ROKUMENTTI: Lee Scratch Perry's Vision of Paradise (2015)

Volker Schaner:

Lee Scratch Perry's Vision of Paradise (Germany/UK, 2015)

100 min. • English • Partly subtitled

Age limit 12 years

Theme: Rokumentti Selection

Some call him a prophet and a genius, others a complete lunatic. No matter the denominator, Lee “Scratch” Perry, who was born in Jamaica in the 1930s, is one of the most eccentric figures of reggae and dub. The visionary has been involved in many of the two genre’s most influential moments both as a singer and a producer. Among his handy work is The Black Arc, a haven for black recording artists such as Bob Marley, Junior Byles, and Max Romeo, who each have recorded masterpieces within the recording studio’s walls. But one should not forget Perry’s own records that have featured guests like The Clash and Paul McCartney.

Perry’s paradise is full of soulful art, alternative lifestyles, expanded consciousness, and grand visions. The Director, Volker Schaner, has followed Perry for 15 years from his current home in Switzerland to a holiday in London and, of course, to the mecca of Reggae, Jamaica. The resulting material pulses with freedom, individuality, and personality and gives the Western consumerism and digitalization a proper smack on the head.