Get Down Thesis
Title: Boogie Nights: Music,Youth, and Joy in Netflix’s The Get Down
While The Get Down second season premieres this Friday via streaming service Netflix. I am ecstatic for it and it was one of my favorite shows of last year. I’m not a person to binge watch shows but The Get Down was one of those shows. A hero’s journey told through the eyes of a love sick boy in the Bronx, named Zeke. The Get Down is one part musical drama ,comic narrative, and coming of age story packed into a 6 episode season.The Getdown is nothing you never have seen before;at it’s core telling the story of a group of friends with the backdrop of 70s Bronx. In the coming of age story that centers Joy of color is necessary in the time of political turmoil.
The Get Down is an American musical drama television series set in the of the South Bronx in year 1977. Created by film director Baz Luhrmann and playwright Stephen Adly …show more content…
Guirgis,Luhrmann is known for the Romeo and juliet film starring Leonardo Dicaprio in the 90s. As Well as the cult classic Moulin Rouge from 2001. the series premiered its first y on August 12, 2016 on Netflix. first season consists of six episodes produced by Sony Pictures Television.The show's title refers to parts of disco and R&B records that could be repeated using multiple turntables and were enjoyed most by dancers.[6]
The series opens up with Zeke, a flash forward to the year 1996 ,we see glimpses of an older version of Zeke played by Daveed Diggs of Hamilton fame at Madison Square. This scene is how each episode of the Getdown begins, with a rap, letting the audience know that this show is of epic proportions. Older Zeke serves a griot given insight to each episode before they begin.
With the first episode , like most series introductory episodes they are longer than the standard episodes. This is no different than the the total duration 92 minutes, we are introduced to Zeke(portrayed by Justice Smith), a young man who lives with his aunt and her boyfriends in the Bronx. Zeke writes poetry about his crush Mylene,who constantly rejects him. Typical teenage ordeals. Zeke is a trouble sort, very introspective and orphaned. He is very talented but misguided. We are introduced to his love interest, Mylene ( portrayed by Herizen F. Guardiola), the daughter of a Pastor who imagines herself leaving the Bronx to pursuing singing. The two have a symbiotic relationship, Zeke plays piano at the church Mylene’s father pastors at. However they are not attending church and Zeke is playing music for her to sing to as she records her demo., The Mylene is a powerful vocalist,liken herself to be the next Donna Summer,she is adamant about pursuing her dream. So adamant that despite her wishes she creates music in secrecy, but plans to snake into the local night club Les Inferno to garner the attention of a famous DJ. Wanting to impress her Zeke plots to buy her favorite record and have the Dj play it at Les Inferno during her set. We soon meet other kids that live in their neighborhood the Kipling siblings (Yolanda, Ra-ra, Boo Boo,Dizzee) and Regina Diaz.
The crew are like most kids, trying to find themselves,hanging close, and staying out of trouble.
The biggest glue keeping them all together is music, disco,gospel,and a new genre called hip hop. Without giving too much away their dreams bring them un forseen circumstances as they meet a mysterious young man named Shaolin Fantastic (portrayed by Shameik Moore). The getdown is the dramatic retelling of hip hop as told by our beloved crew, it’s gritty at times showcasing the gang violence and corrupt politics of that time. There’s even hip hop icons who are in the show who appear,including the elements of hip hop: breaking, mcing, tagging,and djing; we see the crew learn the basis of the four elements.The Getdown stylistically is fast ,colorful, and bombastic very reminiscent of comics of that era. In terms of the sound, there’s so much music from funk rock,breakbeat,and disco; the soundscapes are eclectic from the party scenes to the
disco.
