Christopher Culver Until the 1970s, the jukebox was the main way of listening to music in New York City clubs, but then DJ-centered dance music as we know it today arose in the legendary venue Paradise Garage. Opening in the disco boom, Paradise Garage quickly became famous for the eclectic music choices of its DJs and later would play a key role in the spread of house music from Chicago to clubs worldwide until it closed in 1987. Josell Ramos's MAESTRO is a 90-minute documentary from 2003 about the Garage, the demographic it drew, and especially the DJ Larry Levan.The documentary maker goes back to describe The Loft, the invitation-only parties that inspired the Garage, as well as the creation of the 12" record. There is some archival footage, but mainly this is an interview-driven documentary. There are interviews with DJs Antony Ocasio, Nicki Siano, Frankie Knuckles, Tony Humphries, "Little" Louie Vega, Derrick May. Especially shocking is an interview with Francis Grasso, who was only in his early 50s at the time, but worn down by drugs he looks like he's in his 80s (he would die soon after the interview). Also heavily featured are vox pop interviews with people outside a NY club who remember the Garage.While not dedicating much time to it specifically, MAESTRO aims to depict the prominence of African-Americans and gays (and African-American gays!) in the Garage scene. Viewers whose experience with dance music is the more mainstream form in Europe will probably be surprised by how many men in this documentary talk swish. The impact of AIDS is briefly remembered.While I enjoyed learning something about the early years of NYC club culture, I was rather disappointed by how padded this documentary was: the main reason that the documentary is 85 minutes long is that the subjects interviewed speak very slowly with a lot of "uh" and "like". If Ramos had approached this material in a different way, he could have tightened things down to an hour.

Lollipop4598 I can see someone expecting a movie to have more frills. But, I liked the candor, incidental humor, and information the flick provided. True, the movie makes more of itself then it is, but then, what DJ doesn't? It kind of fits together. And in spite of the aggrandizement, comes off as endearing. The styles the subjects wear are worth something just by themselves. If you really want a movie that follows the rules of great movie making, this might not be for you. But if you can put worth on hanging out in a reliably hip neighborhood, and meeting the denizens, without the drawbacks of having to meet them, I think you will be glad you gave this film a chance. Levine himself has an interesting story, worth hearing.

filmodysee Waiting in the bar of the Prince Charles Theatre, Leicester Square, for the premier of Maestro to kick off I was expecting a film about clubbing, the best DJs of our time and why everyone loves to dance until their stomach falls out. What I got was one of the most emotional roller coaster journeys I have ever experienced while watching a film. Trying to describe Maestro, knowing many have not yet seen it, is a daunting task and one that I know will not do justice to the four year long masterpiece that Josell Ramos has created. But I'm gonna try because you guys really need to see this film!Maestro takes you through a journey of the underground dance movement that started in the 70's. While people were still celebrating disco, one man - Larry Levan - found a sound that gave birth to a new generation. The generation that we now know as clubbing. Larry Levan and David Mancuso started the phenomenon that became the underground scene at NYC's Paradise Garage and The Loft. David and Larry were brothers in the making of a scene and sound that was to exist forever.All the way through the film, people - now in their 40s and 50s - talk about the effect Larry Levan has had on their life. Sitting here, writing this review, he's affected me in the same way even though he's been dead for over twenty years. The regulars at both The Loft and The Garage found that this man gave them something that no other person could have - an identity. Think how you've felt in your best clubbing experience, watching your favourite DJ play a song that will stay with you forever. Then think that for these people that was how they felt every night when Larry played.But just when the audience where getting edgy, wanting to run out of the cinema and find the nearest pumping tune, the film took a turn that stopped the bobbing heads in their tracks. The underground scene was at its best mixing the euphoric feeling of the best sound people had ever heard with mind-blowing drugs and more love than they'd ever felt. At the peak of this insurrection, friends started disappearing. Slowly at first - ten or twenty people would not be seen for ages. When they were seen, they were desperately ill. Larry was one of them. Hundreds of people died and they didn't know what was happening to them. What had happened was that their experimentation with sex, drugs and an amazing scene had caused their death. We may go clubbing, take drugs, experiment a little with whatever's on the market to heighten our clubbing experience, but we know the risks. We make our own choices and we know that whatever we do, we do it because we made an informed decision. Just imagine, twenty or thirty of your best mates, your clubbing pals, dying all at once and imagine how these guys felt when that happened thirty years ago. It's a sobering feeling and Ramos not only made me almost feel guilty, for the half hour before when I was burning to get out and party, but also made me realise exactly what Larry, David and the regulars did for clubbing today.I thank Josell Ramos for telling this story and for allowing it to be told with so much heart. I urge you to go and see Maestro and defy you not to b e touched by it!(Toni Jones)From what I've heard the film is preparing its US debut; this film should be supported.lets go to the movies Pete Klein

camp560370 This doc is not a hollywood thing, definitely on the indie tip. loved what the creative team did with the raw visuals. It really touched me.I'm tired of seeing these super hereo movies, so Maestro is def refreshing. a definite go!Kris