Bob Marley on Video by Lee O'Neill There is no figure in reggae more heavily documented on video that the late, great Bob Marley, which only makes sense. His musical and cultural legacy will endure forever and in the eyes, ears and hearts of millions he is the personification of reggae so it shouldn't be considered odd that he has also been the subject of more film-makers and video producers than any other artist. It also helps that Marley was always a charismatic visual performer. In many ways, the image of Marley in a sweat-stained fatigue shirt with one arm pointed skyward and another covering his face, with a guitar dangling from his chest is an image that has become synonymous with reggae. There are several videos dedicated to Marley's life and career. Legend is a collection of concert and promotional clips, Live at the Rainbow and Live at Santa Barbara County Bowl are concert films and Caribbean Nights and Time Will Tell are documentaries that combine narration, interviews, concert and promotional footage and more to attempt to explain and celebrate the life and music of reggae's greatest artist. The two concert tapes are a good place to start, particularly Live at the Rainbow since footage from this 1977 concert film provides much of the raw material for Legend and the documentaries. The first famous Wailers' performance at the Rainbow became the material for the brilliant 1975 Live album and while the 1977 show doesn't quite scale those heights it comes pretty close. The personnel development of the 1974-76 Wailers had solidified into the band that would back Marley from 1977 until his death (only Al Anderson had not yet been added) and they created a groove that was as solid and driving as anything that moved underneath James Brown. Junior Murvin's solos were a sinuous counterpoint to Marley's singing which was nothing short of brilliant on every song. Finally, the song selection virtually defines the best of Bob Marley, circa 1977 with material like "I Shot the Sheriff," "No Woman No Cry," "Exodus," "Jamming," "Rebel Music" and "War." It would have been hard to be any better than t The second concert film, Live at Santa Barbara County Bowl, is much more idiosyncratic. The band is supplemented with a horn section and an extra percussionist, Marcia Griffiths is missing from the I Threes and the music appears to be languid than the Rainbow show. The horns are a good addition to the basic sound but some of the smoldering intensity that marks Live at the Rainbow as such as intense experience is missing. Legend is designed as a complement to the album of the same name and serves as a video "greatest hits" package. If you have Live at the Rainbow (and you should) then the five songs drawn from that show may seem redundant. If you don't, then the five selected are among the five best so you may consider it a preview. These clips are supplemented by a "live in front of a studio audience" performance of "Satisfy My Soul" that is positively gentle and "Stir It Up" from the Old Grey Whistle Test TV show in England. These live performances are joined by promotional pieces that range from the delightful "Is This Love" to the touching "Redemption Song" to a perfunctory "Coming in from the Cold." It's a good compilation and a good place to start a collection. Caribbean Nights and Time Will Tell have more ambitious aim as they attempt to not only provide a video biography of Marley, but they both attempt a history of reggae, a description of the state of Jamaica and the cultural/social impact of Marley and his music. The former relies upon interviews with Rita Marley, Cedella Booker, Joe Higgs, Peter Tosh, Chris Blackwell, Judy Mowatt and other friends and acquaintances as well as a couple of conversations with Marley himself. These interviews are mixed with some narration and stock footage of Selassie's visit in 1966 and contemporary Jamaican urban violence. Musical performances include three selections from the Old Grey Whistle Test, songs from the 1976 Smile Jamaica concert and the 1978 One Love Peace concert, a 1972 performance of "Slave Driver," two tracks from the 1977 Rainbow show and other assorted rarities. The musical segments are all interesting but the novelty of some of the interviews wears off quickly. Time Will Tell relies more heavily on music, the quality of the film images and the narration and thus has a little more staying power. The interviews are nearly exclusively with Marley himself and the narration less obtrusive, although the images of Jamaica are very striking. The concert footage draws from a very large pool, occasionally making a very effective use of combining two different performances of the same song. There is some duplication of footage with Caribbean Nights. Live at the Rainbow, Old Grey Whistle Test and (particularly) Live at Santa Barbara County Bowl are used again but most of Time Will Tell presents its material for the first time. The rehearsal material is particularly effective. In addition to the five videos mentioned above, performances of Bob Marley and the Wailers has been included on several video collections. Buried Treasure: Reggae Classics includes the "Could You Be Loved" clip that also appears on Legend. Island Reggae Greats contains "War/No More Trouble" from Live at the Rainbow and Cool Runnings includes three of the promotional videos that also appear on Legend. These three are all mixed-bag collections. All-Time Best of Reggae Sunsplash Music Festival is another various artist collection but the Marley track is the otherwise unavailable "Get Up Stand Up" from the 1979 Sunsplash festival. Jeremy Marre's Roots Rock Reggae is a documentary with music about the Jamaican recording industry in 1977. It includes a 1974 rehearsal performance of "Lively Up Yourself" as well as several Marley songs as soundtrack.. Heartland Reggae goes even further as a documentary. Using the One Love Peace Concert of 1978 as a centerpiece, Heartland Reggae is a tremendous snapshot of 1978 reggae. Marley is represented by "Natty Dread" and "Trenchtown Rock," which are unique to this video and the historic footage of "Jamming" which includes Edward Seaga and Michael Manley shaking hands over Marley's head. That is an image we all should carry forward. Finally, mention must be made of Land of Look Behind, an odd, charming film that combines material on a rural Rasta, a Cockpit community, Bob Marley's funeral and an interview with Mutabaruka to offer a very different picture of Jamaica than most of the other documentaries. There are no Marley performances in Land of Look Behind, but his music and his presence are very much at the center of the film.