1980 saw a new, bold story introduced into the British-Jamaican film canon: Babylon, directed by Franco Rosso. A film touted as being too raw to release overseas and too incendiary to be given anything less than an X rating in the UK, it follows the story of Jamaican youth dealing with xenophobia, racism, and white supremacy in the South London district of Brixton. Babylon became the first film of its kind to give a cinematic voice to these youth and was quickly buried in attempts to stifle criticism of the system it spoke out against. Babylon gives a much-needed portrayal of the struggles of the Caribbean people of Britain and how they use music and community to drown out the pressures of Babylon.
England’s long history of colonization in the Caribbean spans hundreds of years, with their use of Jamaica as one of the largest hubs for the slave trade at the center of it all. Flash forward 200 years later to 1941, and Jamaica is tasked with helping rebuild Britain, post-World War II. Ten years prior saw the rise of a new way of life in Jamaica dubbed Rastafari. This movement coined the term “Babylon” to describe the white neocolonialist power structure that holds down Black people and others. Rosso’s choice to title the film Babylon represents the overwhelming powers that be and how it undeniably informs the characters’ actions. All of the actors grew up in Britain under similar circumstances, strengthening the film’s sense of realism.
Blue (Brinsley Forde) is a down-on-his-luck young adult who is having difficulty balancing time spent between his day job as a mechanic and being lead vocals for his Soundsystem group, Ital Lion.
The group consists of five other members: Dreadhead (Archie Pool), Scientist (Brian Bovell), Loverboy (Victor Romero Evans), Errol (David N. Haynes), and Beefy (Trevor Laird). Babylon follows the week leading up to the group’s battle against a rival group, Jah Shaka, although this plot point serves more as a backdrop to focus on how white supremacy quickly chips away at Blue. He, like the others, finds solace through music and community, both found in Ital Lion. The group allows Blue to belt out his frustrations within Babylon and voice himself without fear of judgment or dire consequences. All this considered makes it hard to watch as Babylon attempts to break through Blue’s spirit.
The film grapples with the concept of being othered in various ways. One of the most obvious comes from the white Brits seen throughout the film, giving the main cast dirty looks at best and direct hatred at worst. On the more subtle side is the character of Rastaman (Cosmo Laidlaw), a colorfully dressed Rasta who the main cast (except for Blue) pokes fun at. Even though Rastaman represents one of the purest examples of Jamaica, he is still othered. Blue’s connection to Rastafari is one of his main traits; he’s seen with posters of Bob Marley and the critical figure of Rastafari, Haile Selassie, on his bedroom wall. This connection to Jamaica, while emboldening him, only further alienates Blue from Britain. His day job at the auto shop comes to an end when his manager hurls racist remarks his way, leaving Blue jobless and dejected. His spirits are lifted when the leader of Ital Lion, Dreadhead, plays the new record for the upcoming competition to the group. During their celebration in their garage headquarters, a neighbor comes banging on the door with noise complaints. When she sees the group her first instinct is to spew racist remarks and slurs at them, claiming “You’re everywhere. This was a lovely area before you came here, lovely. You f**k off back to your own countries, you jungle bunnies.” The jovial spirit of moments before is quickly suctioned out the room. Beefy, the most short-tempered of the group yells back at her, “This is my f***ing country, lady, and it’s never been f***ing lovely!” Suddenly the weight of Ital Lion’s identity in modern society rushes back into the small garage.
Rosso portrays this tug of war with Blue’s environment more throughout the film. It reminds the audience of how the presence of white supremacy is never too far away for Black people. Beefy’s response highlights the understandable disorienting experience of being the first generation raised in a foreign country; you no longer fully relate to your homeland yet are never seen as a native of the place you’ve spent your entire life. Instead, the characters of Babylon float in this limbo state, clutching onto their new culture and informed by their unprecedented circumstances. In this limbo state, Blue finds himself unable to make sense of the world as it unfolds around him, gripping onto music and wherever he can find community. Another run-in only aids in doubling the weight on Blue’s shoulders, adding more fuel to his previously calmer disposition. This all comes to a head when plainclothes policemen chase Blue down and jump him, reflecting real-world Brixton.
During Margaret Thatcher’s run as Britain’s Prime Minister, the police of Brixton, desperate to crack down on the crime in the area, became frequent users of “Sus Law.” This law permitted stop and searches of anybody the police deemed suspicious. Sus Law, paired with the racial bias of the time, led to an excessive amount of Black people being unfairly targeted. Only a year after Babylon’s release, Britain saw the racially charged Brixton Riots. The riots were fueled by the corruption in the police force and the abuse of the Sus Law. Blue’s horrific altercation with the police mirrored the true stories of Black people of all generations.
Lost and furious, Blue finds his way to Rastaman’s congregation. In a new community, Blue is instilled with hope as Rastaman accepts him with open arms, telling him, “But the I[Blue] look as if all the troubles of this world deh ‘pon him shoulders.” It’s the first time in the film that Blue has had his struggles seen and understood, and it’s my favorite scene. He is at a loss for words but is deeply affected by this prayer, only to find the garage trashed and vandalized by their neighbors right before Ital Lion’s performance. In an instant Blue’s newfound peace is disrupted at the deepest level. His sacred place away from the outside world is tainted to show him how futile attempting escape is. Having nowhere to place his anger and frustration, Blue lashes out against the neighbors through violence. In a last-ditch effort to experience the freedom of expression, Blue makes it to Ital Lion’s performance. There Ital Lion is reunited, and Blue belts out an emotional roar against Babylon, calling for his brothers to band together and fight. He sings out, “We can’t take no more of that, no we can’t take no more of that!” referring to the last 300 years of living under the neocolonialist rule. His outcry is cut short as Babylon tries to break through, once again attempting to destroy his purest sense of expression and escape.
Babylon serves as a story faithful to the lives of Black youth under white supremacist rule. It masterfully highlights the exhausting nature of constantly monitoring your position in society. Through its main character, the film understands the invaluable worth of culture. Music becomes a lifeline for Blue, his only way of self-expression. Rosso represented a reality not voiced in cinema often in its time. Babylon is an outroar from these communities shouting for their place in society to be recognized.
