While it's debatable whether Dave Chappelle has the best mouth in the biz, there's no doubt, in my humble opinion, that David LaChapelle has the best eye.
Whether it's his photograph of Alicia Keys next to a flaming pink piano or his commercial of Hootie hawking the Whopper or his music video of J. Lo channeling Flashdance, the man knows how to use colors, flesh, and the surreal to capture attention. His touch is so distinct that it's easy to guess when he's the auteur behind the lens.
So naturally, I was looking forward to Rize, his debut film and his new documentary on the culture of "krumping" and "clowning," two related forms of dancing that rose from the ashes of the 1992 LA riots.
How to describe it? Spawned by Tommy the Clown, this amazing artform reminds me of the dancing I once did at a party when the DJ played 2 Live Crew's "Hoochie Mama" after I grundlechugged my seventh Mountain Dew/Jolt cocktail without taking my anti-seizure medication ... during an earthquake.
The frenetic convulsions are so fast that the film begins with a disclaimer that none of the footage was sped up. In the event you haven't seen it, watch this.
Quite honestly, when I was hit with this cinematic barrage of addictive and adrenaline-inducing movement, I wanted to get out of my movie theater seat and join them. But alas, I couldn't because I would have died ten seconds into my routine from nacho cramps and Milk Duds vomit.
The strange thing about Rize is that there are only a few moments — a blue sky here, a pink wall there — reminiscent of LaChapelle's vivid work. This documentary is simply the reflection of a man so fascinated with a subculture that he believed it would speak for itself. Thus, there's no narration, no fancy camera tricks, and no flaming pianos.
The people documented in this movie are so captivating that I'm sure I still would have enjoyed watching them even if Stevie Wonder filmed it guerilla-style on his cell phone camera. I could just view unedited footage of Miss Prissy and the little kids all day, and apparently, so can LaChapelle. But thankfully, his film presents a loose narrative complete with punchlines, drama, climactic showdowns, tragedy, and victory.
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