DOCUMENTARY: BIG FUN IN THE BIG TOWN
Big Fun in the Big Town is a Dutch music documentary from 1986 directed by Bram van Splunteren which follows Marcel Vanthilt on his journey to discover more about this emerging subculture in New York City called Hip-Hop.
The crew managed to interview several important pioneers of early Hip-Hop, including Run–D.M.C., LL Cool J, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash, Roxanne Shante, Biz Markie, MC Shan, Russell Simmons, Mr. Magic, Schoolly D and The Last Poets. Grandmaster Flash showed his talents in scratching and DJing, Doug E. Fresh did beatboxing on a busy street corner in Harlem, and LL Cool J still lived with his grandmother at time of recording. The documentary crew literally arrived at a turning point for hip hop. Run–D.M.C. had just released the single "Walk This Way", their duet with the rock band Aerosmith, which would cause mainstream acceptance of the genre by a major white audience. Because of this element Big Fun in the Big Town still provides a unique time capsule.
With Hip-Hop being hardly present on Dutch television in those days the film had an enormous impact on the Dutch music scene and is seen as a cult classic among Hip-Hop fans. Watch the full documentary below.
