Stations of the Elevated

Stations of the Elevated is a pioneering film from 1981 that offers an intense, evocative snapshot of a particular time and place in American urban history. Directed by Manfred Kirchheimer, this 45-minute documentary vibrantly captures the burgeoning graffiti scene that thrived in New York City's subway stations in the late 70s and early 80s, before lighter, more managed aesthetics came into fashion.

The movie stands as a seminal work in the genre of street culture/documentary filmmaking, providing a respectful and non-exploitative look at a subculture that was all-too-often dismissed and marginalized. The heartbeat of this documentary is the breathtaking graffiti art, rendered in startling color and surreal, dreamlike configurations on the sides of subway cars.

Stations of the Elevated is a largely wordless film, carrying an almost experimental or avant-garde flair in its visual construction. Viewers are treated to a rich tapestry of images interspliced with scenes of daily life in the city. It's a meditation through the lens of Kirchheimer, observing the artists who risked penalties to transform the city's subway cars into moving canvases.

Rather than employing a rigid narrative or forcing a particular perspective onto its audience, Stations of the Elevated presents a daring collage of images, sounds, and music that creates a poetic vision of urban life. Charles Mingus's jazz soundtracks the film and helps transport viewers back in time while accentuating the mood of the film. Mingus's music is a fitting choice, provided the often rebellious, dissenting vitality of his compositions mirrored the spirit of these graffiti artists in their quest to express their individuality against a grey urban canvas.

The Vanishing New York, a blog which lamented the loss of "old" New York, described Kirchheimer's film as a "sad, beautiful elegy to a time when the city was as shabby as a Steinbeck novel." Critics often applaud the film for its features of abstract expressionism, and its extraordinary study of color and rhythm in the vibrant urban mural that was New York City's elevated train system.

Aside from featuring the graffiti-decked trains, Stations of the Elevated captures glimpses of city life in the peripheral, building a narrative through its portrayal of urban environment. We witness shots of passing cars, kids playing in the streets, pedestrians going about their day, billboards, and cityscape. These scenes serve to juxtapose the creative expressions blooming in an era of economic struggle and urban decay.

There's an extensive, almost anthropological, observation of the urban landscape, depicting the changing visual culture present in the 80s. The film pays particular attention to the interaction between graffiti and advertising, highlighting the juxtaposition between sanctioned and unsanctioned forms of public art.

One unique aspect of Stations of the Elevated is its hands-off approach to the subject matter. It presents the raw reality of New York's graffiti scene without social or political commentary. This absence gives room for the viewer to generate personal interpretations and connections, allowing for a distinct cinematic experience.

Graffiti artists featured in the film include some of the most revered and infamous figures of the era, like 'Lee' Quinones, 'Snake1', 'Jester' and, 'Shadow', among others. The pieces they created on the city's rolling stock have since been wiped away due to strict graffiti-eradication programs, making Stations of the Elevated a valuable historical record.

Altogether, Stations of the Elevated is more than an artful exploration of subway graffiti. It is a time capsule of urban America. By focusing on the artists who transformed the city’s landscapes and highlighting the cultural ethos of the time, this film invites a nuanced conversation around the ephemeral nature of street art and city identity. It is a significant and engaging documentary that holds considerable value for historians, urban researchers, and art connoisseurs. It’s a highly recommended watch for anyone interested in the texture of urban living and the history of street art in modern cities.