Dance Craze

BBFC RatingDance Craze

Showing: 24 March 2023 , 26 March 2023 until 27 March 2023

Show Times

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Fri 24 Mar 2023
Sun 26 Mar 2023
Mon 27 Mar 2023

Certificate12A
Year1981
GenreMusic, Documentary
Director(s)Joe Massot
LanguageEnglish
CountryUnited Kingdom
Running Time1HR 28MINS
Extra Info4K restoration
SeasonMain Programme

The legendary concert film Dance Craze captures the best of 2 Tone Records, the iconic label that emerged from Coventry in 1979 to release the best of the British ska revival. Featuring The Specials, Madness, The Selecter, The Beat, Bad Manners and The Bodysnatchers.

In 1979 Jerry Dammers founded not only The Specials but the 2 Tone Record Label. Releasing their debut single Gangsters in July of that year, which spent 12 weeks on the UK singles chart. Over the course of the next 12 months, 2 Tone took over the UK, with more singles and album releases by Madness, The Selecter, The Beat and The Bodysnatchers, along with two 2 Tone package tours with these and other bands.

Director Joe Massot (Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains the Same) and acclaimed cinematographer Joe Dunton filmed 2 Tone bands at various venues over the course of 1980, using the newly invented Steadicam on Super 35mm film to make it look like the camera was dancing along with the beat of the music. The result is an incredible document of the sheer force and energy of the musicians and fans from one of the most exhilarating post-punk scenes.

Dance Craze has now been newly restored to 4K from 70mm materials with a brand new sound mix by the British Film Institute in collaboration with Chrysalis Records.