{"product_id":"franco-rosso-babylon-blu-ray","title":"Franco Rosso: Babylon Blu-Ray","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eSerious Business!\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eFranco Rosso\u003c\/strong\u003e’s \u003cem\u003eBabylon\u003c\/em\u003e is essentially a day in the life in working class South London. The film follows Blue, a mechanic by day and reggae soundsystem DJ by night, as he clashes inner city pressure on his way to a clash against the mighty \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Jah+Shaka\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJah Shaka\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, struggling with everyday racism and xenophobia along the way. Shot in and around Brixton (some of the locales appeared in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Alex+Bartsch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAlex Bartsch\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e’s \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Covers+-+Retracing+Reggae+Record+Sleeves+in+London\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eCovers - Retracing Reggae Record Sleeves in London\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e book) with real locals as extras and a number of scene luminaries rounding out the cast (\u003cstrong\u003eBrinsley Forde\u003c\/strong\u003e from \u003cstrong\u003eAswad\u003c\/strong\u003e plays Blue, \u003cstrong\u003eJah Shaka\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Mikey+Dread\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMikey Dread\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e appear as themselves), the film takes a nuanced look at Black British life, the import of soundsystem culture to South London and the assimilation and struggles of West Indian immigrants in the British working class, illustrating the potency of reggae music as a foreign music on the global stage. The film premiered at Cannes in 1980 but wasn’t ever released in the United States “for being too controversial, and likely to incite racial tension\" says scholar \u0026amp; post-punk legend \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?\u0026amp;q=Vivien%20Goldman\u0026amp;filter=Brand\/Manufacturer\/Artist_fq:%22Vivien%20Goldman%22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVivien Goldman\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e, so this official re-release is crucial. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Dennis+Bovell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDennis Bovell\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e’s soundtrack (oi, can we get a reissue of the LP m8?), and particularly the scene featuring \u003cstrong\u003eJah Shaka\u003c\/strong\u003e’s soundsystem clash, were formative for me in my budding taste for UK digital strains of reggae music and general soundsystem culture years back, so it’s nice to finally have it beautifully restored on physical formats. Extras include new interviews and audio commentary with \u003cstrong\u003eFranco Rosso\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eBrinsley Forde\u003c\/strong\u003e and more, a booklet essay, short \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/search?type=product\u0026amp;q=Linton+Kwesi+Johnson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLinton Kwesi Johnson\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e documentary \u003cem\u003eDread Beat And Blood\u003c\/em\u003e, trailers and more. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/products\/franco-rossi-babylon-dvd\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eDVD version\u003c\/a\u003e also available. Recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlu-Ray version\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003efirst official release in the United States\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\"in English and Jamaican Patois with subtitles\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e95 minutes, color, 1.85:1\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlu-Ray extras: audio commentary with Franco Rosso, Brinsley Forde, screenwriter Martin Stellman and producer Gavrik Losey, DREAD BEAT AND BLOOD (1979), a short documentary on Linton Kwesi Johnson by Franco Rosso, new interviews with Brinsley Forde and Dennis Bovell, restoration featurette, reversible artwork, Q\u0026amp;A with cast and crew (recorded at the BFI Southbank in 2008), trailers, booklet essay by music journalist Mike Rubin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch6\u003ereviewed by laughable butane bob 09\/2019\u003c\/h6\u003e","brand":"Franco Rosso","offers":[{"title":"Blu-Ray","offer_id":17835119509594,"sku":"vd-572","price":15.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0105\/4542\/products\/babylon-bluray.jpg?v=1762277318","url":"https:\/\/www.turntablelab.mom\/products\/franco-rosso-babylon-blu-ray","provider":"turntablelab.mom","version":"1.0","type":"link"}