THe Get Down is set in the catalyst of one summer,with bankruptcy,gang violence,and poverty. A bunch of young nobodies find love and joy with each other. It’s a coming of age not seen before, Black and Brown kids blending together on screen. You will notice the lack of white people on this show reminiscent of New York’s cultural pots full of Black Americans,Afro-caribbean migrants,and Latin American youth. The crew are seen doing ordinary things like attending school,hanging out at the park, and even talking about their fandoms. It’s a rare glimpse in the media to see Black and Brown joy unapologetically. Even with some of the kids who have faced more hardships than others ,there’s a sense of prevailing innocence. One of the dynamics I applaud in the series is the recognition of talent and differences among our rag tag crew. The actors portraying the scenes convey a sense of familiarity as well as a normalcy. You see the teens do teen things: work their family business,apply for internships,and fret for their future.
While their stories are interlaces , there are moments while the group cultivates their individual talents and relationships.
It should be noted that the ethos is between Shao and Zeke, who definitely have the two most opposing personalities on the show. Shao a character reminiscent of a kung fu film star than blaxploitation character. Zeke our lovelorn poet who doesn’t see the merit in his art,counter balances Shao’s perceived fierceness. There’s Mylene ,Yolanda,and Regina who bond over singing as unit known as Mylene and the Soul Donnas. There’s the kipling brothers: Boo,Rara,and Dizee, who compromise the Fantastic Four Plus One. A staple of any media that focuses on coming of age, our protagonists are given the chances to shape moral choices as well personal development.
While I do enjoy the series I have a few criticisms , hopefully that doesn’t deter people However sometimes the plot lines become to convoluted, and the montages of archival footages border on poverty porn. Sometimes the spoken word performances and musical numbers are vital to the story’s progression it seems to be overwhelming. Also the Get down is not a children’s show, there’s a lot of gratuitous violence (sexual,domestic,and physical) that I would advise viewers to be aware of beforehand. The martial arts sque scenes can also feel out of place, however the nerd references supplment that. There’s alot of sexually charged energy directed toward the minors that may make folks uncomfortable. One of the characters engages in transactional sex as a means as survival.It should be noted that misogynistic homophobic and racist slurs are tossed around by several characters. There are also scenes where drug use/addiction/overdose is see.
I am excited for the second season and th
While The Get Down second season premieres this Friday via streaming service Netflix. I am ecstatic for it and it was one of my favorite shows of last year. I’m not a person to binge watch shows but The Get Down was one of those shows. A hero’s journey told through the eyes of a love sick boy in the Bronx, named Zeke. The Get Down is one part musical drama ,comic narrative, and coming of age story packed into a 6 episode season.The Getdown is nothing you never have seen before;at it’s core telling the story of a group of friends with the backdrop of 70s Bronx. In the coming of age story that centers Joy of color is necessary in the time of political turmoil.
The Get Down is an American musical drama television series set in the of the South Bronx in year 1977. Created by film director Baz Luhrmann and playwright Stephen Adly …show more content…
Guirgis,Luhrmann is known for the Romeo and juliet film starring Leonardo Dicaprio in the 90s. As Well as the cult classic Moulin Rouge from 2001. the series premiered its first y on August 12, 2016 on Netflix. first season consists of six episodes produced by Sony Pictures Television.The show's title refers to parts of disco and R&B records that could be repeated using multiple turntables and were enjoyed most by dancers.[6]
The series opens up with Zeke, a flash forward to the year 1996 ,we see glimpses of an older version of Zeke played by Daveed Diggs of Hamilton fame at Madison Square. This scene is how each episode of the Getdown begins, with a rap, letting the audience know that this show is of epic proportions. Older Zeke serves a griot given insight to each episode before they begin.
