Synopsis: Rasta buys motor bike, has it stolen, gets it back.
Director: Theodoros Bafaloukos
Actors: Leroy Wallace, Richard Hall, Monica Craig, Gregory Isaacs
Date: 1979
How viewed: Lovefilm
Rating: 2/5
David Meyer says:
For such a live-action cartoon, Bafaloukos provides a mature level of social realism.
I say:
This comes across more as a series of reggae music videos than a joined up film, and apparently, for those who know about these things, most of the top reggae artists at the time crop up somewhere along the way. Anyway, the flimsy storyline is that the top reggae drummer (Horsemouth) decides to go into record distribution, borrows money, buys a motor bike, the bike gets stolen, but through a girlfriend, finds out that the local gangster has it with tons of other stolen loot in his warehouse. There then follows a nice twist where Horsemouth and his mates rob the gangster's house and the warehouse and leave everything out in the streets for the locals to help themselves. That's about it - the guys all strut about (they have a strange way of walking), dress in their finery, smoke tons of dope, everyone knows everyone, and half the film seems to be taken up with meeting friends and slapping hands, and it's just all taken at such a slow pace (maybe that's simply how it is in Kingston Jamaica!!) What else? I usually watch most films with the subtitles turned on, but was a little concerned that that wasn't an option - but it's because the film already has subtitles - the patois is so strong it's impossible to the untrained ear to pick it up - but sometimes even the subtitles need interpretation!
For such a live-action cartoon, Bafaloukos provides a mature level of social realism.
I say:
This comes across more as a series of reggae music videos than a joined up film, and apparently, for those who know about these things, most of the top reggae artists at the time crop up somewhere along the way. Anyway, the flimsy storyline is that the top reggae drummer (Horsemouth) decides to go into record distribution, borrows money, buys a motor bike, the bike gets stolen, but through a girlfriend, finds out that the local gangster has it with tons of other stolen loot in his warehouse. There then follows a nice twist where Horsemouth and his mates rob the gangster's house and the warehouse and leave everything out in the streets for the locals to help themselves. That's about it - the guys all strut about (they have a strange way of walking), dress in their finery, smoke tons of dope, everyone knows everyone, and half the film seems to be taken up with meeting friends and slapping hands, and it's just all taken at such a slow pace (maybe that's simply how it is in Kingston Jamaica!!) What else? I usually watch most films with the subtitles turned on, but was a little concerned that that wasn't an option - but it's because the film already has subtitles - the patois is so strong it's impossible to the untrained ear to pick it up - but sometimes even the subtitles need interpretation! 
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