The anticipated release of Marley, the captivating documentary about reggae legend Bob Marley, has arrived and kick-starts with a special event Tuesday, August 7. Fans who purchase Marley on DVD or Blu-ray will get the opportunity to meet and have their copy signed by Ziggy and Karen Marley, two of Bob Marley’s children. Individuals will receive a wristband to attend the signing event, which will take place the same day from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Best Buy on 11301 W. Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles.
Marley, a film by Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald, is what Entertainment Weekly calls “a deeply entrancing new documentary.” From Magnolia Home Entertainment, this documentary shares the life of cultural phenomenon Bob Marley. It is the first documentary made with the support of Marley’s family and features behind-the-scenes interviews with those that were closest to him. The one-of-a-kind documentary traces his early life to his life of international fame, and includes never-before-seen performances, unreleased music and personal footage of Marley. Called the “first must-see movie of 2012” by BET, Marley is a documentary that will entertain and inspire fans and non-fans alike.
Campus Circle spoke to Ziggy Marley about this inside look at his father's life, and Ziggy's involvement with the project:
“I was at the point where I was tired of seeing other people’s versions of my father,” he said. “As Bob’s eldest son, I wanted to be personally involved in something that would talk about his life. I want to represent my father differently than all these people that have written books and [made] films [about him].”
Ziggy explained that once he was involved in the project, it was a lot easier for members of his family to open up and contribute to the film. He said that his brothers and sisters would not have been willing to share stories of their father if the project had not been an organic attempt by the family to tell this story.
“We wanted to make a definitive piece that would be the pinnacle of everything else that has been done on Bob,” he said. “This is it, the thing that portrays Bob in the fullest perspective of his life.”
The perspective that Ziggy is referring to is an honest one, that comes from the opinions of those that were actually there during the days of Bob Marley’s storied career. Rather than enlisting the help of historians and other professionals, the film is made using memories and images gathered by family and friends. The resulting project is a film teeming with affection and honesty.
Surprisingly, as much as this film looks to applaud the accomplishments of Bob Marley, certain sections take on a much more realistic tone, commenting on the more problematic facets of the icon’s character. Issues of adultery, abandonment and cannabis consumption are addressed both gracefully and tactfully. Rather than demonize or glorify the memory of a man we may have our assumptions about, Marley gives a humanistic perspective on why Bob Marley lived the way he did. It does not seek to categorize any of his actions as right or wrong, but rather to address the factual accounts of stories that many fans would rather not think about. [Read more.]
Marley releases on DVD and Blu-ray August 7.
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