THE STORY – Out of the underground dance clubs on the South Side of Chicago, a group of friends turn a new sound into a global movement.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Elegance Bratton (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 92 Minutes
House music is, simply put, one of the most joyous forms of music out there. Effervescent and alive, it’s almost physically impossible to listen to it and not at least tap your toes (I’m listening to a house playlist as I write this review, and yes, I’m bouncing). The pleasant synth tones, the simple but driving beats, the powerful vocals…it’s just the best. “Move Ya Body: The Birth of House” examines the genre’s disputed origins; just about the only thing anyone can agree on, it seems, is that it was named after the Chicago club The Warehouse. Elegance Bratton’s (“The Inspection”) documentary may not delve as deep into its subject as might be expected or hoped, but it’s a propulsive celebration of an indelible art form.
Bratton uses a mix of archival footage and contemporary interviews with those who were there for the titular birthing process. Smartly, he rewinds even earlier than the 1980s – when house music first came about – to dissect the events that led to its creation. Namely, the film shines a spotlight on disco, its popularity, and its importance to Black queer folks. As one of the interviewees states, “Disco is the mama, and she gave birth to a couple of babies,” including house.
This chapter also delves into the Disco Sucks movement, which eventually culminated in the infamous Disco Demolition Night at Chicago’s Comiskey Park (as the film shows, this entire anti-disco movement can be traced back to a bitter local DJ named Steve Dahl, who was pushed out of his radio job once the station transition to playing disco). The film underlines how the attack on disco was, in many ways, fueled by racism and homophobia. The documentary’s best segment breaks down Disco Demolition Night and how it was predominantly attended by a white crowd who turned the event into a riot. Vince Lawrence, one of the founding innovators of house music, narrates his experience as a young Black boy working as an usher at Comiskey Park on that disturbing night. His overarching story is the closest the film comes to following a narrative throughline, but unfortunately, its overall exploration of the musical form is a bit surface-level. When the film wraps up, it feels as if the story of house is only beginning.
However, the film’s interviewees are invaluable. When asked the simple question, “Who invented house music?” many are shown breaking out in laughter. As the film seeks to highlight the genre’s origins, it presents conflicting testimony from various music industry figures, many of whom call each other out on their suspect ownership claims. The speakers are both hilarious and delightfully candid.
“Move Ya Body: The Birth of House” is at its best when using its singular subject to explore more significant systemic problems. The film goes into discrimination faced by Black people in Chicago, including the racist practice of redlining (some of the archival maps shown are disturbingly blunt in how they apportion different neighborhoods to different ethnic groups). It may not provide a thorough investigation, as the title promises, but it’s an enjoyable watch that will make audiences want to find the nearest nightclub as soon as the credits roll.
