Fire in Babylon (2010)

Fire in Babylon (2010) (DVD) (*)

~~$26.99~~ $23.98

Screened, competed or awarded at:
British Independent Film Awards
Tribeca Film Festival

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 5.1 )
English ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
83 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.78:1)

Special Features:
Cast/Crew Interview(s)
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 2010 and produced in:
United Kingdom ( Great Britain, Ireland )

Directed By:
Stevan Riley

Written By:
Stevan Riley

Actors:
Ian Botham ..... Himself (archive footage)
Colin Croft ..... Himself
Jeffery Dujon ..... Himself
Joel Garner ..... Himself
Lance Gibbs ..... Himself
Gordon Greenidge ..... Himself
Tony Greig ..... Himself
Desmond Haynes ..... Himself
Michael Holding ..... Himself
Clive Lloyd ..... Himself
Malcolm Marshall ..... Himself (archive footage)
Viv Richards ..... Himself
Bunny Wailer ..... Himself

Synopsis:

From the producers of the academy award winning The Last King of Scotland and One Day in September comes one of the most inspiring stories in sporting history... Fire In Babylon is the breathtaking tale of how the oppressed people of the West Indies fought back and triumphed over its colonial masters, through the remarkable achievements of one of sports most iconic teams. In a turbulent era of apartheid in South Africa; race riots in England and civil unrest in the Carribean, the West Indian cricketers, led by the enigmatic Viv Richards, struck a wonderfully defiant blow at the forces of white prejudice worldwide. Their undisputed skill, combined with a fearless spirit, allowed them to dominate the game at the highest level, replaying it on their own, terrifying, terms. This is their story.

For his documentary 'Fire in Babylon,' a history of the West Indian dominance of international cricket in the 1970s and '80s and of the symbolic weight its teams carried in a post-colonial era, Stevan Riley makes use of a variety of beguiling components. There is archival match footage, unfamiliar and exotic to the American viewer. There is an unusually charismatic and authoritative group of talking heads, including former star players like Michael Holding, Gordon Greenidge and Vivian Richards. And there are breaks for cricket songs by reggae and calypso musicians, most notably Lord Short Shirt's 'Vivian Richards,' a lilting, evocative tribute to that legendary batsman. It all adds up to an entertaining 88 minutes, despite the film's ramshackle construction and its once-over-lightly approach to political, cultural and athletic history.

Feature documentary about the great West Indies cricket team of the 1970's/80's.

This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 06 September, 2011.