The Harder They Come (1972) - August 20, 2019

[bruce holecheck]

The Harder They Come Blu-ray


Shout Select bring Perry Henzell's THE HARDER THEY COME (1972) to Blu this August!

"Timeless and universal ... Nothing short of amazing" – The Los Angeles Times

Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff stars as Ivan Martin, an aspiring singer who leaves his rural village for the big city of Kingston, hoping to make a name for himself. Robbed of his money and possessions on his first day in town, he finds work with a self-righteous preacher and an unscrupulous music mogul who exploits young hopefuls. In desperation, the simple country boy turns outlaw, at war with both the police and his rivals in the ganja trade. Ivan's dream of stardom soon becomes a reality as he rises to the top of both the pop charts ... and the most-wanted lists.

In addition to The Harder They Come, this Collector's Edition includes a beautiful restoration of Perry Henzel's next film, No Place Like Home and a host of new extras shot in Jamaica.

https://www.shoutfactory.com/product...roduct_id=7140

The Harder They Come (1972) Trailer - YouTube

[postmodel]

Nice! And it looks like all the content will be spread across 3 discs!

[bruce holecheck]

Originally Posted by postmodel

Nice! And it looks like all the content will be spread across 3 discs!

I'm really hoping one of those is a soundtrack CD.

[jlk5844]

I saw this in my college film class a few years ago, and have been wondering since then if Criterion would ever upgrade it. It's still not happening, but I'm glad it's coming from someone. I remember finding the movie OK, and some students walking out I presume from boredom or disinterest (my professor was not pleased). I wonder what I would think of it now. But one thing is for sure: the delightful, catchy reggae soundtrack never left my mind. That is without question the film's highlight and worth watching once for that alone. Seriously, you'll be glad you gave it a shot. Here are the songs that stuck with me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia5Uh-kj3C0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BgNppt1UxA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcKYZbDjBEA

[MTRodaba2468]

Originally Posted by bruce holecheck

I'm really hoping one of those is a soundtrack CD.

While I personally don't need a soundtrack included (I've already got the 2-Disc Deluxe Edition), I do always love when soundtracks are included in the home video release, and if this release gives Shout more of an incentive to do so (especially since I'm not a fan of The Green Inferno), then I'm all for it.

I'm interested to see if any of the extras from Criterion's DVD are included...

[silverlakephil]

Originally Posted by bruce holecheck

I'm really hoping one of those is a soundtrack CD.

I've owned the soundtrack for years and have yet to watch the film. I love the album, Johnny Too Bad is the cut.

[oilers73]

This is fantastic news!

[mikesncc1701]

I'm all over this! My Pops bought me a sealed Criterion copy years after it went OOP and it's been one of my favorites ever since. I've almost imported the Blu numerous times but man I'm glad I held out. Funny enough I work in a pharmacy with one of those business friendly radio stations looping the same songs and You Can Get It If You Really Want plays at least three times during a normal shift. It's one of the few I can tolerate while I'm at work.

[bruce holecheck]

Some more details, from their FB announcement:

We have completely restored The Harder They Come from the original 16mm negative and are extremely excited to share it with you this August!

Also included is the first-ever home entertainment release of Perry Henzell’s long lost follow up feature, No Place Like Home, which had gone unfinished and was thought to have been lost.

We also have BRAND NEW bonus features, which we will announce at a later date, so stay tuned.

[Deciazulado]

The Harder They Come Blu-ray

[bruce holecheck]

*** UPDATE: Special Features ***

DISC ONE:
* BRAND NEW 4K RESTORATION FROM THE ORIGINAL 16MM NEGATIVE
* NEW Audio Commentary with author David Katz (Jimmy Cliff: An Unauthorized Biography)
* One and All: The Phenomenon of THE HARDER THEY COME
* Hard Road to Travel: The Making of THE HARDER THEY COME - directed by Chris Browne
* Vintage interviews with Jimmy Cliff, Arthur Gorson and director Perry Henzell
* Vintage interview with a director of photography David MacDonald
* Vintage interview with line producer Yvonne Brewster
* THE HARDER THEY COME music video

