The Harder They Come

I had heard about this film long before I ever saw it. I had heard that it was banned in it's home country of Jamaica due to it's possibility of inciting youths to "hooliganism". I had also heard it had great music and so I picked up the movie soundtrack on LP and enjoyed every song on it. It took video for me to finally see this movie years later and I enjoyed it very much. The movie puts you right in the middle of unfamiliar territory from the start, a busload of Jamaican country people coming into town, with their heavy accents, this is one of the few English movies to have been given english subtitles. From this setting you are taken into the life and ambitions of Ivan Martin, a man willing to stop at nothing to achieve success as a reggae star. He makes it, but there is a high cost. Great music, great performances, including a rare look at Prince Buster DJing a party. If you are a reggae fan, particularly early ska, rocksteady and pre-Bob Marley, this is a movie for you.