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| Babylon [1980] | ![Babylon [1980]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61ssfS3sWEL._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Director: Franco Rosso
Actors: Karl Howman, Brinsley Forde, Mel Smith
Studio: Icon Home Entertainment
Category: DVD
List Price: £19.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  (37 reviews)
Sales Rank: 2211
Format: Pal
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Media: DVD
Running Time: 95 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5051429101422
ASIN: B001E25MEM
Release Date: October 13, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews: Read 32 more reviews...
 Social history is history, not entertainment November 19, 2008
This is a worthy film, and, if you are interested in the sociological investigation of the black music scene of ore, this is for you. Sadly, it doesn't really stand the test of time for me. I lived through all this, and can relate to it, but it isn't very good. The script is rubbish, the photography and lighting amateurish, the actors are doing their best, but it's a Guardian reading white man's view. The music works, so, if there is a sound track, buy it. The film is interesting as history, but doesn't work on any other level.
Great film, but not for everyone November 19, 2008
This film is absolutely rooted within a very specific and raw form of Anglo-Caribbean culture. I hadn't heard let alone seen this film before getting it from Amazon, so I come to review it with no prejudices or expectations.
Some reviewers have pointed out problems with understanding the dialogue. I didn't get every single word or phrase, but it wasn't an issue. I've watched films like Babel where plenty of chunks of the script aren't in English and, like this, it doesn't cause problems at all.
One of the great things about this film has to be the way its London setting is handled. Some of the shots of the Underground and various street scenes are fantastically nostalgic images. Such traditional and instantly recognisable images contrast well with the less familar literally underground scenes of the community, i.e. in their club or inside the family home. This film not only captures general life in the captial in the 1980s, but provides a great depiction of a minority, almost clandestine, community.
Soundtrack is fantastic. Although this is a digitally remastered version of the film, the rawness of the sound is still evident in much of the music.
The only reason I haven't given it five stars is because I don't think everyone would like it. You don't have to be that into reggae or have Caribbean lineage to appreciate the film, but the authenticity of the language (i.e. patois) and niche of the music genre are possibly a bit too alien for some viewers.
Retro portrait of Black London life November 18, 2008
Interesting slice of life from early 80s Thatcher's Britain set against the London which was about to erupt into the Brixton race riots which ultimately moved race and racism up the agenda in the UK. To be honest I didn't find the story or characters that appealing, but two things I did find fascinating - the great location shots of Sarrrf London from a period I never experienced, and a portrait of a community and time which seems so far disconnected from our own modern-day notions of diversity, identity and difference.
A classic of English Black cinema (there aren't too many movies you can say that about), and well worth a watch.
 Chant Down Babylon... November 18, 2008
As many have already recounted here, my first recollection of Franco Rosso's movie 'Babylon' was way back in the mid 1980s (?) when Channel 4 in the UK screened it late one Friday night. Back then I was a mere slip of a teenager with a growing musical taste but sadly not one to yet embrace the various wondrous and complex qualities of Jamaican music. However, the movie did fascinate me at the time because I was taking an interest in UK politics and the effects of Thatcher's repressive right-wing regime on us all.
The re-release of this movie nearly 25 years after that one night stand couldn't come at a better time. My love of Dub and the legendary sound systems that blasted through the cities and large towns of the UK back in the day has never been bigger. I've been waiting to see this movie again for quite some time to bring everything full circle. From what I've read about it from fans of the movie or those - like me - who also saw it just the once back then on TV, it appears its historical and cultural importance demands a decent re-release. So, here it is.
But first, I want to big up Dennis Bovell's sublime soundtrack. It's absolutely outstanding. For a film about extant Afro-Carribean sound systems in Britain, it needed to be authentic and by god it is. But rather than solely using that as background music throughout, Bovell also throws in a mini-history of Jamaican music to accompany different scenes. For example, the engagement party scene kicks off with a stonking ska track which then cuts to a slick lovers rock track as the soon-to-be bride & groom slow dance. Also, the Nyahbinghi track banging away in the Rastafarian temple scene near the end is fantastic stuff if you've never ever heard the genre. It really is worth tracking down the soundtrack album for this even if you don't get the movie at all. There's not a single duff track on it.
So, what do I make of the movie now? It's an absolute crime that 'Babylon' died a death on its release because I really do believe that is one of the most important British youth culture movies of the 20th Century. I can't think of any movie that nail the gritty day-to-day experience of Afro-Caribbean youth under Thatcher's Britain and also gives us an accurate taste of the sound system culture to boot. The fact that the patois is difficult to understand isn't an issue here, the symbolism is. Remember, this movie came out one year after Thatcher's election and one year before the explosive riots in Toxteth and Brixton. In Brinsley Forde's performance as Blue, we see a man gradually stripped of hope and potential by the racist white society around him and, although it is somewhat predictable, his frustration ends in violence (albeit reluctantly). Although that does seem a disappointing cliche given the bigger message being put across, the movie does, however, end in a rousing defiant gesture of resistance by the Ital Lion crew. This should have spoken volumes to a disaffected youth out there on the cusp of difficult times but alas, the movie wasn't allowed to get the chance to do so.
I cannot recommend this enough. This is as an important a movie about British youth culture as Quadrophenia, or This is England but it has a symbolic edge for its time that those movies never had and as such it carries immense historical value. It's superbly acted and the direction is gritty and uncompromising. Magnificent.
Take me to Babylon November 17, 2008
I first got to hear about this film when my mate told me about it. He described it as the definitive reggae movie so I was interested in seeing it. I couldn't find a copy of it until now. Finally Icon entertainment released it this year and I got to see it. Yes it is possibly the only reggae film I have seen since The harder they come. Babylon sports a great star cast and spins out some great tunes. Babylon should have the accolade it deserves in British films such as Quadrophenia, McVicar, Scum to name but a few. All those classics weren't forgotten so why was Babylon? For true lovers of Reggae you simply got to see this film. It's got everything that you could possibly love about the hard dramas of British movies, good strong acting from the players/actors, great memorable songs and nostalgic authenticity. It's also got a lot of issues that it brings up that probably wouldn't got down well today like reefer smoking, racism and fascism. It's a well made drama that doesn't really feel dated at all; quite easily the best of British movies should add another one to its list. What also surprised me was that the main player in this film as the geezer from the group Aswad and that unlike most popstars turned actors can act and does a pretty good job as does Karl "brush strokes" Howman as his long suffering friend Ronnie who can't handle a reefer to fit in with the gang he "rolls" with. Babylon is best described as the film that inspired the idea for 8 Mile and you can see it plain as day as most of the scenes in this are in 8 Mile too. The racial prejudice, the gang violence and the great musical performance at the end that's well worth seeing. If you haven't seen it and missed this gem of a British movie then check out Babylon and light one up.
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