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Dread, Beat an' Blood
(Franco Rosso/UK/1978/45') 8:00 pm
"Inglan is a bitch". That was dub poet Linton
Kwesi Johnson's assessment of his adopted
homeland in 1980. 22 years later the most
English of institutions Penguin Books has made
this uncompromising writer only its second
living poet ever to appear in their Modern
Classics section. This is an early film about
Linton Kwesi, Jamaican-born poet, writer and
musician, and the Caribbean working class
community from which his material is drawn. Made
for the BBC the films public television
screening was postponed until after the general
election by the Thatcher government.
Territories
(Isaac Julien/UK/1984/25') 9:oo pm
A provocative and experimental documentary
cutting carnival scenes with archive news
reports - police surveillance to rioting in the
street - and crossing looks of desire with
alienation, from police to reveller, woman to
man, man to man. Add to this a disembodied,
political critique and trenchant images of
police violence and the audience soon becomes
aware that the documentary itself is part of the
resistance. Notting Hill Carnival as an event
about resistance.
Babylon
(Franco Rosso/UK Italy/1980/95') 9:30 pm
A young Rastafarian toaster (rapper) with Reggae
Sound System Ital Lion, hopes to rise above the
trials of his daily life and succeed at a Sound
System competition. Atmospherically shot by
Chris Menges with a killer soundtrack by Dennis
Bovell – the only ever 'composed' dub reggae
soundtrack. A rare treat for film and music
lovers.
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