Rockers – 25th
Anniversary Edition (1978/MVD DTS
DVD)
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: B- Film: B-
NOTE: The hoped for High Definition upgrade of this film
has finally been issued on Blu-ray and you can read more about it at this link,
followed, by the original review text:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/8728/Rockers+(1978/Reggae/Music+Video
Since New Yorker brought Rockers to the United
States in 1979, the 1978 film has been the film most compared to the Jimmy
Cliff classic The Harder They Come (1973, directed by Perry Henzell,
reviewed elsewhere on this site) as the definitive Reggae film. Though writer/director Theodorus Bafaloukos’
film is worthy of the comparison, its narrative is more predictable and
archetypical of so many stories about making it or not making it in the music
business. Though the acting is often
convincing and it has great music by key artists in the genre, including Peter
Tosh, Bunny Wailer and Third World, it simply does not have the outright spirit
of Harder They Come in that the narrative is as bold and revelatory as
the music.
The story about Reggae artists trying to make it in the
music business is somewhat similar, but even with corruption in both cases, Rockers
just cannot compete with its great predecessor.
This does not mean the film fails, as it is remarkable in its own way,
fully realized in its sense of community that is comfortable (and maybe too
much so) with the music and life. Music
Video Distributors and Blue Sun Film Company are so happy with it that they
have reissued it on DVD in an impressive 25th Anniversary Special
Edition whose presentation can rival any version of Harder They Come to
date. Besides having all the extras in
one place, the sound is has been upgraded to 5.1 Dolby and 5.1 DTS, the latter
of which Harder They Come desperately needs and deserves, but has not
received yet.
The letterboxed 1.85 X 1 image is not the new transfer Rockers
should get to match that sound, but purists will be happy to know that
background noise was left in the remix.
That may not satisfy audiophiles completely, but the lack of compression
is a plus. Needless to say a digital HD
update will be needed down the line.
This is the best presentation of the film on video to date, with audio
rich enough to catch the music and color (by Movielab and it looks like it)
that is consistent enough to play back without distraction. It looks like the original materials are in
good shape, though with DVD you can never be totally sure since it is easy to
cheat with this format.
No cheating is detected here, which extends to a slew of
extras. Besides a very nice full color
16-page booklet inside the DVD case, there are stills, text biographies, on
camera interviews with cast and crew, trailers for twelve other MVD DVD Reggae
titles, director’s interviews (one called a commentary, but it is not the usual
audio commentary) and even original radio and trailer materials. This is especially great for a little-known
independent film and the quality and number of extras you would usually get
from Criterion. No viewer will be
disappointed.
- Nicholas Sheffo
