NY77 : The Coolest Year in Hell
New York City, 1977 - It was a time when the city had fallen into decay,
with too few jobs, money, police, schools, and social services. There
was a city wide blackout with major looting, a serial killer on the
loose, and the Bronx was burning. And yet out of the chaos emerged one
of the most creative times any city has ever encountered.
Executive
Produced by Academy Award Nominee Nanette Burstein ("The Kid Stays in
the Picture"), "NY77: The Coolest Year In Hell" is a two-hour
documentary that tells the story of one astonishing year in New York
City history. Premiering Saturday, August 11 at 9PM*, the documentary is
told chronologically and weaves together the stories of the emergence
of hip hop, punk and disco, graffiti art, and sexual liberation. In the
background are the major political events and social issues of the day
-- crime, urban decay, financial woes, the infamous blackout, drugs, Son
of Sam, the bitter mayoral election and the overall poverty that
gripped the city.
Out of chaos came creation. From the South
Bronx came hip hop. From the Lower East Side, the thrashing guitars of
punk. And all over the city, a disco revolution was underway. Elaborate,
finely crafted graffiti art decorated the subway cars and break-dancers
shimmied in the streets. The sexual revolution was in full swing. In
January 1977, most of this activity existed in its own underground
bubble. Yet by the end of the year this artistic expression was on its
way to mainstream America, and would be with us for generations to come.
The
documentary uses groundbreaking animation to help tell the story, and
features interviews with those who lived it, including Ed Koch, Geraldo
Rivera, Jimmy Breslin, Gloria Gaynor, Afrika Bambaataa, Chris Stein
(Blondie), Richard Hell, KRS-One, Grandmaster Caz, DJ Disco Wiz, Legs
McNeil, Annie Sprinkle, Al Goldstein, Tommy Ramone, Jellybean Benitez,
Lee Quinones, and many more.
The Emmy Nominated "NY77: The
Coolest Year In Hell" is the newest film in the VH1 Rock Doc franchise.
VH1 Rock Docs are high-end feature-length documentaries that each reveal
an untold story in the history of rock and hip-hop music, combining
never-before-seen footage with a unique and unconventional narrative
approach. The documentaries tell some of the most unique stories of
artists and music from a wide range of genres, styles, and musical
perspectives.