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Scratch [DVD Boxset] [Widescreen] [2002] [2 discs] [English] [Region 1]

2 discs
Region 1 USA/CA (info)

Director Doug Pray (HYPE!) pays tribute to the innovative art of deejaying in the electrifying documentary SCRATCH. Featuring the most legendary figures in the deejay scene, Pray's film is at once a deeply insightful historical document and a highly entertaining glimpse into the world of underground hip-hop. Modern luminaries such as DJ Shadow, MixMasterMike (of the Beastie Boys), DJ Qbert, Rob Swift, and DJ Swamp are interviewed alongside living legends like Afrika Bambaataa, Jazzy Jay, and Grand Mixer DXT, in order to paint a broad, comprehensive picture of how deejaying has evolved over the years. The title, SCRATCH, refers to a technique that was initially used to keep one particular section of a song running endlessly as other songs are played simultaneously. Deejaying (and scratching) has now become a worldwide phenomenon and lucrative profession which can be attributed to DJ Qbert, whose masterful stylings enabled deejays to step out from behind the shadow of rappers and into a spotlight of their very own. Seamlessly cutting between interviews and actual footage filmed at several high-profile deejaying contests including Skratchcon 2000 and the DMC U.S. Finals, Pray's film is a must-see for both seasoned fans and the uninitiated, a celebration of one of the late-20th Century's most thrilling, original musical movements.
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- Rating - language
Additional Info

Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): 30462
Critic Reviews

"...SCRATCH does what a fine documentary does best: It extends a warm invitation into an unfamiliar world, then illuminates it fully and allows the larger implications of the journey to sink in unobtrusively....[A] highly entertaining and encouraging documentary..."
Los Angeles Times
"...The movie gives us a rich taste of the music itself, and the spaces in which scratching developed....The film is also well paced, with each interview or performance given room to breathe..."
Sight and Sound