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13 reviews in total

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12 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
fun art house flick, 30 May 2003

Author: CatTales from United States

You don't have to be a reggae fan to enjoy this film (it's not a concert film); the scene compositions are unobtrusively beautiful and thoughtful, and sucked me in. This might seem unsurprising since the director has an art photography background, but he achieves in his directorial debut what most directors only dream about. The plot, acting and music combine to make a very fun, laid back movie and a pleasure to watch. It's a shame it's the director's only film.

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10 out of 10 people found the following review useful:
I&I support dat to de fullness., 6 July 2006

Author: irienesta from Germany

One of my all time favorites! I've been looking for this one for a long long time. Having very strong documentary features, this film keeps surprising the viewer every minute. It is (at least for the first half an hour or so) as if someone just shouldered a camera and followed Horsemouth around Kingston doing his daily hustlin' business. Most of the the main characters are real people, playing themselves, esp. reggae artists and producers, and most of the locations are real as well. Later the plot turns into kind of a Robin Hood scenario, when the ghetto people strike back against the upper class mafia guys. What I like most about this movie is its many layers. It's like a deep insight into Jamaican society of the late 70's, the golden era of roots reggae, in all its many aspects like class struggle, Rastafari, family and religious issues. Several times, like in the opening scene or when Horsey gets punched by Sunshine's father, characters directly address the viewer personally by facing the camera which I've never seen used like this anywhere else. Technically it's remarkably well done (apart from some pretty dark underexposed moments), for instance they manage to have many songs of the soundtrack coming from actual sources in the picture.

In one word: Great stuff, not only if you're into old school dub and reggae. If you have it, treasure it! If you don't, get it and then treasure it.

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10 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
The reggae Robin Hood, 16 April 2002

Author: Klaatu-18 (b5guy@aol.com) from Dallas, TX USA

In this movie we have the thinnest thread of a plot. A young man makes a living as a drummer while he uses a newly-purchased motorbike to sell records to shops around Kingston.

Then his bike is stolen. And he steals it back. When the mafia types ("mafia" being the reggae patois for any gangster) catch up to his and beat him up he swears to get justice. And, with a little help from his friends, he does.

The big attraction here is the music, not the plot. The soundtrack includes Peter Tosh, Robbie Shakespeare, Burning Spear, Gregory Isaacs, Jacob Miler & Inner Circle, Bunny Wailer, Kiddus I and Leroy Wallace (who plays the protagonist). The DVD has seven extra audio tracks which are accompanied by stills from the production.

The DVD also has a nice essay on Rastafarian culture, as well as a glossary of the rasta patois.

A lot of fun. Buy it. Play it. The play it again.

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7 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
Great slice of Jamaican life, 3 February 2003
Author: McGonigle from bean world, massachusetts

As others have mentioned, this isn't a "story-telling" movie. The thin plot concerns Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace's purchase and loss of a motorbike, but the real value of this movie is as a snapshot of real life in Jamaica, outside of the tourist resorts. Most of the movie takes place in an urban setting (presumably Kingston, although part of the movie seems to take place in Ocho Rios) and this is really one of the closest looks you're ever going to get at the life of Jamaica's poor, working class musicians without going to Kingston in person. The musical performances are top-notch (especially a stunning a capella rendition of "Jah No Dead" by Burning Spear) and Horsemouth actually makes a pretty good actor, filled with righteous indignation as he goes after the "Mafia boy" who "t'ief" his bike. A must-see for any fan of Jamaican music or admirer or Jamaican culture.

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5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Great Music and a Good Light Hearted Story, 9 November 2006

Author: kemicon from United States

This is the movie that some say inspired the plot for Pee Wee's Big Adventure. It's a story about an up and coming reggae musician who has his bike stolen and so he embarks on a quest to find his stolen property.

Joining him on his journey are some relatively well known names in roots reggae. A stand out scene for instance has Gregory Isaacs cracking a safe!. Another memorable scene shows the immensely talented but little known Kiddus I, shaking out his mass of dreadlocks before singing one of the more memorable songs of the film.

