Babylon (film)
Babylon is a 1980 film co-written by Martin Stellman (writer of Quadrophenia) and Franco Rosso, who also directed it. Produced by Diversity Music, National Film Finance Corporation, Chrysalis Group and Lee Electric (Lighting), the film is regarded as a classic.
It depicts the struggles of a Black British working-class musician and stars Brinsley Forde of the reggae band Aswad. It also starred Karl Howman and Trevor Laird. Music was scored by Dennis Bovell. Included are songs by Aswad, Johnny Clarke, and Jeff Wayne (who wrote the musical version of War Of The Worlds), among others.
Babylon was filmed on the streets of Lewisham and Brixton, London. The story revolves around racism from police and thugs, violence against blacks, poverty and disillusion and lack of opportunities.
Brinsley Forde's character is a Deptford garage-hand by day and a disco-dispenser by night. The film follows him as he loses his job as a car mechanic (Mel Smith has a cameo role as his racist boss), gets beaten up by police, is falsely charged, and forced to go on the run, falling out with his girlfriend and finally stabbing a racist neighbour in anger and frustration. The film finishes with a posse of policemen smashing down the doors of a music hall.
Read more about Babylon (film): Cast
Famous quotes containing the word babylon:
“The stars which shone over Babylon and the stable in Bethlehem still shine as brightly over the Empire State Building and your front yard today. They perform their cycles with the same mathematical precision, and they will continue to affect each thing on earth, including man, as long as the earth exists.”
—Linda Goodman (b. 1929)