Originally published in Verbicide issue #15

Blue Sun Film Company/MVD
100 minutes, dir. by Ted Bafaloukos with Leroy Wallace, Richard Hall, and Marjorie Norman

Let me say this first: if you love reggae music, you’ll want to get your hands on the re-release of Rockers, the 1978 film directed by Ted Bafaloukos.

But you don’t have to be a diehard reggae fan to appreciate this film. I, for one, was very foreign to this genre of music. In fact, Rockers gave me the largest amount of reggae I have ever experienced. Viewers will find themselves enjoying a raw serving of Rastafarian culture, encompassing everything from music, to language, to basic morals and beliefs. It is always a pleasure when a film ends and you not only find yourself entertained but also educated and/or enlightened.

Rockers stars Leroy Wallace as “Horsemouth,” a struggling reggae drummer looking for his big break. In attempt to raise funds, Horsemouth decides to sell albums to the local record stores. To accomplish this, Horsemouth purchases a motorbike so that he may distribute his product more efficiently. Everything seems to be going smoothly for our protagonist until his bike is stolen during a police raid at a party he’s attending. When Horsemouth discovers who is behind the crime, he gathers his friends and hatches a plan to get back at the mafia (a term used to mean all big time criminals.)

Sure, the story of Rockers does not seem all too complex or even interesting, but it is the underlying themes that will really grab a viewer’s attention. Horsemouth and his friends are modern day punks with dreads instead of Mohawks. Horsemouth constantly promotes the purchasing of records from independent labels as a way to stand up against the establishment. In one of the more memorable scenes, Horsemouth and his buddy, Dirty Harry (Richard Hall), hijack the DJ booth at a local nightclub. While DJ Dirty Harry announces, “I-and-I come to change the mood. This is a take over!”, Horsemouth, like the free spirit he is, dances by himself to the reggae beat. Their party is soon broken up by “Babylon” (the police), but not until the two rockers show us you can’t deny your roots. Rockers is all about unity, brotherhood, and above all, “One Love.”

But with thematic elements aside, let us not forget the music. The soundtrack to Rockers is unarguably the greatest achievement of the film. Although it is not merely a series of music videos, Rockers sports a supporting cast of real-life reggae artists who each contribute a musical piece in the movie. These musicians include Gregory Isaacs, Inner Circle, Burning Spear, Third World, the Heptones, Bunny Wailer, and more. The momentum of the story is impressively broken up by separate musical performances that strengthen the tone of the film, but more importantly tell their own tales of Jamaica through song (i.e., Kiddus I’s performance of “Graduation in Zion,” or the easily recognizable Clash favorite, “Police and Thieves,” performed by Junior Murvin.)

Cinematically, this film holds up as well. The cinematic element that made the biggest impression on me was the effective use of continuous shots. Since this film plunges you into the Jamaican way of life, it is only appropriate that the camera follows Horsemouth along his walks down the village streets or through crowded parties destined to be busted by the police. To the same effect, one scene involves Horsemouth talking directly into the camera to the viewer at home. In a traditional Spike Lee style, Horsemouth passionately rants about his true feelings and discontent for the current state of things. Techniques like these give Rockers that docu-drama feel that reinforces the truth behind the film.

Film enthusiasts of the new millennium should consider themselves fortunate that Blue Sun Film Company and Music Video Distributors have released this 25th Anniversary Edition DVD. The DVD is “loaded with all new bonus features” that include music videos, interviews with the director and producer, and perhaps even more interesting, a featurette on a clothing line inspired by the film. And speaking of the DVD, allow me to share with those who are about to watch Rockers for the first time a few words of advice: read (and if possible, memorize) the index of Rasta terms in the deluxe 16-page color booklet before viewing this film. Director Bafaloukos, who also bears the writing credits, did not hold back from using Rastafarian lingo in the script. If you are as ignorant to this culture as I was, you’ll want to peruse the Rockers dictionary. Other than that, all I can say is sit back and enjoy. Rockers will definitely “skin your teeth.” (Which I believe means “smile.”)