All in all it's a very fun and easy film to watch. Although the dialect can sometimes be a tad difficult to decipher it is easy enough to figure out what is going on. Most versions have subtitles but it is just as fun to ignore them and enjoy the local patois.

Remove Ya!

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3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Great take on the Robin Hood Theme!, 30 August 2005

Author: strongislekb from United States

I-man loves this movie! A true classic! Everyt'ing from the music to the actors to the land of the JA makes this a must see. Much more intimate than "The Harder They Come" and not as dark. This is also a very funny movie. The "Stepping Razor" walking montage is classic hilarity! Get this film and keep it in your collection. Do not lend it out or you might not see it again, sight? Without taking away from the great directing Theodore Bafaloukos did, this movie almost makes itself! Show me a movie with realer characters and I'll argue you with you day and night, seen? The soundtrack is great! All kinds of reggae styles from a cross-section of artists...many of whom are in the film! Jah Guide, Protection Until Time, and Loveful Heights!

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3 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Great Movie!, 1 August 2005

Author: gr8fuldude-1 from United States

I saw this movie when it premiered in 1977. Its as good today as it was then. If you're a reggae fan then this film will have you grinning the entire time.

Its great to see all my favorite reggae artists. People like Robbie Shakespeare, Dirty Harry Hall, Gregory Issacs, Jacob Miller and Jack Ruby in a robin hood type film. The acting isn't great, but its still charming. The music is wonderful and the performance clips are a lot of fun.

I suggest seeing the 25th anniversary edition of this film. A lot of cool things in it!

REMOVE YA! --Dirty Harry

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2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
2 words- "REMOVE YA", 16 September 2008

Author: devaughnh from United States

After being totally burnt out on election coverage overkill, depressed by the economic woes and debating changing careers, my wife suggested we put on a movie and escape for a while.

She surprised me by pulling out "ROCKERS" one of my favorite movies of all time, it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn't watched it once this year (i usually watch bi-annually)

Wow! its amazing that this movie holds up on every level, after the first 5 minutes I completely forgot all my problems and was absorbed into the conflict of Horsemouth, The acapella of Burning Spear and of course The RASTA takeover by Dirty HArry. REMOVE YA!!!

As a filmmaker I can only aspire to do a movie with such impact wit and simplicity. The music the story, the locations and who can beat the wardrobe. To the cast and crew I fully salute and thank you for making a truly classic picture!!

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2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
Rockers It's Dangerous, 1 December 2006

Author: (Jake@RockersItsDangerous.com) from Miami

Rockers The Movie- 1980 Rockers is the greatest reggae movie of all time. Rockers, is a 25 year old cult classic, globally recognized, Rasta, reggae musical, comedy, and adventure set in Jamaica and starring some of greatest singers and musicians reggae's golden age. Rockers was originally inspired by The Harder They Come, but everyone knows that Rockers is a far superior film.:)

Rockers premiered at the 1978 San Francisco Film Festival and invited to 1979 Los Angeles Film Exposition and the 1979 Cannes Film Festival. This crucial and prolific film to Reggae History and Jamaica was produced by Patrick Hulsey. The film stars Jacob Miller, Gregory Isaacs, Richard "Dirty Harry" Hall, Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace, Burning Spear, Robbie Shakespeare, Big Youth,Majorie Norman and Monica Craig amongst others. For more information about the Rockers Movie, see http://www.RockersTheMovie.com

For Officially Licensed Rockers It's Dangerous Urban Rasta Fashion see http://www.RockersItsDangerous.com or order at (305)672-0698

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6 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Best of the best!, 24 May 2000

Author: drei.lichter-esoterik from Vienna, Austria

The "must" for every "Rastamann".It shows the original Jamaikan! it is funny, how they get the charakters together. When you watch Leroy stilling back his motorbike - faboulus! And Jakob "Killer" Miller,sorry that he die already,a great player.I live for 3 Years in Trinidad/Tobago and I can tell you, real hatty movie.

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