Jimmy Cliff in The Harder They Come – Episode 116

Archaeon

There are some pop movies that capture the appeal of an entire genre. Such was the case with Perry Henzell’s The Harder They Come, a crime drama that was such a hit it essentially popularised reggae in the United States. Such things are possible only with a star of the calibre of Jimmy Cliff, plus soundtrack and screen appearances from the likes of Toots and the Maytals and Prince Buster.

This week, Aidan rejoins Graham to talk about Henzell’s film, and uncover the reason why he might be the ultimate Pop Screen director. We also talk about Chris Blackwell’s Island Records, whose film division was launched by this very movie. There’s also discussion of the film’s real-life inspiration, the “original rude boy” Ivanhoe Martin, its possible subtexts and the white-knuckle experience of watching that bus swerving all over the place during the opening credits.

If you want to keep us from plying our trade as door-to-door gardeners, you can donate to our Patreon and get a monthly bonus episode of this show, plus two exclusive podcasts not available anywhere else – From the Video Aisle, which is currently working its way through the Mr. Vampire series, and the completely unclassifiable Last Night… There are also weekly written reviews of Doctor Who, The X-Files and Red Dwarf, plus a monthly pick of a classic Asian genre film in Fantastic Asia. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook for more.

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Episode 116: Jimmy Cliff in The Harder They Come


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