Babylon

This 1980 British drama is both a high-energy film steeped in the Jamaican subculture of South London—including reggae, dub, and lovers rock music—and a social document capturing the black experience in the racially-charged atmosphere of Thatcher's London. Brinsley Forde (frontman of landmark British reggae group Aswad) stars as Blue, a dancehall DJ preparing for a battle-of-the-bands contest with his buddies, in this episodic film that follows a week in their lives as they face racism and bigotry at work and on the streets. Directed and co-written by Italian-born filmmaker Franco Rosso, Babylon draws in part upon the experiences of the cast members as it portrays working-class whites and police alike targeting black youths with insults, racial epithets, and at times violence. But it also tackles the prejudices within the Jamaican culture, from its offhanded sexism and homophobia to an angry distrust of anyone white, including Blue's buddy Ronnie (Karl Howman), a former skinhead who overcame his own hate through music. With the rise of white nationalism in both the U.S. and Europe, this film—featured in the 1980 Cannes Film Festival but never released in the U.S. until a 2019 restoration saw a limited release—remains very timely today. Extras include a cast and crew audio commentary, new cast interviews, an archival cast and crew Q&A at the BFI, a bonus short film by Rosso, and a booklet with an essay by music journalist Mike Rubin. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)