DISC TWO:
* NEW NO PLACE LIKE HOME - restoration from the original 16mm film elements
* NEW audio commentary with Sally Henzell, David Garonzik, Cookie Kinkead and Arthur Gorson
* NEW Perry Henzell: A Filmmaker's Odyssey - A short film on the long path to completing "NO PLACE LIKE HOME"
* NEW Rise Up from the Cutting Room Floor – the restoration of "NO PLACE LIKE HOME"
* NEW Audio Bonus Feature – P.J. Soles original vocal track and original acoustic guitar demo by Steven Soles for the title song "World Full of Beauty"
* NEW Theatrical Trailer

DISC THREE:
* THE LEGACY OF PERRY HENZELL: A STORY OF JAMAICAN CINEMA (Produced and directed by Arthur Gorson and David Garonzik, Executive Producer Justine Henzell)
* NEW Filmin' in the Gully – Anatomy of Three Scenes – with "The Harder They Come" cinematographer Franklyn "Chappy" St. Juste
* NEW Duppies in the Control Room – Dynamic Sounds Studios Then and Now
* NEW 10A – Jamaica's Film Yard – The story of Perry Henzell's Kingston home and production center – featuring Sally Henzell, Jason Henzell, Maxine Walters, Justine Henzell and more
* NEW A Conversation with Sir Ridley Scott
* NEW Live From the Reggae Awards: Red Carpet interviews with stars of the Jamaican music industry - conducted at Kingston's most recent annual music awards show
* NEW Out of Many One Filmmaker – The Disciples of Perry Henzell: featuring interviews with directors Storm Saulter, Rass Kassa, Chris Browne and producer Maxine Walters.
* NEW Everyone A Star: The Original Cast – including actors P.J. Soles, Carl Bradshaw and Winston Stona
* NEW Big Heap of Help: The Original Support Team – interviews with Perry's first personal assistant Beverley Manley, Assistant Director Bobby Russell, and more
* NEW Roots: The Family Henzell - including interviews with Sally Henzell, Justine Henzell and Jason Henzell
* NEW How Perry Rocked the World – interviews with "Native" Wayne Jobson, historian Chris Salewicz, and composer Steven Soles

[MifuneFan]

Wow, that's a stacked release if ever there was one.

[RevengeOfToonces]

I'm giving this a blind buy. I've never seen it but I've owned the soundtrack for many years and have listened to it many times.

[disco1979]

I saw this film a few years ago when I started collecting Jimmy Cliff's albums (a great artist).

It's a good film, with the soundtrack and the presence of Jimmy Cliff being its strong points. Story-wise it's kind of shaky and it meanders but I was entertained.

This sounds like a fantastic release. I just presumed it was going to be a bare-bones release.

[broganisms]

My preorder arrived yesterday. I know Shout has received plenty of (deserved) criticism for low-effort releases but it's obvious someone there really cares about this movie. Lots of love in this one.

[Purplenoon]

Incredible landmark film. I’ve got the Criterion dvd, paid a ton for it on eBay. Might just double-dip on this one. IF you were there when this movie, and much more importantly, the album, came out, you witnessed history, an absolute game changer. It changed the way we walked, talked, thought, sang, and partied. One of the great milestones in US cultural history. Don’t miss it. Period.

[SpaceBlackKnight]

Is the 2.0 mono track the original or a downfold with stereo songs like the UK release?

Are the credits sequences the original or digitally recreated like the UK release? I doubt they'd be the same as the UK Blu was an older master stretched to 1.78.

[Albie989]

Originally Posted by SpaceBlackKnight

Is the 2.0 mono track the original or a downfold with stereo songs like the UK release?

Are the credits sequences the original or digitally recreated like the UK release? I doubt they'd be the same as the UK Blu was an older master stretched to 1.78.

And reading about it on DVDBeaver, that sounds like the master Xenon used for its last DVD release (the one which came with the soundtrack CD). Of course that was also letterboxed.

[ArnoldLayne56]

Anyone willing to step up with a quick personal review of what they received, now that the excitement has dropped down?

[Cholly]

Originally Posted by ArnoldLayne56

Anyone willing to step up with a quick personal review of what they received, now that the excitement has dropped down?

More specifically, how are the subtitles? On the criterion dvd they were proper and subtitled all of the dialogue whereas the xenon dvd only subbed like a half of the dialogue at best.