- HubPages»
- Entertainment and Media
Top 5 Best Graffiti Movies of all Time
The Top Five Best Graffiti Films Ever Made
Over the last few decades, graffiti artists across the globe have pushed the art form to astonishing new heights. Through sheer commitment to their work, artists like Revok, Saber, Shepard Fairey, and Banksy, to name just a few, have achieved worldwide fame and elevated the art to new levels of acceptance and mainstream appreciation.
The following five films are a must see for anyone interested in the history of graffiti art. Also, as a bonus, find a few other highly recommended graffiti documentaries, series, and shorts below.
Enjoy!
5. Piece by Piece (2005)
"Piece by Piece" details 20 years of graffiti history in San Francisco. This is a thorough, well-done film that captures an important time in the evolution of graffiti art.
- Type: Documentary
- Release date: January 13, 2005
- Runtime: 75 mins
- Director(s): Nic Hill
- Stars: Senor One (narrator)
Piece by Piece Trailer
4. Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
A fantastic film—in search of Banksy, featuring footage of Banksy and fellow graffiti artists at work. This film cast a spotlight on the graffiti art world when it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2011.
- Type: Documentary
- Release date: March 5, 2010
- Runtime: 85 mins
- Director(s): Banksy
- Stars: Banksy, Space Invader, Mr. Brainwash
- Note: This was nominated for an Oscar!
Exit Through the Gift Shop Trailer
3. Infamy (2006)
Infamy follows six legendary American graffiti artists, Saber, Toomer, Jase, Claw, Earsnot, and Enem, as they push graffiti art to new heights and try to explain what drives them to continue.
- Type: Feature-length documentary
- Release date: September 18, 2005
- Runtime: 90 mins
- Director(s): Doug Pray
- Stars: Claw, Joe Connolly, Earsnot, Jase, NM, Saber, Toomer
Infamy Trailer
2. Style Wars (1984)
Style Wars is, hands down, the single most important graffiti documentary ever made. It captures the birth of an art movement that inspired generations of young artists around the world. Featuring priceless footage of graffiti legends, including Dondi, Seen, and Iz the Whiz, in action.
If you don't own this film, buy it today. Seriously.
- Type: Documentary
- Release date: 1983
- Runtime: 69 mins
- Director(s): Tony Silver
- Stars: Demon, Kase 2, Eric Haze, Spank, Trap, Kay Slay, Butch
Style Wars Trailer
1. Bomb It (2007)
Bomb It was shot in Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tijuana, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, Berlin, Cape Town, Sao Paulo, and Tokyo. This film chronicles the history of graffiti art from early prehistoric cave paintings to the global art movement we know today.
- Type: Documentary
- Release date: April 25, 2008
- Runtime: 93 mins
- Director(s): Jon Reiss
- Stars: Copy 2, Kid Acne, Antonio, Arofish, Augor, Simon Baxter, Bel-Kia, Asher Benrubi
Bomb It Trailer
What's your favorite graffiti movie?
Bonus Recommendations: Other Graffiti Documentaries, Series, and Shorts
Below, find a few other highly recommended documentaries, series, and shorts that you should definitely check out if you're a graffiti movie fan.
Vigilante Vigilante—A Graffiti Documentary (2011)
A new breed of crime-fighter now stalks the urban landscape: the anti-graffiti vigilante. These dedicated blight warriors stop at nothing to rid their neighborhoods and cities of street art, stickers, tags, and posters. Yet, several of these vigilantes have become the very menace they set out to eliminate. In their relentless attempt to stamp out graffiti, they have turned to illegally and destructively painting other people's property. Vigilante Vigilante is the story of two filmmakers who set out to expose these mysterious characters and discover a battle of expression that stretches from the streets to academia.
Vigilante Vigilante Trailer
Graffiti Verite Trailer
Graffiti Documentary Shorts
Excellent short documentary films that are all free to watch online.
Have you seen all the graffiti art documentaries on my list so far? Check out these awesome short films below.
Atlas: Los Angeles Graffiti Documentary (2005)
Let The Arts Roam - El Mac and Retna
MUTO - a wall-painted animation by BLU
BIG BANG BIG BOOM - wall-painted animation by BLU
Comments
They forgot to mention Jisoe! a true rep of Graffiti back in the day
all of you dissing the tags are bozos
Interesting topic! I've actually never seen a movie about Graffiti, so great list to start with! Greets, Joebeducci
Great flicks, also a fan of beat street, state your name, graffiti is dead, bomb the system
nice collection of movies!
cool lens about movies.
nice collection of vids there, I am sure there are more though. Graffiti Wars to name one =]
Seriously? This list is missing the truly best graffiti documentary - Just to Get a Rep. http://justtogetarep.com/
Nice lens, I enjoyed it. It is very interesting! I've never seen any of these, thanks for the introduction.
don't think i've ever heard of any of these but after reading some info I do believe I will try to watch your number 1 pick. Great lens idea, definitely original!
i really liked "exit through the gift shop;" i'll have to check some of the others out.
Nice Lens. Very interesting!
Nice lens
interesting to know that such movies exist.
Some of these taggers are quite the artist. Lovely art...nice lens
This is right up my alley, check out my art lenses about contemporary art and graffiti...I think Basquiat would be a good one for your list as well maybe, great lens, Blessed!!!rwjr
Very interesting. I've seen exit through thre gift shop and tht was good, but I hadn't even heard of the others.
Some graffiti art is really beautiful. And then, - you could live where I live - where graffiti art is just a bunch of random spray painted squigglies and crap. Nice lens! I liked it!
I can't say that I've even heard of these movies, much less seen them. I'm always fascinated with the graffiti style and enjoy the tasteful ones. Tagging to me, is lame, but I understand the mentality. The large picture-style graffiti I enjoy the most. Nice lens.
i actually hate when someone "paint" wall in public area.. but i will appreciate them when they use their creativity totally. Graffiti art is one that i like.. It will be more cool when they giving their characteristic..
I enjoyed your lense - interesting and not something I had ever thought I would appreciate. Thank you.
Interesting lens, I have seen a couple of these films and love Blu, broken fingaz is a cool film he is so talented. This is how Graffiti should be.
22