wejetset - magazine - wejetset film review: The Legendary Park You Might Miss

wejetset film review: The Legendary Park You Might Miss

By James Oyedijo: If you happen to find yourself in Manhattan crossing the intersection of 155th and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, you’ll see a basketball court. The playground isn’t much to look at – with its red and green detailing, run-down bleachers and housing projects that lay in the background – so there’s a good chance you’d walk past it on your way to wherever you’re going. The things is, that happens to be the location of Rucker Park, the legendary playground where men like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Julius Erving honed their skills before heading to college.

Adam Yauch’s (MCA of the Beastie Boys) Gunnin’ for that #1 Spot follows eight of the top 24 high school players (among them, 2008 lottery picks Michael Beasley, Kevin Love and Jerryd Bayless) as they prepare to showcase their skills at Rucker Park. The documentary can be considered the antithesis of Hoop Dreams, the poignant documentary about two Chicago professional basketball-hopefuls whose NBA prospects look murky at best. This upbeat documentary is a celebration of the beauty of a kid’s game being played by the absolute best young talent in the world. The movie benefits from Yauch’s experience as a video director (he directed a majority of the Beastie Boys videos). It’s shot like a music video—with music by artists like The Staple Singers and Jay-Z synced perfectly with the fast-paced action.

If you’re in New York City try to take the film in. It’s playing the Maysles Institute (343 Lenox Avenue) Thursday August 21 at 8:00 pm. DVD in stores October 21, 2008.