2.6: Are there any feature-length ska movies? What other movies did ska influence. What about TV shows?
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This article is from the Ska FAQ, by Tomas Willis tomas@twillis.com with numerous contributions by others.
2.6: Are there any feature-length ska movies? What other movies did ska influence. What about TV shows?
Yes, there are feature-length ska documentaries, exemplified by
`Dance Craze'. These include:
Other movies where ska plays an important role include:
TV shows where ska plays an important role include:
Dance Craze
-----------
There is a great concert film by Joe Massot about ska in 1980
Britain called `Dance Craze'. It features live footage of Bad Manners,
The (English) Beat, The Bodysnatchers, Madness, The Specials, The
Selecter. Rico Rodriques, trombonist from the Skatalites, plays horns
with The Specials. You can order the video from See , 3022 W. 12 Mile
Rd., Berkely, MI, 48072 USA, (313) 544-2485 (and probably other places,
too).
Take It Or Leave It
-------------------
`Take it or leave it' is the Madness film - starring the seven
members of north London ska band See , the 1982 film traces the
roots of the group, beginning in 1976 or thereabouts. Very
amateurish in places, and also very funny. Although lead singer
Suggs went on to do some acting in films, one of the band members
(drummer Daniel Woodgate) said of `Take It Or Leave It', "it was
the beginning and end of my acting career". Available on Virgin
Video in the UK.
-Gareth Gee
Back to the Beach
-----------------
In the beach-blanket revival film with Annette Funicello, `Back to
the Beach', Fishbone backs Annette singing "Jamaican Ska (Do the Ska)"
and the beach crowd skanks away (sort of).
Bang
----
`Bang', from Eagle Eye Films.
... reviewed by Siskel and Ebert on their nationally syndicated
show (the verdict: one thumb up, one thumb down) and they ran a
clip that featured The Slackers' "Run Away." The soundtrack for
"Bang" is now available from Moon Ska Records and features all
sorts of cool ska and ska dub from acts like The Toasters,
Skavoovie & The Epitones, Isaac Green & The Skalars, NY Ska Jazz
Ensemble, The Articles, Dr. Ring Ding & HP Setter, Ocean 11 and
many more!
- shamelessly clipped from `Moon Ska Records News Update (9/26/97)'
The Harder They Come
--------------------
For real rude boy action, check out `The Harder They Come',
http://us.imdb.com/M/urls?title+Harder+They+Come%2C+The+(1973), Jimmy
Cliff. This is the seminal feature film from Jamaica. This is
essentially a true story, about Martin Riggin. The excellent
soundtrack showcases Jamaican popular music -- ska, rocksteady and
reggae.
`"You Can Get It If You Really Want"'
By Jimmy Cliff Composed by Jimmy Cliff
`"Hold Your Brakes"'
By Scotty Composed by D Harriot/O Scott
`"Pressure Drop"'
By Maytals Composed by Fredric "Toots" Hibbert
`"Many Rivers To Cross"'
By Jimmy Cliff Composed by Jimmy Cliff
`"Johnny Too Bad"'
By The Slickers
`"007 Shanty Town"'
By Desmond Decker Composed by O Orres
`"Sweet and Candy"'
By Maytals Composed by Fredric Hibbert
`"The Harder They Fall"'
By Jimmy Cliff Composed by Jimmy Cliff
`"By The River at Babylon"'
By Melodiana Composed by B Dows
`"Sitting Here In Limbo"'
By Jimmy Cliff Composed by Jimmy Cliff
Marked For Death
----------------
Not only is there ska being played, but Jimmy Cliff himself is in
the movie. Another interesting thing to note is that Steve Segal
co-wrote a song with Jimmy Cliff. The songs in the credits are:
"Roots and Culture" (Shabba Ranks)
"No Justice" (Jimmy Cliff)
"John Crow" (Jimmy Cliff, Steven Segal and the Oneness Band)
"Rebel in Me" (Jimmy Cliff)
"Steppin' Razor" (Peter Tosh)
-Andrew Bauer kaliber@community.net
Quadraphenia
------------
`Quadrophenia - A Way Of Life' by The Who Films, filmed in 1979
and set in London and Brighton of 1964. Although more accurately
described as a "mod" film, this brilliant youth cult movie
includes some ska background music here and there (I think it's
the Upsetters) as well as some American soul (Booker T, etc.). It
also shows how important young black Jamaicans (the sons and
daughters of 1950's immigrants) were to the mod scene. 'Birdie'
supplies drugs ('uppers', 'purple hearts', amphetamine, etc.) to
the mod crowd, but he also supplies *style*. (It was the Jamaican
rudeboy style that led to many white "mods" becoming "skinheads"
at the end of the 60's, adopting the music and clothing of the
young British West Indian community). Also stars Sting as "the ace
face" and includes music by the Who, Kinks, etc. The film was
massive in 1980, as it coincided with the mod/ska revival and the
appearance of the 2-Tone label. The central star of the film, Phil
Daniels, recently did the vocals on Blur's mod-inspired `Parklife'
single (1994). `Quadrophenia' is available on Polygram Video in
the UK.
-Gareth Gee
Scandal (1989)
--------------
Lovely ska music swells the soundtrack of Scandal (1989), the story
of the 1963 Profumo affair in the UK. The soundtrack was released as
`Scandal SKA'. Fashion tips abound for the trendy rudie or mod.
Kablaam
-------
Theme song by All-Stars
Police Squad
------------
There was a brief mention of ska in a humorous moment on `Police
Squad' when Dick Clark asked the informant Johnny the shoeshine man
what ska music was. The informant suggested that ska would never catch
on, misrepresenting it as "nothing but a modern offshoot of reggae,
with white rock influences".
The Young Ones
--------------
M.E. Hoetjes reports that "Madness played a couple of times in `The
Young Ones' and The Selecter played there as well."
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