Dark streets, reggae grooves: 'Harder' shines

By Andy Taylor-Fabe

Daily Arts Writer

Before Bob Marley and the Wailers brought reggae to the U.S. mainstream, a brilliant low budget film about the struggle of a man in a Jamaican slum was made on the streets of Kingston. Although it has remained somewhat of a cult film, Criterion has just released "The Harder They Come" on DVD.

"The Harder They Come" is about a young man named Ivan (Jimmy Cliff) who comes from the country to the bustling but treacherous city of Kingston in the early '70s to seek his fortune as a musician. After struggling with poverty and the violence of the streets, he manages to record a single, but instead of striking it rich, he find that the music business is as corrupt as every other part of the system. Frustrated and destitute, he gets involved in the Kingston's ganja trade and eventually achieves his sought after fame, but as a brutal and infamous outlaw instead of a celebrated singer.

Many people could be turned off by the film's cover, which resembles so-called exploitation movies of the '70s. However, this film gives an incisive but subtle account of Ivan's struggle, and Jimmy Cliff does a masterful job of giving Ivan three dimensions.

This film has one of the greatest soundtracks in history. Including songs by Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker, Toots and the Maytals, The Melodians, Scotty and The Slickers ("Johnny Too Bad" is still one of the greatest reggae songs ever), it is one in a million.

The DVD version of the film is impressive, for although it was originally shot in 16 mm, the digital transfer gives it much more vibrant colors and clear images without making it seem too polished. It features biographies of all the bands that appear on the soundtrack and audio commentary by director Perry Henzell and star Jimmy Cliff. There is also a recent interview with Chris Blackwell, who founded Island Records.

"The Harder They Come" is a unique portrait of the slums of Kingston and the culture and language of the people. But speaking of language, here's a piece of advice for the viewer: Activate the English subtitles when you watch it, because the Jamaican dialect is sometimes so thick that it is impossible to understand.