Tougher Than Leather (film)

Tougher Than Leather
Movie poster
Directed by	Rick Rubin
Written by	Rick Rubin Ric Menello
Produced by	Vincent Giordano
Starring	Run-D.M.C. Richard Edson Jenny Lumet The Beastie Boys
Music by	Run–D.M.C. Beastie Boys Public Enemy
Production company	New Line Cinema
Distributed by	New Line Cinema
Release date	September 16, 1988 (1988-09-16) (NYC)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$3,546,846[1]

Tougher Than Leather is an American film released in 1988 and distributed by New Line Cinema. The film was directed by Rick Rubin and stars the hip-hop superstars Run–D.M.C. They created the film to coincide with the release of their fourth studio album that was also titled Tougher Than Leather.

At the beginning of the film, D.M.C. is released from prison, at which time he returns to New York City with his band-mates, Run and Jam Master Jay. They are ready to schedule some gigs and continue their musical careers when things take a dark turn. Their friend Runny Ray, played by Raymond White, has been murdered by Vic Ferrante (Rick Rubin). This pulls the group into a seedy world of crime and violence.

Vic and the police cover up the murder to look like Ray was killed due to a drug deal gone wrong. As the band members attempt to determine who is really responsible for the murder, their own lives become endangered. They take matters into extremities all the while trying to find Ray's killer. The action is of a very well balanced style with a series of musical performances by Run-D.M.C. and also by other 1980s hip-hop and go-go superstars such as Beastie Boys, Slick Rick and Junk Yard Band.

• Darryl McDaniels as D.M.C..
• Joseph Simmons as Run.
• Jason Mizell as Jam Master Jay.
• Wendell Fite as DJ Hurricane.
• Richard Walters as Slick Rick.
• Richard Edson as Bernie Carteez.
• Rick Rubin as Vic Ferrante.
• Jenny Lumet as Pam.
• Russell Simmons as Himself.
• Adam Yauch as Himself.
• Michael Diamond as Himself.
• Adam Horovitz as Himself.
• Samuel Citrin as Himself.
• James Drescher as Himself. (Uncredited)
• Vic Noto as The Bartender From Tom Milano Bar & Grill.

While the music usually garners a favorable response, critics generally panned the film. According to The Washington Post, the film is "vile, vicious, despicable, stupid, sexist, racist and horrendously made."^[2] It was also described as "poorly executed and exploitative fare."^[3] It carried a 43% rating at Rotten Tomatoes.^[4]

The film failed at the box office, but it was released on VHS. It is now out of print.

In response to the negative reactions to the film, critics like Randall Clark have pointed out the many connections between the movie and the history of the "Blaxploitation" genre. Much like earlier films such as Shaft and Black Samson, the plot features inner-city anti-heroes who need to take the law into their own hands as they have been neglected by the more traditional avenues of justice.^[5]

• List of hood films

• Tougher Than Leather at IMDb