Scratch

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Scratch

R

Released Feb 15, 2002

1h 30m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

A feature length documentary film about the hip-hop DJ and today's "turntablist" movement. From the South Bronx in the `70s to San Francisco now, the world's best scratchers, diggers, party-rockers and producers on beats, breaks, battles, and the infinite possibilities of vinyl.

Critics Consensus

Whether you know anything about turntablism or not, Scratch makes for fun and informative viewing.

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Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Rated: 0/4

Aug 14, 2007

Full Review

Empire Magazine

Rated: 4/5

Dec 30, 2006

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Ray Conlogue

Globe and Mail

Engaging documentary.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 11, 2002

Full Review

Mark Halverson

Sacramento News & Review

Rated: 4/5

Aug 7, 2008

Full Review

Betsy Bozdech

DVDJournal.com

A film not unlike the music it celebrates: Vibrant, eclectic, loud, rhythmic, and powerful.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 9, 2006

Full Review

Film Threat

Rated: 4/5

Dec 6, 2005

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Hermentotip I

Must see for music lovers, specially hip hop heads. Not only about scratching, but also the evolution of the music and culture, breakbeats, sampling, and many other foundational elements of modern music. Pure gold

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/21/25

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Audience Member

This is a great documentary even if it doesn't really ask many questions of it's protagonists. Maybe that's because of the time it was made when Shadow seemed like the great new hope for Hip-Hop and the instrumental album was taking centre stage. The opening 45mins are the strongest looking at the history of scratching and the foundations of Hip-Hop. It loses it's way towards the end when endorsing scratch break records and DJ trickery rather than collaboration with the MC. Still well worth a view though.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Not quite as much a 'how to' as I expected, but an interesting walk thru the brief history/culture of scratching. Interesting music throughout the movie, and interviews with a lot of passionate people. Not riveting, but decent.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Scratch is well made but unfortunately leaves no emotional impact on its viewers.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A passionate j-j-jour-j-j-jour-journey-j-j-j-journey through the wor-wiki-world of turntablism.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Look. Even if you just hate scratching, think that hip hop is just garbage, and believe that a turntable is not a musical instrument, this documentary is a must. It just does a great job in showing the luminaries of the genre. It celebrates/knows it's history (something Rock and Roll really doesn't in many ways). Nearly all DJ's agree on certain values, beliefs, etc, and they almost all agree that DJing as a music form hit the big time with Herbie Hancock's "Rock It" in 1983. It is fascinating and even if you don't agree, you have to respect the voodoo that is turntablism. Plus Mix Master Mike and QBert are god's amongst DJing men.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

Full Review

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Doug Pray

Director

Bonner Bellew

Director

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Self

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Self

Mix Master Mike

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Synopsis

A feature length documentary film about the hip-hop DJ and today's "turntablist" movement. From the South Bronx in the `70s to San Francisco now, the world's best scratchers, diggers, party-rockers and producers on beats, breaks, battles, and the infinite possibilities of vinyl.

Director: Doug Pray, Bonner Bellew
Producer: Brad Blondheim, Ernest Meza
Screenwriter: Bonner Bellew
Distributor: Palm Pictures
Production Co: Firewalks Film, Ridgeway Entertainment
Rating: R (Language)
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 15, 2002, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $291.0K
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.66:1)

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