings to life the magic of that era and the convergence that gave birth to a style and visual language that had a significant and lasting cultural impact. From the DJ booths and dance floors of the Mars nightclub to the creation of brands like Supreme, this convergence laid the foundation for modern street style.

Mulder's Review

Discovering a documentary film in the midst of a period of forced confinement is always interesting in terms of the contrast it creates, and even more so if the documentary reminds us of the late 80s and early 90s. Jeremy Elkin's first documentary film manages to perfectly capture this period in which downtown Manhattan was the scene of a collision between two dynamic subcultures: skateboarding and hip-hop. The film traces the history of DJ Yuki Watanabe's Mars Nightclub, which attracted many artists from both the music and skateboarding scenes.

All the Streets Are Silent features excellent archival footage from the time and interviews with famous figures from the music and skateboarding worlds including Rosario Dawson, Harold Hunter, Justin Pierce, Keith Hufnagel, Darryl McDaniels (Run-D. M.C.), Jefferson Pang, Bobbito Garcia, Stretch Armstrong, Kool Keith, Leo Fitzpatrick, Mike Hernandez, DJ Clark Kent, Kid Capri, Mike Carroll, Moby, Fab 5 Freddy, Peter Bici, Yuki Watanabe, Clayton Patterson, Beatrice Domond, Tyshawn Jones.

It is exciting to see how the streets of New York were the scene of a musical revival but also the emergence of the skateboard scene. Most of the artists at the time were not able to really break through and some were considered recluses of society. The parallel between the musical creation of hip-hop that tried to capture the pulse of different musical influences and skateboarding that became a way to reinvent a way to move in existing streets.

By discovering this documentary we realize that these two distinct universes are linked by many common points, notably this same will to express oneself and to reshape the world. Each of the people interviewed from the world of skateboarding and hip-hop reveal themselves to be passionate, people who want to make it through their art and above all live together. While one could define the world of hip hop as that of African-Americans, the world of skateboarding was rather represented by white people. Yet all these people invented a new way of life that inspired a whole generation through the image conveyed in advertisements, movies and literature. This documentary is thus one of the most beautiful tributes that we can make to these precursors of a new way of life.

All the Streets Are Silent
Directed by Jeremy Elkin
Produced by Dana Brown
Written by Jeremy Elkin and Dana Brown
Starring Rosario Dawson, Darryl McDaniels, Kid Capri, Jefferson Pang, Clark Kent, Bobbito Garcia, Mike Carroll, Stretch Armstrong
Music by Large Professor
Cinematography : Jeremy Elkin
Edited by Jeremy Elkin
Release date : July 23, 2021 (United States)
Running time : 89 minutes

Seen on June 13, 2021 (Tribeca Festival Online press access)

Mulder's Mark: