It must be film day here at EMERGE HQ in Brooklyn because after a long weekend of turkey and pie and some of the most grotesquely unhealthy mashed potatoes on earth, all we can think about is watching movies and posting film-related items to this here blog.

Going through the virtual mountan of adoring emails this morning, EMERGE came across one about Foundations, a documentary exploring the cultural crossovers between Uptown and Downtown New York during the late 70s and early 80s. Treading on a path well-worn by the likes of Basquiat, Downtown 81, Nomi Song, and plenty of other films, Foundations manages to find a new angle on the subject by setting the sociopolitical climate and using it as a lens through which to view a uniquely vibrant and influential moment in popular culture.

The film examines how it is that breakdancing, graffiti, punk, art, and rapping collided at legendary clubs like the Roxy, Danceteria, and Mudd Club, and how they gave rise not just to hip-hop culture, but laid the groundwork for club culture, techno and house music, and the ubiquity of street style all over the world. Through the use of some very familiar seeming archival images and footage from classics like Style Wars as well as performance footage and interviews with the likes of Chris Klein of Blondie, Arthur Baker who helped produce "Planet Rock" for Afrika Bambaataa, Sal Principato of punk-funk legends Liquid Liquid, Michael Holman, Nelson George, and Bobbito Garcia, Foundations looks to be laying out a familiar story told by the actual particpants, which really hasn't been done adequately before.

In an era when old school revivalists like the "Retro Kids" are getting profiled in the Style section of the New York Times and so many facets of underground culture continue to draw inspiration from this golden age of New York's creative community, Foundations will undoubtedly make quite a splash once it's finished.

Not too much is known about how far along Foundations is, but EMERGE does know that the filmmaker is looking for "help" in getting things finished. Since we don't know what kind of help is needed, we've posted an email contact below at the end of this post. Get in touch if you can help bring this fascinating documentary to fruition.

Check the trailer here and email SHANBOOGIE718@aol.com if you can get involved.

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