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Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9781559409063
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD-Video, Letterboxed, Special Edition, Widescreen, NTSC
ISBN: 1559409061
Label: Criterion
Manufacturer: Criterion
Number Of Items: 1
Picture Format: Letterbox
Publisher: Criterion
Region Code: 1
Release Date: October 31, 2000
Running Time: 103 minutes
Sales Rank: 61366
Studio: Criterion
Theatrical Release Date: 1972
Editorial Review:
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.
Amazon.com:
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
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - ?Cult Classic?
I bought this because I heard it was a cult classic. Not the greatest but it did hold my attention even though the dialogue was a little hard to follow. I wound up using the closed caption. The sound track is the best thing about this movie.
Rating:  - Good music
It was a good over view of the time period and background of the reggae period. I enjoyed the movie and the music CD since I am a fan of the genre.
Rating: - Harder They Come
This is my favorite Caribbean movie. I have seen it numerous times and each time I find something new to focus on. The subtitles are helpful if you cannpt understand the Jamaican accent and or patois. The storyline is still relevant today. Great music and Jimmy Cliff is fantastic in his role. I feel cheated by the ending because I wanted the "bad guy" to redeem himself but the movie had to end I guess
Rating: - A Wonderful Time Capsule
The Hardet They Come is a midnight movie classic from Jamaica. It stars Jimmy Cliff and is actually based on the true story of Ivanhoe Martin, a Jamaican fokelore legend. The story has him coming from the countryside to make a living in Kingston. He tries to do things the right way, but ends up on the wrong track. He gets the chance to cut a demo and then gets ripped off by a sheisty music producer and then turns to a life of crime. Martin is now a vagabond on the run from the authorities and just ... Read More
Rating: - a must have Jamaican movie
This was the first Jamaican movie I saw many years ago and the soundtrack is classic reggae. A must have for any reggae music lovers.
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