BABYLON
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Contents: |
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| Babylon | ||
| Dread Beat An' Blood | ||
| Interview with Alberto Castelli | ||
| Interview with Pier Tosi | ||
| Documentary on Rototom Sunsplash | ||
| Animated menus, chapter selection, PAL, region code 0, 4:3 full frame, Dolby Digital dual mono, English and Italian subtitles and a 36 page full-colour booklet. |
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REVIEW IN ENGLISH: SOURCE: ROOTS MUSIC Reggae & Dancehall AUTHOR: Teacha Dan 
Babylon is a 1980 reggae cult movie starring Brinsley Forde, Archie Pool and Jah Shaka and is set in South London. The movie has for a long time only been available on fuzzy pirated very poor quality VHS copies. Now for the first time in decades the movie has been made available again. The original producers and Italian director Franco Rosso used the original material as their source and have now released the movie on DVD for the first time. Though still quite dark and fuzzy in colour and sound it is absolutely the clearest version I ever came across. Why the picture is not presented in its original format is a valid question. The makers choose the somewhat old-fashioned 3:4 aspect ratio instead. The story centres on a young guy named Blue (Brinsley Forde), born from Jamaican immigrants. He is a toaster/MC with the Ital Lion sound system who are heading towards a clash with Jah Shaka. The film deals with all the problems young blacks had to face on a daily basis in Britain in the early 1980's like racism, unemployment, misunderstood cultures and bigotry. With a brilliant soundtrack by Dennis Bovell and Aswad the movie still is a must see for all reggae lovers. The DVD is very interesting since it also includes a host of extras like the 1979 Linton Kwesi Johnson documentary Dread Beat An' Blood. Shot by the same Italian director who shot Babylon a year later, the forty-four minute documentary is all about Linton and Brixton, the area of London in which both grew up. The film follows LKJ while writing and recording for his debut album, giving interviews and workshops, doing poetry readings, joining political movements and walking around Brixton. Other extras include two five-minute interviews with Italian journalists and a twelve-minute documentary on the Italian reggae festival Rototom Sunsplash. A very neat 36 full-colour page booklet with articles, reviews and interviews accompanies the DVD. Two legendary reggae films on one DVD, a must have for all reggae lovers! If you cannot find a copy in your local store order your copy directly from the source, Raro Video in Italy. (Teacha Dan, March 2008) |
