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Perry Henzell
Sunday the 8th of February 1998 at Mexico cinema in Milano the jamaican cult movie "The Harder They Come" was transmitted with the presence of the film director himself. At the end Perry Henzell was brought into Radio Popolare Network studios by Michele from Pergola Tribe for this interview at the Reggae Radio Station-SkabadiP Ska Radio Show program. It was a collettive interview made by the SkabadiP crew, Mr. Vito War and Michele.
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Perry how did the italian reception seem to you?
Enchanting. I love Milan, it seems to me that Milan is a place where there are many small publishers and many people that do things for themselves, independently.
And what do you think of Italy?
Amazing.
Would you have expected that so many people would be interested in your work here in Italy?
You know what?...my great grandmother comes from Lago Maggiore...:-)
Speaking about the future, what will you do once you're back in Jamaica?
I'm seriously thinking about going back to producing, because today thanks to the digital telecamera one can turn out really great things at a cost that's quite contained...I'm interested in putting together a television documentary on a young reporter in Jamaica.
And you are here in Italy because you are promoting two of your novels, right?
Yes, I've been publishing and selling them around the world. I'm also touring around to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "The Harder They Come".
And it can also be said that Perry Henzell is really a self made man. He is touring around the world to promote his works, but he is also selling his works on the Internet, jumping over the distributors channel that would otherwise create pressure on him.
I think that the business of the future will oppose the great Music labels and the independent market...and I'm on the side of the independents. Even if things seem to converge more and more in the hands of the multinational corporations, in effect, its becoming more and more economical to publish books and films and to be able to sell your own productions, thanks to new technologies.
What are are your books about?
The first book "Power Game" is a reflection on power from the point of view of an island that is falling into anarchy... there are five people that feel they have what it takes to gain control. There is one who controls the banking system and one who controls the military...there is a woman who controls the media, there is a boy who controls the street, a singer like Bob Marley who has influence on the common people and then there is a smugler that has the money. They are each different characters with different peculiarities. Each holds to a particular ideal, all their own. The character at the head of the army believes in the spirit of discipline, the woman who controls the media believes in the spirit of freedom, and so on. They are all important characters and thanks to their individuality they have been able to gain power. However, in order to truly win they must succeed in passing from the level of personal power, tied to their own ego to the highest level of power in which they succeed in transmitting their energy and power to others and in doing so be able to competely control the island.
The five characters, to be able to obtain power must make a leap...this leap requires humility in order to be accomplished. When you move from a sort of personal power to a power that is more general, the mind and the body become the "systems of transmission". That which you are able to transmit to others dipends on how clean your "filters" are. That which blocks the lines of communication with others is your own ego. In order to free the filters a bit of humility is necessary.
This is why I think it is necessary to possess humility. When one gains control of hegemonic power, if one has clean filters, well, it can be an great thing, but if one's ego prevails, then there will be trouble for everyone.
The idea of the filter is a bit like that of the famous "trans" that happens to a musician when he gets on stage to transmit his energy to the public.
The novel "Power Game" is part of a trilogy in which the first title was "The Harder They Come".
And the second book?
Its a historical novel. The main character is one of the first five people that figured out the power of the steam engine and the blast furnace. He knows that by combining these two inventions he can control everything. He is a visionary that with his ideas creates problems for himself with the politicians and is sent to semi-custody in the Caribbean. Once in the West Indies he realizes that if he were to succeed in obtaining financing he could construct the largest sugar plantation in the world. He is inthe right place at the right time, because sugar in the Caribbean was a bit like the cocaine of the 18th century. Everyone wanted sugar, and they were willing to pay a lot to get it. Napoleans army would not have marched without sugar, industrial workers needed sugar in order to work. With sugar one could become incredibly rich.
And so the protagonist, at just 20 years old, establishes himself in the Caribbean and falls in love with three different women. He is a lover and must win over his women.
For the first woman, touch is the language of love. For the second, power is the greatest aphrodisiac. The third is not at all interested in sex. She loves family, children, and music. It takes him a good five years to win her over and then it is thanks to music.
At a personal level, the story evolves around this man, his loves, and his idea. At a greater level, it deals with the politics of sugar seen though the eyes of Napoleane, Nelson, and Rothschild. These three were the ones who thirsted for power, after a long period of revolution there in Europe. From the ashes of past wars, one would have emerged to dominate the others, and this one would have been one of the three. Nelson won over Napoleon when he was at the top of his glory. Rotschild had the financial power and Napoleon, well you know.
Moving on to "The Harder They Come"...why did you chose Jimmy Cliff? Because he was the biggest Reggae star of the time?
Because one time I saw two photos of him that really struck me. In one photo he seemed grand, young and strong and he expressed anger. In the other he seemed vulnerable, and suffering, like a different person. I thought that if someone could be so different in just two photos... well, it was something to be considered, ideal for the character.
To me, casting is a magical moment... I would have looked for month, for years for the right person. Because to me an actor is not a puppet to be ordered about, on the contrary, actors must know the character they are playing even more than I myself know though it is I who am doing the directing. The actor must know how to bring the character to life.
And in effect, Jimmy Cliff recited the script just like a consumated actor. Very few retakes were necessary, Jimmy was inside the character.
Tell us about the wonderful sound-track.
Jimmy Cliff composed the title track during the production of the film, while I chose the other songs amongst my favorites.
Looking back 25 years later, are you satisfied with the work you did on the film, or if you could go back is there anything you would change about the film?
I must say that I never watch "The Harder They Come". When they show the film I step out and return only to answer whatever questions there may be after the film. I've already seen it a thousand times. I filmed it and I've taken it to 40 countries. And what should I have done in each of the countries? Stay seated and watch it another time or go around and see the city in which I found myself at the moment? This is what I did. When I do see it, let's say when I happen by chance to see it, well yes, I'm still pleased with the way the film is. It's got good vibrations. Overall it expresses peace, but then I also like it because it's to the point... there's no time wasted in The Harder They Come. I also made a second film... this one has a slower rythmn, it doesn't have as direct an impact as The Harder They Come. THTC is spontaneous...direct.
But the second film is not yet finished, right?
Yes, It was a choice. Two days after The Harder They Come was shown on Broadway, I found myself having dinner with a very powerful producer. He complimented me on the film, and said that he truly liked it. He made me some offers, but his money would have made me less independent. I decided that I would have made a movie not only on which i would have total control, but also a sperimental film....a journey through Jamaica.
The film is not yet finished. I worked for 6 years to obtain an spend a million and a half dollars. People would ask me where the script was but there wasn't any and they weren't willing to help me under my conditions. As time passed I worked on a few other different things. After 6 years I had the the money but the film had been put in a warehouse and part of the film had been lost. 15 years later.. I watched the film again and I was so excited. Now with the new digital instruments I have the possibility of transferring it to digital film and doing it the way I want. They told me the it would however cost me a bundle. I risponded by saying that I would do by myself. Now they tell me that it will cost me ten years of my life..
Ok... thanks Perry and see you soon!
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8 February 1998
Transcribed by Alessandro Melazzini
Re-translated by Fatima Amarchi
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