With the first episode , like most series introductory episodes they are longer than the standard episodes. This is no different than the the total duration 92 minutes, we are introduced to Zeke(portrayed by Justice Smith), a young man who lives with his aunt and her boyfriends in the Bronx. Zeke writes poetry about his crush Mylene,who constantly rejects him. Typical teenage ordeals. Zeke is a trouble sort, very introspective and orphaned. He is very talented but misguided. We are introduced to his love interest, Mylene ( portrayed by Herizen F. Guardiola), the daughter of a Pastor who imagines herself leaving the Bronx to pursuing singing. The two have a symbiotic relationship, Zeke plays piano at the church Mylene’s father pastors at. However they are not attending church and Zeke is playing music for her to sing to as she records her demo., The Mylene is a powerful vocalist,liken herself to be the next Donna Summer,she is adamant about pursuing her dream. So adamant that despite her wishes she creates music in secrecy, but plans to snake into the local night club Les Inferno to garner the attention of a famous DJ. Wanting to impress her Zeke plots to buy her favorite record and have the Dj play it at Les Inferno during her set. We soon meet other kids that live in their neighborhood the Kipling siblings (Yolanda, Ra-ra, Boo Boo,Dizzee) and Regina Diaz.
The crew are like most kids, trying to find themselves,hanging close, and staying out of trouble.
The biggest glue keeping them all together is music, disco,gospel,and a new genre called hip hop. Without giving too much away their dreams bring them un forseen circumstances as they meet a mysterious young man named Shaolin Fantastic (portrayed by Shameik Moore). The getdown is the dramatic retelling of hip hop as told by our beloved crew, it’s gritty at times showcasing the gang violence and corrupt politics of that time. There’s even hip hop icons who are in the show who appear,including the elements of hip hop: breaking, mcing, tagging,and djing; we see the crew learn the basis of the four elements.The Getdown stylistically is fast ,colorful, and bombastic very reminiscent of comics of that era. In terms of the sound, there’s so much music from funk rock,breakbeat,and disco; the soundscapes are eclectic from the party scenes to the
disco.
THe Get Down is set in the catalyst of one summer,with bankruptcy,gang violence,and poverty. A bunch of young nobodies find love and joy with each other. It’s a coming of age not seen before, Black and Brown kids blending together on screen. You will notice the lack of white people on this show reminiscent of New York’s cultural pots full of Black Americans,Afro-caribbean migrants,and Latin American youth. The crew are seen doing ordinary things like attending school,hanging out at the park, and even talking about their fandoms. It’s a rare glimpse in the media to see Black and Brown joy unapologetically. Even with some of the kids who have faced more hardships than others ,there’s a sense of prevailing innocence. One of the dynamics I applaud in the series is the recognition of talent and differences among our rag tag crew. The actors portraying the scenes convey a sense of familiarity as well as a normalcy. You see the teens do teen things: work their family business,apply for internships,and fret for their future.
While their stories are interlaces , there are moments while the group cultivates their individual talents and relationships.
It should be noted that the ethos is between Shao and Zeke, who definitely have the two most opposing personalities on the show. Shao a character reminiscent of a kung fu film star than blaxploitation character. Zeke our lovelorn poet who doesn’t see the merit in his art,counter balances Shao’s perceived fierceness. There’s Mylene ,Yolanda,and Regina who bond over singing as unit known as Mylene and the Soul Donnas. There’s the kipling brothers: Boo,Rara,and Dizee, who compromise the Fantastic Four Plus One. A staple of any media that focuses on coming of age, our protagonists are given the chances to shape moral choices as well personal development.
While I do enjoy the series I have a few criticisms , hopefully that doesn’t deter people However sometimes the plot lines become to convoluted, and the montages of archival footages border on poverty porn. Sometimes the spoken word performances and musical numbers are vital to the story’s progression it seems to be overwhelming. Also the Get down is not a children’s show, there’s a lot of gratuitous violence (sexual,domestic,and physical) that I would advise viewers to be aware of beforehand. The martial arts sque scenes can also feel out of place, however the nerd references supplment that. There’s alot of sexually charged energy directed toward the minors that may make folks uncomfortable. One of the characters engages in transactional sex as a means as survival.It should be noted that misogynistic homophobic and racist slurs are tossed around by several characters. There are also scenes where drug use/addiction/overdose is see.
I am excited for the second season and th