BIGGIE AND TUPAC
UK, 2002, 108 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Nick Broomfield.
Unless you are a fan of hip-hop music and have seen Tupac Shakur in his few films, then you will need to learn who Biggie and Tupac were. Biggie was rap singer Wallace Smalls (Biggie, The Notorious B.I.G) and a friend of fellow rapper, Tupac. They worked for an East LA label, Death Row Records, owned by Marion 'Suge' Knight. Tupac was murdered in Las Vegas. Six months later Biggie was also murdered. The investigations by the Los Angeles Police Department were sometimes haphazard and no arrests were made. Former police and some private investigators were so dissatisifed they proceeded with their own enquiries.
Enter famous British documentary-maker, Nick Broomfield, whose recent films had looked at Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, serial killer, Aileen Wournos, and celebrated Hollywood madam, Heidi Fleiss. Broomfield's persistent search for information about the deaths of the singers led him to get frank on screen comments from the investigators, from bodyguards and, of all people, Suge Knight who was serving time on other charges. One reviewer commented that his manner is that of a public schoolboy diligently working on his homework assignment. Which means that the audience is involved not only in the investigation but in Broomfield's experience of the investigation, his estimation of the characters and his seemingly reckless eagerness to ask questions of dangerous people. He fills in background of the East LA gangs, the cutthroat world of record companies whose bosses can make or break careers (or lives) and the role of the police in LA. He also introduces us to Biggie Smalls' mother, a woman of dignity who will pursue the investigation into her son's death.
While we have to remain alert to understand what happened, Broomfield leads us on an exhilarating documentary chase.
1.The impact of the documentary? For an American audience? African American audience? Worldwide? Nick Broomfield and his tradition of investigation? The focus, people, detection, links, interviews, camerawork, brash style yet British reserve, spontaneous? Editing and commentary after the investigation? Investigative journalism?
2.Broomfield’s own presence in the film, as a character, interacting with people and the interviewees, the role of the crew? Emergence of truth, the lies? Trust? The visuals and the editing?
3.The backgrounds of the gangs of Los Angeles, images, information? Mobs and houses? People? The background of rap music?
4.Tupac and Biggie and rap, their own lives, styles, education, place in the gangs, the swagger, lifestyle? Friends? Their falling out? Death Row? The video scenes, the photos?
5.The Death Row sequences, business? Tupac? The sit-ups? Shuge Knight and his character, evidence? Testimony? In himself, his interviews, the website? The role of Snoop Dog?
6.The reconstruction for the video, the presentation of evidence?
7.Mrs Wallace, her presence, style, the effect, questions, the long phone call, cooking?
8.Ray, dismissed, interest?
9.The former policeman, his role, the police and these issues, the gangs?
10.The bodyguard, presenting himself, interviews?
11.The issues of corruption, the police stories, the girl?
12.Mrs Wallace, identification, the six foot seven man?
13.The role of the authorities, observing of the crime, the elements, the people, taking no action, the mystery not solved?
14.The case in itself, American gangsters, gangsters and the American music industry, the flow of money, the role of the police?
15.The value of this kind of cinema investigative journalism to open up issues – and the differences between Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, the east coast-west coast rivalry, the role of hip-hop in the 1990s – and the violence of 96-97?
