Customer Reviews

Rockers

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

WORDS CAAN DESCRIBE this masterpiece of Jamaican culture, seen! Shot during the "Golden Age" of Reggae music. See your favorite artists like Jacob "KILLER" Miller, Robbie Shakespear of "Sly & Robbie," Gregory Issacs, Burning Spear (Winston Rodney), Big Youth, Kiddus I, Horsemouth, Tommy Mc Cook & the all-stars (crucial horn section). Some of the finest footage of Jamaican country and the very best musicians of the era can be seen on this film. A MUST HAVE for any serious Reggae enthusiast. You'll love the live 70's Stage Show "dance hall fashion" w/ Gregory Issacs crooning and Jack Ruby as da selecta'

Political violence rocked the country at this time in the 70's and one of the by-products of this was an energy...sort of a creation of vibes & the movement towards mass consciouness that can be seen, felt & certainly heard in this film, awul. The BONUS AUDIO tracks contain some NEVER RELEASED MATERIAL that are incredible...featuring some tracks from the score that you have never heard before. Also the SLIDESHOW contains a wonderful array of still-shots taken during the filming of ROCKERS.....excellent for backround A/V during entertaining. Some crucial shots of Peter Tosh too. Also, the PATOIS DICTIONARY is another must have for anybody who was not raised by Jamaicans, and trying to understand the dialect. Only Jah Know~

Okay, this is my absoulte favorite movie of all time, one that I base my own artistic philosophy on. That being said, there are things about the DVD version I love and one major thing that bugs me.

The difference in picture quality versus the VHS version is AMAZING! I've seen "Rockers" on video a hundred times but when I saw it on DVD for the first time I was shocked at the amount of detail I'd been missing. Colors, background business, scenery that I'd never noticed before jumped right out at me.

The bonus features also make this DVD worth the price. The audio-only feature is great. You get to hear all the songs in full and they're accompanied by excellent production stills from the movie itself and candid photos of the cast and crew taken on location. The cast biographies are a nice addition, too.

My big complaint about the DVD version is the inclusion of additional music that was not included in either the theatrical or VHS release. Several songs were seemingly randomly inserted and they changed the disco song playing at the Uptown club (I guess they couldn't re-secure the rights to "Turn the Beat Around"). The newly added songs haven't been properly mixed in at some points and are so loud they drown out the dialogue, which makes the subtitles feature absolutely necessary.

But this is such an incredible movie that it's still a worthwhile addition to your collection, regardless. Maybe the solution is to own both the VHS and DVD versions.

Part of what I like to call the "Holy Trinity" of reggae-flavored films--the other two being "Harder They Come" and "Countryman", "Rockers" is one of those rare movies where style over substance is a moot point--it's still a classic! The storyline is almost mythic in its simplicity and universal themes; but you ultimately don't care because your senses are too busy soaking in the infectious energy of the performers, the sumptuous tropical colors, and a perfect marriage of visual movement and insistent reggae beats. The subtitles are helpful but not really required in order to enjoy the experience. The only other film I can think of to compare this to is 1959's "Black Orpheus", which had a similar power to immerse you in another culture with its heady combination of music, color and movement. Warning-I guarantee you'll break traffic laws to rush right out and immeadiately purchase the incredible soundtrack album (which thankfully is in print and fairly easy to track down)!

This film is more than cookie cutter come-uppance. It is a spiritual journey, one that takes the viewer through a day in the life of a down-to-earth third world international superstar, who brushes shoulders with Police, Theives, Herbsmen, Artists, and everyday people. Rockers is a glimpse of Jamaican Culture, Music, Vibe, and Hard Roots Reggae. I'd give it more stars, but it got 5 from everyone here already. I bought this DVD twice, one for me & one for my bud. The 7 bonus tracks are outstanding. The Soundtrack is only half the picture. There are many many more great songs in this film you could only get here. This is a no-brainer.

I love this movie and have watched it over and over again. It captures the vibe of reggae in the late '70s perfectly and includes performances by some of the greatest performers of the time. Standouts include "Tenament Yard" by Jacob Miller and Inner Circle and an acapella version of "Jah No Dead" by Burning Spear. Definitely a must see, especially if you enjoyed "The Harder They Come".

This version is poor quality w/scenes chopped from the original theatre release. I read where the "official" DVD version on Island/Palm/Whatever they are this week was supposed to be out, but I can't find it. That said, this is a great movie & a real kick to revisit after all these years. I was just reminded the other day that Jacob Miller died at 25! Such a shame.

Yeah, Reggae holds it's own in this vintage Roots film about the "real deal" record industry in Jamaica. You'll never find a cast like this, what a community of musicians! I only wish more of the reggae musicians kept this same type of closely knit fraternity! A lot of those same musicians have been recently featured on the Black Seed (2001) album. Check both of them out!!!

a view of the reggae scene in kingston in the 70's, some of the best music themes and singers appear in it, and shows a real look at rastas living in the ghetto.

The best reggae style b movie aroundfilled with crucial roots reggae. Great cameos by big time dj's and artists, ie Jacob Miller performing temnemant yard . Pass the bubblin telephone chalis and control this!!

a classic 70s movie. a must-see 3rd world cinema gem.