Land of Look Behind
Encyclopedia
Land of Look Behind is a 1982 documentary film
about Jamaica
. It was filmed in May and June of 1981 by Alan Greenberg
, and was the director's first film. The film's cinematographer was Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein
, an associate of Werner Herzog
. The musical score is by K. (Kerry) Leimer.
The film begins with footage of Jamaica's wild interior region called the Cockpit Country. It also features footage of the funeral of reggae
musician Bob Marley
. A number of Rastafari
ans are interviewed, and performers Gregory Isaacs
and Mutabaruka
are also featured. In addition, Father Amde Hamilton of The Watts Prophets
performs a spoken word piece during Marley's funeral service.
Land of Look Behind won the Chicago International Film Festival
's Gold Hugo Award.
Werner Herzog has said in the film's DVD commentary that "This film achieves things never seen before in the history of cinema." The American director Jim Jarmusch
writes in the DVD liner notes that Land of Look Behind is "striking...beautiful...near-perfect."
In 2007 the film was released on DVD, with interviews of and commentary by Greenberg and Herzog.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. It was filmed in May and June of 1981 by Alan Greenberg
Alan Greenberg (film director)
Alan Greenberg is an American film director, screenwriter, photographer and author.Greenberg visited Jamaica from a young age, and was a friend of Bob Marley. Following Marley's death, Marley's family asked Greenberg to make a film about Marley...
, and was the director's first film. The film's cinematographer was Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein
Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein
Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein is a German cinematographer. He has collaborated with director Werner Herzog on a number of projects...
, an associate of Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog
Werner Herzog Stipetić , known as Werner Herzog, is a German film director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and opera director.He is often considered as one of the greatest figures of the New German Cinema, along with Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Margarethe von Trotta, Volker Schlöndorff, Werner...
. The musical score is by K. (Kerry) Leimer.
The film begins with footage of Jamaica's wild interior region called the Cockpit Country. It also features footage of the funeral of reggae
Reggae
Reggae is a music genre first developed in Jamaica in the late 1960s. While sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican music, the term reggae more properly denotes a particular music style that originated following on the development of ska and rocksteady.Reggae is based...
musician Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
. A number of Rastafari
Rastafari movement
The Rastafari movement or Rasta is a new religious movement that arose in the 1930s in Jamaica, which at the time was a country with a predominantly Christian culture where 98% of the people were the black descendants of slaves. Its adherents worship Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia , as God...
ans are interviewed, and performers Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Isaacs
Gregory Anthony Isaacs was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in the New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae". His nicknames include Cool Ruler and Lonely Lover....
and Mutabaruka
Mutabaruka
Mutabaruka is a dub poet. His name comes from the Rwandan language and translates as "one who is always victorious". He lives in Potosi District, St. James with his significant other, Yvonne, and their two childern. Mutabaruka continues to perform and write poems on every issue known to man...
are also featured. In addition, Father Amde Hamilton of The Watts Prophets
The Watts Prophets
The Watts Prophets are a group of musicians and poets from Watts, Los Angeles, California. Like their contemporaries, The Last Poets, the group combined elements of jazz music and spoken word performance, making the trio one that is often seen as a forerunner of contemporary hip hop music...
performs a spoken word piece during Marley's funeral service.
Land of Look Behind won the Chicago International Film Festival
Chicago International Film Festival
The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America....
's Gold Hugo Award.
Werner Herzog has said in the film's DVD commentary that "This film achieves things never seen before in the history of cinema." The American director Jim Jarmusch
Jim Jarmusch
James R. "Jim" Jarmusch is an American independent film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, editor and composer. Jarmusch has been a major proponent of independent cinema, particularly during the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:...
writes in the DVD liner notes that Land of Look Behind is "striking...beautiful...near-perfect."
In 2007 the film was released on DVD, with interviews of and commentary by Greenberg and Herzog.