The Harder They Come - Criterion Collection

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Director-producer Perry Henzel's all-Jamaican-made 1973 classic, one of the most beloved and longest-running of all international cult favorites, fiercely expresses the live-wire Jamaican spirit--an impoverished Africa tuned to American radio. The film also incorporates an archetypal passion for "outlaw" justice common to American Westerns, which were a staple of the Caribbean theater 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, especially by singer Jimmy Cliff in the leading role and Carl Bradshaw as his archenemy, the film tells an anthemic Jamaican story to seductive rhythms of a soundtrack that became a reggae bestseller. 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, always 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--much to the delight of the people--eluding capture until the movie's shocking final moments. --Elena Oumano

Description

Reggae superstar Jimmy Cliff is Ivan, a rural Jamaican musician who journeys to the city of Kingston in search of fame and fortune. Pushed to desperate circumstances by shady record producers and corrupt cops, he finally achieves notoriety- as a murderous outlaw. Boasting some of the greatest music ever produced in Jamaica, The Harder They Come brought the catchy and subversive rhythms of the rastas to the U.S. in the early '70s. Criterion is proud to present this underground classic in a new Director Approved special edition.

Customer Reviews:

sense of the place where we live !.......2007-03-22

This movie is the best reggae movie ever made !!!
I have seen it since i am kid, and now i owe the DVD !!!
This great sensational movie needs to be shared!!!!

Not anamorphic! Save your money!.......2006-09-24

I was extremely disappointed, on buying this DVD, to discover that the new, restored version is not an anamorphic transfer. It blows my mind that in this day and age, a historic film like this would be restored, remastered and released without using the best possible format.

More's the pity, as it appears that the actual transfer is an improvement over the earlier Criterion version. Nonetheless, this is an expensive "Deluxe" release, and those with widescreen TVs will undoubtedly want to wait until there is an anamorphic version (I should note that if you watch this on a widescreen TV, and zoom in so the picture fills the screen, you will not be able to read all the subtitles!). Those without fancy home-theater equipment are probably better off looking for a used copy of one of the previous releases.

It's truly sad that so much work was apparently put into the restoration of the actual film, and then a second-rate DVD was produced from it. I honestly can't recommend this DVD for anyone, especially given the list price, and would recommend that people wait for (and demand) a definitive anamorphic release of this all-time classic.

Jamaica.......2006-06-20

This is a good movie (7/10) included in the 1000 Best Movies on DVD by Peter Travers. It is an old movie, from 1973, shot in Jamaica with a very low budget, so what you see is "the raw real thing" (New Statesman). Jimmy Cliff gives an amazing performance of the song "The Harder They Come", and just for that the movie is worth watching. Then there is a story of drug dealers, this and that, but what I liked about the movie is the Jamaican flavor. The scenes at the church and the ones at the studio are, bu far, the best of the movie. There is also a dialogue between Jimmy Cliff and his girlfriend about being a dreamer that can't be missed! This 30th Anniversary Edition comes with a great documentary "Hard Road to Travel" where we are told about how hard this movie was to do, post production stories, etc. There is also a Dolby Digital 5.1 audio channel (and the mono original one, for the purists), and an interview with Perry Henzell, the pioneer of Jamaican cinema. There alse also very interesting trailers of other Xenon movies.
If you like Reggae music, this is a must. Also recommended for any popular music fan, and to any independent cinema fan. You should get the Soundtrack as well, but if you do, go for the DeLuxe (2 CD's) edition! Again, 4 stars, 7/10.

Great Film.......2006-03-09

Destined to die...Ivan is walking along the road to death with every day he lives and every breath he takes.

Frustrated at the dishonest record producers who refuse to pay him for a hit record - this was a reality in Jamaica in the 60's and 70's , many many of Bob Marley's records were sold overseas without him and the wailers ever hearing them after recording them - he decides to lead a life of crime but great and ambition sets in and Ivan desides to keep his date with destiny..

Get This.

It's ending threw me off a bit ....

I recommend this.

A Jamaican thundering film!.......2006-01-01

This has been the best movie ever made in this island. Perry Henzel focused the raising of a promising talent who comes to the big city to intend to gain fame and applauses as soon as he can. The only obstacle he could not evade was a fatal decision with the Low Depths, what it eventually will provoke his fall.

An emblematic underground cult movie, starred by the pioneer of the Reggae: Jimmy Cliff.

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