Legend of Cool Disco Dan

The Legend of COOL "DISCO" DAN is a feature documentary narrated by DC native Henry Rollins that tells the story of Washington, DC in the 1980s through the eyes of DC graffiti legend, COOL "DISCO"DAN. Blending exclusive interviews with dozens of local and national celebrities along with archival footage, Washington natives offer the most comprehensive portrait to date on this critical decade. The development of Go-Go, DC's distinctive style of urban music, racial tensions, crews, sensationalist media, crack, and graffiti are important pieces of this story. Graffiti historian Roger Gastman and filmmaker Joseph Pattisall spent over ten years researching and documenting the unknown stories of COOL "DISCO" DAN's D. C. for the project. The nation's capital is well-known as the home of The White House, but there is a rich cultural history that exists in the "other" Washington - the part that most tourists never visit, the side that most travel guides unceremoniously leave out. Playing tour guide through this historical journey, COOL "DISCO" DAN is one of the few people who knew every block of the city during this conflicted time. "The "urban phantom," as The Washington Post called him, silently ruled the District during the height of the crack epidemic. Along the Red Line, across billboards, and walls in every neighborhood, his distinctive tag announced D. C. was his city. "At the peak of his reign, he drew the admiration of police officers, drug lords, politicians, and sheltered suburbanites alike. Nobody knew who COOL "DISCO" DAN was, but when Washingtonians saw his name, they knew they were home", recalls executive producer Roger Gastman. After years of hesitation, this extremely private character opens up about his twisted path to stardom. As the film follows Dan through mental institutions, warring neighborhoods and vibrant shows, he will help carry viewers straight to the heart of the real DC.