New 4K Restoration
The epic cultural moment that brought reggae onto the national scene: an action-packed combo that's like if Scarface, The Godfather, and A Star Is Born were thrown into a blender with Jamaican soul and the endless cool of Jimmy Cliff. Unmissable!
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 reggae and the Rastas to the world. [120 min; crime, drama, musical; English]
This program is supported by a grant from the Black Philanthropy Circle.
"The reggae soundtrack throbs and crunches and shudders in concert with the raw energy of Henzell’s storytelling and Cliff’s performance, but this doesn’t preclude a shrewdly self-aware debate about representation." — Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
"An epic character arc, wall-to-wall reggae standards and a suitably strutting turn from star Jimmy Cliff are the hallmarks of this Jamaican crime classic." — Kevin Maher, The Times (UK)
"With this 1972 cult hit, Jamaican filmmaker Perry Henzell produced a proud, forthright indictment of national and personal corruption." — Don Druker, Chicago Reader
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