Beats of the Heart: Roots Rock Reggae

Jan 1, 1977

0h 52m

★ 6.0

Overview

'Roots Rock Reggae' depicts an unforgettable moment in Jamaica's history when music defined the island's struggles and immortalized its heroes. Director Jeremy Marre films Bob Marley and the Wailers, and Lee 'Scratch' Perry record in his legendary Black Ark studio with The Upsetters. Jimmy Cliff rehearses with Sly and Robbie, while Inner Circle's historic live gig is recorded on the violent Kingston streets. The legendary Abyssinians harmonize their haunting Rastafarian songs; Joe Higgs (formerly Bob Marley's teacher) plays and talks; majestic toaster U Roy raps alongside The Mighty Diamonds, and Third World record in a Kingston studio. There is also early archive footage of Toots and the Maytals, and Haile Selessie's royal visit to Jamaica while police and thieves battle it out on the streets, and the ghettos erupt in violence. 1977: An extraordinary year for Reggae music.

Genres

Music

Documentary

Beats of the Heart: Roots Rock Reggae Trailers

No Trailers found.

Cast

Self

Jimmy Cliff

Self

Joe Gibbs

Self

Dennis Brown

Self

Michael Manley

Self

Jacob Miller

Self

Lee Perry

Self

U-Roy

Self

Bob Marley

Recorded in California at the Santa Barbara County Bowl, this live concert appearance from Bob Marley and the Wailers was filmed on November 25, 1979. One of the last shows to be recorded before Marley's untimely demise, the gig is a scintillating mix of reggae classics and provides a fitting epitaph to the influential musician. Tracks include "I Shot the Sheriff," "Exodus," "Is This Love" and many more.

7.3

Urgh! A Music War

Nov 7, 1981

Urgh! A Music War is a British film released in 1982 featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980. Among the artists featured in the movie are Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Magazine, The Go-Go's, Toyah Willcox, The Fleshtones, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, X, XTC, Devo, The Cramps, Oingo Boingo, Dead Kennedys, Gary Numan, Klaus Nomi, Wall of Voodoo, Pere Ubu, Steel Pulse, Surf Punks, 999, UB40, Echo & the Bunnymen and The Police. These were many of the most popular groups on the New Wave scene; in keeping with the spirit of the scene, the film also features several less famous acts, and one completely obscure group, Invisible Sex, in what appears to be their only public performance.

0.0

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Live At Harvard Stadium, Boston, 1979

Jul 21, 1979

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6.5

The Harder They Come

Sep 1, 1972

Ivanhoe Martin arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, looking for work and, after some initial struggles, lands a recording contract as a reggae singer. He records his first song, "The Harder They Come," but after a bitter dispute with a manipulative producer named Hilton, soon finds himself resorting to petty crime in order to pay the bills. He deals marijuana, kills some abusive cops and earns local folk hero status. Meanwhile, his record is topping the charts.

7.1

Rockers

Nov 23, 1979

Horsemouth, a drummer living in a ghetto of Kingston, plans to make money selling records. After his prized motorcycle is stolen, his plans fall through and he's forced to adapt.

7.2

White Riot

Apr 3, 2020

Exploring how punk influenced politics in late-1970s Britain, when a group of artists united to take on the National Front, armed only with a fanzine and a love of music.

7.0

Finding Joseph I: The HR from Bad Brains Documentary

Nov 3, 2017

"Finding Joseph I" is a feature documentary chronicling the eccentric life and struggles of punk rock reggae singer, Paul "HR" Hudson, a.k.a. Joseph I, the legendary lead singer from Bad Brains.

0.0

Ruff 'n Tuff - Stranger Cole's Toronto Roots

May 2, 2018

After an unsuccessful attempt at establishing himself in the early 1970s music scene, Jamaican-born reggae legend Stranger Cole opens a record store, the first Caribbean business in Toronto's Kensington Market.

5.0

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7.0

Made in Jamaica

Sep 13, 2006

A powerful portrait of the leaders of the reggae music Movement, and how Reggae has become a worldwide phenomenon. The film showcases performances by the best Reggae and Dance Hall artists ever assembled. From their native ghetto to international fame, "Made in Jamaica" is the story of the artists who represent the Jamaican Dream.

7.7

Two Sevens Clash: Dread Meets Punk Rockers

Apr 29, 2017

Documentary about reggae music and culture in London in 1977. Filmed in Super 8 camera by Don Letts. With participation of Richard Branson, Neneh Cherry, Paul Cook, Sly Dunbar, Paul Weller, John Lydon, Joe Strummer, Siouxsie Sioux, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and others. Released in 2017.

10.0

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Feb 17, 2015

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No Image Available

0.0

World of Skinhead

Mar 9, 1995

Straight out of This is England! Or was it the other other way round? Never mind, now a classic, World of Skinhead seeks out the roots of skinhead culture - from Detroit to Bergen, from Glasgow to Berlin, honouring its true spirit.

6.3

The Punk Rock Movie

Jun 9, 1978

Documentary on the London punk-rock scene, circa '78

9.0

Stepping Razor: Red X

Jun 4, 1993

A documentary covering the life and death of Jamaican reggae musician and cultural icon Peter Tosh. Drawn both from Tosh's "Red X" series of autobiographical tapes that he was recording at the time of his murder and from interviews with other figures in his life.

8.0

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Live In Dortmund Germany 1980

Jun 13, 1980

Forty years ago, Bob Marley embarked on a tour of Europe and the United States with The Wailers in support of their Uprising album. The 38-show excursion would be the last for the reggae icon, who succumbed to cancer on May 11, 1981. Marley & The Wailers brought the run to Dortmund, Germany on June 13, 1980 and the concert was filmed for the German live music television program Rockpalast.

8.0

Toots and the Maytals Reggae Got Soul

Feb 18, 2011

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6.5

Classic Albums: Bob Marley & the Wailers - Catch a Fire

Apr 11, 2000

The Wailers, featuring the legendary Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, became the most influential band in the history of Reggae music. "Catch a Fire," their first Island album, released in 1973, introduced them to an international rock audience. The principal figures in the creation of the album tell the story of how this record was designed to "cross-over." The program features a unique interview and performance with Bunny Wailer, rare archive interviews with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh and contributions in words and music from many of those who performed, Rare home movies of the Wailers in Jamaica, unseen footage lots more.

0.0

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Sep 9, 1985

Founded in the Bronx by Jamaican expat Lloyd ‘Bullwackie’ Barnes in 1976, Wackie’s take on dub and reggae was nothing if not distinctive. Idiosyncratic by nature, and textually lo-fi by necessity, this unique mojo long served as the label’s de facto sonic aesthetic. A protégé of Prince Buster, and a former engineer at Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label, Barnes’ touch can be felt across dozens of records including sides from Wayne Jarrett, Sugar Minott, Prince Douglas, Horace Andy, Love Joys, and fellow producer, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. Released in 1981, the following hour-long documentary, Bullwackie In New York, provides a priceless snapshot of the independent label and the culture surrounding it. Live performances, interviews, studio footage and more.

5.2

Roots Time

Nov 14, 2006

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Beats of the Heart: Roots Rock Reggae

Overview

Genres

Beats of the Heart: Roots Rock Reggae Trailers