- Format: PAL
- Region: Region 2 (This DVD may not be viewable outside Europe. Read more about DVD formats.)
- Number of discs: 1
- Classification: 15
- Studio: Revolver Entertainment
- DVD Release Date: 21 May 2007
- Run Time: 120 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B000NRRWFQ
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 54,296 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)
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Reviews
Amazon.co.uk Review
Director-producer Perry Henzel's all-Jamaican 1973 classic The Harder They Come--one of the most beloved of all international cult favourites--fiercely expresses the live-wire Jamaican spirit when an impoverished Africa tuned to American radio. Ivan, a country boy who dreams of fame as a singer, rides into Kingston on a rickety country bus in the opening scenes, only to meet with disaster heaped on disaster at the hands of those masked as friends. In a breathless defining climax, Ivan finally breaks from his passivity and begins to wreak his revenge. Soon Kingston's music Mafia and the equally corrupt authorities are after him, but like the real-life people's hero (a man named Rhygin) on whom this character is partially based, Ivan leads them on a maddening chase eluding capture until the movie's shocking final moments. ,p.
The film incorporates an archetypal passion for "outlaw" justice common to American Westerns, which were a staple of the Caribbean theatre circuit at the time. Released just 12 years after Jamaica achieved independence, The Harder They Come also reflects the disenchantment that soon followed a massive post-independence exodus from the island's country hamlets to the tropical ghettos of Kingston, where a more grinding urban poverty awaited. Brilliantly shot, directed, written, and acted; singer Jimmy Cliff excels in the leading role and Carl Bradshaw shines as his arch-enemy, the film tells an anthemic Jamaican story to seductive rhythms of a soundtrack that became a reggae bestseller.--Elena Oumano
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This bleak tale set in Jamaica grabs hold of you and does not let go.
The story is of a young man Ivan, based loosely on a real life newspaper story of the time, who comes from the country looking for work in the city. He finds only rejection and dishonesty, and is lured to a life of crime through having no other options. The oppression of poverty and corruption of the city oppresses him (and us the viewer) until he snaps, and embarks on a violent revenge to get what he feels he deserves. In the end, all he gets is a defining moment of violence in the final moments of the film. Westerns were popular in Jamaica at the time, and this is reflected in the moments of the Django movie we see Ivan watch with his friends, one of the few moments of pleasure we see him have. That movie moment is echoed effectively in the final scenes in helping us realise Ivans detachment from reality at that point.
The camerawork and locations are simultaeously obviously low budget and yet often brilliant. The hand held camerawork combines with some often excellent cinematographic eye for creating a canvas, portraying a real and vivid Jamaica that you don't see in the travel brochures. The locations were largely what they could use for little cost, and yet every one effective in adding to the tale and the background colour, often making this feel like a documentary of life in Jamaica.
The realism is helped immensely by the cast, most of whom you get the feeling are potraying real vignettes from their lifes and situations they can relate to. Jimmy Cliff is raw and full of the youthful energy his character is supposed to have.
The music is one of the defining characterisitics of the picture, and even not being a reggae fan, the music and the way in which the scenes are shot long before music videos existed take hold of you and don't let you be tempted to push the fast forward button.
Admittedly the film is dated, and the transfer to film is without any restoration and so appears washed out and full of scratches and marks - but somehow this just adds to the feeling of poverty and once you get past it, does not detract from the enjoyment of the movie.
Rent this not for a blaxpoitation movie or easy viewing, but for a defining moment in 70's cinema, in Jimmy Cliffs career, and in reggae music.
The story is of a young man Ivan, based loosely on a real life newspaper story of the time, who comes from the country looking for work in the city. He finds only rejection and dishonesty, and is lured to a life of crime through having no other options. The oppression of poverty and corruption of the city oppresses him (and us the viewer) until he snaps, and embarks on a violent revenge to get what he feels he deserves. In the end, all he gets is a defining moment of violence in the final moments of the film. Westerns were popular in Jamaica at the time, and this is reflected in the moments of the Django movie we see Ivan watch with his friends, one of the few moments of pleasure we see him have. That movie moment is echoed effectively in the final scenes in helping us realise Ivans detachment from reality at that point.
The camerawork and locations are simultaeously obviously low budget and yet often brilliant. The hand held camerawork combines with some often excellent cinematographic eye for creating a canvas, portraying a real and vivid Jamaica that you don't see in the travel brochures. The locations were largely what they could use for little cost, and yet every one effective in adding to the tale and the background colour, often making this feel like a documentary of life in Jamaica.
The realism is helped immensely by the cast, most of whom you get the feeling are potraying real vignettes from their lifes and situations they can relate to. Jimmy Cliff is raw and full of the youthful energy his character is supposed to have.
The music is one of the defining characterisitics of the picture, and even not being a reggae fan, the music and the way in which the scenes are shot long before music videos existed take hold of you and don't let you be tempted to push the fast forward button.
Admittedly the film is dated, and the transfer to film is without any restoration and so appears washed out and full of scratches and marks - but somehow this just adds to the feeling of poverty and once you get past it, does not detract from the enjoyment of the movie.
