Planet B-Boy

Breakdancing might have seemed like a 1980s fad to many, but not to its practitioners. Several early kings of the form appear in filmmaker Benson Lee's lively documentary Planet B-Boy to argue what they knew all along but most of us didn't get: breakdancing is serious art. Part of a now quarter-century-old hip-hop culture, breakdancing is both about self-expression and teamwork, and this somewhat scattershot film follows the endeavors of several young men from around the world who join dance “crews” and compete in frenetic, international competitions. If the breakdancers are lucky, they might even make money performing for arena-size crowds…at least for a while. One of the points made here is that breakdancing is a young person's art, offering a narrow window of time for performers to hone their style and skills. In some countries, dancers face additional pressures: South Korean dancers, for instance, will eventually face two years of mandatory military service during which dance will be prohibited, so the two Korean teams profiled here—the Gamblerz and Last for One—compete all-out and end up doing well in international tournaments. Lee spends a lot of time with each group, as well as Japan's Ichigeki, America's Knucklehead Zoo, and France's Phase T. In fact, about half of the film focuses on the backgrounds of these teams, while the rest serves up kinetic footage from the 2005 version of the annual “Battle of the Year” breakdance tournament, held in Germany and featuring contestants from 18 nations. While Planet B-Boy is not exactly great documentary filmmaking, breakdance fans will love the performances. DVD extras include a featurette on B-boy culture and a photo gallery. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (T. Keogh)