‘Can’t Be Stopped’ Blu-Ray Review – Graffiti Crew Documentary Spotlights A Cultural Movement

Hollywood’s own “Can’t Be Stopped” crew is one of the most influential and recognizable graffiti crews to emerge out of the U.S. is Since its inception in the early 1980’s, the initials C.B.S. have been at the forefront of evolving graffiti art into a true, authentic art form. The kinship forged by father figure “Skate” creates a bond of brotherhood, a surrogate family protecting these artists from the temptations of the Hollywood streets, imprinting upon them an unrivaled standard of morality, respect and integrity in graffiti. Skate’s tutelage becomes their lore and mantra, the driving force as these boys come of age, many from broken homes, into their ultimate success and prosperity. Unbeknownst to these young artists, they were shaping the medium and ultimately became pioneers. Their notoriety and acclaim was a transcending factor that evolved this contemporary art form, transcending the stigmas attached to this subculture.

Through interviews, the story of Hollywood’s “Can’t Be Stopped” crew is told. Father figure “Skate” mentors a group of boys, raising them from broken homes and forming a surrogate family. Under his tutelage, these boys come of age as he protects them from the Hollywood streets, mentoring them in standards of morality, respect and integrity in their art. The CBS crew grow in notoriety and acclaim, transcending this contemporary art form, breaking the stigma and stereotypes associated with graffiti.

For thoughts on Can’t Be Stopped, please check out our discussions on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/T_j7TjVctvo?t=3878]

Video Quality

Can’t Be Stopped comes to Blu-Ray from MVD Entertainment with a very enjoyable high definition master that suits the film as well as you would expect considering the source. The film features a lot of different material in varying degrees of quality. The archival tape footage used seems to be in the best shape possible given the source and how things were documented at this period in time. While some of this footage has baked-in deficits, the insights gleaned from these moments outweigh any visual deficiencies. Newer interview segments look much more solid and clear with natural skin tones and some detailed facial features. The colors featured in the film have a substantial degree of vibrancy to them, which certainly allows the artwork to stand out more. The transfer has not fallen victim to any compression artifacts or digital nuisances of the sort. MVD Entertainment has made this one look as grand as possible. . 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray disc comes with both a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio and LPCM 2.0 track that perfectly suits the source material. Like the video portion of this review, the audio is limited to the quality of the original capture, but largely things sound really nice. Dialogue from the interviews is the focus right up front in the center channel. The newer interviews are of higher quality even if some of them have some environmental competition occuring. 

The archival clips do not feature much in the way of age-related wear, but you can tell there were some limitations to recording in certain situations. Since this feature has a large focus on music, it is great that the sound quality of the songs included is pristine and fills the room in a wonderful way. The two-channel presentation is enveloping in its own way, but the full surround sound experience really brings this film to life in a notable way. There is not much to complain about with this track. There are optional English subtitles provided on this release. 

Special Features

There are no special features provided on this disc. 

Final Thoughts

Can’t Be Stopped is the type of documentary which is invaluable, as it allows your average audience member to experience and learn about a culture which otherwise seems so far out of grasp. There is so much to this group beyond just the “graffiti” that some people still view as a negative thing. There is an artistry to what is created, and there is an emotional core to those who bring it into the world. This film really explores and gives you an appreciation in a way that should move newcomers and those who are already familiar with the subject. MVD Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation but nothing in the way of special features. If you are a documentary fan, you should definitely put this on your list. Recommended 

Can’t Be Stopped is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: MVD Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.