Land of Look Behind (1982) User Reviews

An American masterpiece many years ahead of its time.

[mytholog · 10/10 · 4 January 1999]

There has never been a documentary like "Land of Look Behind". Relatively unknown due to poor distribution and New York Film Festival skullduggery, this breathtaking film presents a unique epic vision with quasi-dramatic elements and cinematographic wizardry. The non-reggae original soundtrack is outstanding, as is the reggae music of Bob Marley and Gregory Isaacs. The great documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog has called "Look Behind" the non-fiction film that has influenced him most over the last fifteen years. Indeed, this film's peers are the best of Herzog, Bunuel's "Land Without Bread", Flaherty's "Nanook" and Leacock-Pennebaker's "Louisiana Story". With thoughtful viewing, one will see this moving documentary actually end with a lovely little dream sequence. No American has come close to making a film this ingenious in the last thirty years.

Jamaica in all its glory

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 8 January 2018]

In May 1981, Alan Greenberg went to Jamaica to cover Bob Marley's funeral. He ended up making a documentary showcasing the island's culture. His "Land of Look Behind" features interviews with various Rastafari who talk about their philosophies. Even though the interviewees speak English, the documentary is subtitled due to their thick accents. The result is one of the most unique documentaries of the past few decades. Alas, it's also one of the least famous. Probably the most sobering scene is Marley's funeral, knowing that the world had lost one of the greatest singers of all time.

I've never been to Jamaica, so calypso and reggae songs are my main exposure to it. Nonetheless, Greenberg's documentary is one of the most impressive pieces of work out there. We see the Rasta culture in all its glory. Maybe in the coming years people will pay more attention to the documentary and appreciate what it shows (too bad that Greenberg didn't live long enough to get appreciated). I recommend it.

beguiling

[pingnick · 10/10 · 5 April 2001]

The only other documentary I've seen that is comparable is Gates of Heaven. I love both and I hope more documentaries are available that go beyond the obvious and "documentable" as these do. The voice of god narration and the feeling that you the viewer are being patronized cheapens even most well composed documentaries for me.

I&I Rastafari!

A masterful visionary epic unique in film history

[mytholog · 10/10 · 30 December 1998]

This is a feature length documentary with trail-blazing poetic/dramatic cinematic technique. Unforgettable images and startling intimacy with the subject. An undiscovered masterpiece.

Great Film.........

[Bwoyruff · 10/10 · 11 September 2006]

This one has gotta be one of my favourite films, apparently this documentary started out as a film about bob Marley's funeral then ended up being something else. Has a very spiritual feel about the whole thing, contains interviews with local inhabitants of the Look Behind area in JA, all of which are reggae lovers, gives there views on RastafarI and Bob Marley, then goes onto feature mutabaruka with plenty of interviews, also gregory Isaacs at his African Museum record label, he also gives a great performance and u can see just how he gets the name "The Cool Ruler", then onto a performance by Louie Lepke singing a song he wrote about bob marleys death. Also shows footage from bobs funeral and the gives a good idea of just how big an event this was showing the mass crowds that turned up that day. A Must for any reggae lover. An Excellent film.........

Amazing movie; a must see!

[Louie-8 · 10/10 · 9 October 1998]

The best movie about reggae music and Jamaica. It goes much deeper than just explaining the music or the place. Beautifully done like a dream with a purpose. The best documentary I have ever seen.