Rent this not for a blaxpoitation movie or easy viewing, but for a defining moment in 70's cinema, in Jimmy Cliffs career, and in reggae music.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Whilst Christopher may be technically correct (see earlier review), I feel his review is very harsh. In fact I nearly didn't buy this DVD because of it. Thankfully I did and I'm very pleased with it. As he said the sound quality is excellent and the soundtrack is also supplied on a separate CD. As for the picture quality in my view it is also excellent. It's certainly far superior to my VHS copy (obviously) and leagues better than my 2001 BMG DVD release. With all the additional features as well I think it's fair to describe this release as the definitive version of this great film.
I actually contacted the company that released this DVD (Revolver) asking them about Christopher's comments and they responded with this very helpful reply; "The Harder The Come is fundamentally 4x3 (which is 1,33:1) as that is the way it was shot. However, for Revolver's release the 4x3 image is in a 16.9 format frame. Because of this, when watching it on your television it will appear with black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. Handily enough, this means on a widescreen telly, you can do a "movie expand" and blow it up so that it loses both these bars and appears as 16x9. The only way to make the actual film 16x9 full frame (aka FHA -1,78:1) is to arc it, which is extremely costly and you also risk losing some of the original image. It would not be of any real benefit in this instance because of the way it was shot...plus the same effect can be achieved by using the options available on a widescreen TV."
As I said I am really pleased with this definitive release of a classic film and I'm confident you will be too.
I actually contacted the company that released this DVD (Revolver) asking them about Christopher's comments and they responded with this very helpful reply; "The Harder The Come is fundamentally 4x3 (which is 1,33:1) as that is the way it was shot. However, for Revolver's release the 4x3 image is in a 16.9 format frame. Because of this, when watching it on your television it will appear with black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. Handily enough, this means on a widescreen telly, you can do a "movie expand" and blow it up so that it loses both these bars and appears as 16x9. The only way to make the actual film 16x9 full frame (aka FHA -1,78:1) is to arc it, which is extremely costly and you also risk losing some of the original image. It would not be of any real benefit in this instance because of the way it was shot...plus the same effect can be achieved by using the options available on a widescreen TV."
As I said I am really pleased with this definitive release of a classic film and I'm confident you will be too.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
Ivan, who is sick of the countryside and the hardship there, decides to move to Kingston with the dream of becoming a singer. However, he finds that the hardship situation is no better than in the countryside, and turns to ecoming involved with cannabis smuggling.
The film explores the life of the ordinary people in Jamaica in the 70s,and the gritty realism of life on the streets.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great Regga film
This one of my favorite films.
Great story and I love Jimmys music .
Great story and I love Jimmys music .
Published 20 months ago by Sky
One of the best films ever
This is one of the most fantastic films ever made. Can't understand a word but the music is brilliant.
Published on 10 April 2010 by Mr. Anthony Gurren
Go Ivan!!
Perry Henzell's masterpiece, The Harder They Come, which stars Jimmy Cliff, is in my opinion the first truly great Jamaican film. Read more
Published on 16 Oct 2009 by dodoublegy
Classic film - misleading release
I have to agree with Christopher below - I bought this DVD because it was tagged as an anamorphic release, and Revolver's excuse as mentioned by reggaedefender sounds pretty weak... Read more
Published on 18 Jun 2008 by Mark Angus
Brilliant film, but...
This is a brilliant film which has finally been remastered with a 5.1 sound option. However, this DVD is NOT 16:9 anamorphic! Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2007 by Christopher Jones
THE LEGENDARY FILM & REVOLUTIONARY SOUNDTRACK - 2 DISC CD/DVD
THE LEGENDARY FILM & REVOLUTIONARY SOUNDTRACK - TOGETHER AT LAST!
DIGITALLY REMASTERED - 2 DISC DVD & CD
" * * * * * Only sounds more alive thirty years after... Read more
DIGITALLY REMASTERED - 2 DISC DVD & CD
" * * * * * Only sounds more alive thirty years after... Read more
Published on 18 May 2007 by Simon Green
Some of the greatest music sequences on film
Forget all the snazzy camerawork and special effects of today's music videos, this film has some of the most potent music sequences ever filmed. Read more
Published on 2 Jun 2005 by J. Lee
20$ for a record man, not happenin man...
A true classic, the story of a working class jamaican boy with dreams of becoming a musician, but just as it is ture to life is
messed about by the music industry. Read more
messed about by the music industry. Read more
Published on 4 Mar 2004 by "3cfilmfan"
Brutal & Honest account of what happens to good people
In my opinion this film gives a very brutal and honest picture of just what people are reduced to when faced with poverty, hunger, humiliation and homelessness. Read more
Published on 26 April 2003 by Gabriella Christina
The Harder They Come (1972)
The Harder they come is an all time Jamaican classic starring the living ledgend that is, Jimmy Cliff. Read more
Published on 10 Dec 2002 by Rich
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