DAVE CHAPPELLE'S BLOCK PARTY
USA 2005 – Director: Michel Gondry – Original language: English – Subtitles: Other – Length: 106 min.
US American comedy superstar Dave Chappelle invites the residents of a Brooklyn neighbourhood to their very own once-in-a-lifetime free block party. All the big names of Hip-Hop, Rap and R & B will be there: Kanye West, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Dead Prez, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, the Roots, Cody ChesnuTT, Big Daddy Kane, and - reunited for their first performance in over seven years - the Fugees! The location and time of the party are kept a secret until the very last moment. There is to be no entrance tickets and no advertising. The first thing Chappelle does is take a trip to his home town in Ohio where he wanders around handing out “golden tickets” to his ex-neighbours, providing transport and lodging for their first-time-ever visit to New York. He even invites an entire university marching band to open the show with Kanye West.
Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) tracked the preparation of the event and captured the live performances. “This”, explains Dave Chappelle, “is the concert I always wanted to see.” Dave Chappelle’s Block Party is already on its way to becoming a cult film. Come and get your front-row seats for the concert of your life!
“With all the other great acts and bands, it was one of the biggest outdoor parties Brooklyn has seen in a long while. The energy was amazing. The end result is a film that captures the soul of the music and of the Brooklyn neighbourhood.” Michel Gondry
Writer: Dave Chappelle. Camera: Ellen Kuras. Sound: Chris Kellet. Editing: Sarah Flack, Jeff Buchanan. Music: Corey Smith. Production: Bob Yari Productions. Producer: Dave Chapelle, Bob Yari, Mustafa Abuelhija, Julie Fong. Co-Producers: Pilot Boy Productions, Kabuki Brothers Film, Partizan Pictures. International Sales: Focus Features. Distribution: Kinowelt Filmverleih GmbH.
