Review: Fire in Babylon (2011)
Posted by Sport.co.uk on: 24 May 2011 - 11:56
Author: Vithushan Ehantharajah
In a turbulent era of apartheid in South Africa; race riots in England and civil unrest in the Carribean, the West Indian cricketers stood up against the forces of white prejudice worldwide. Sport.co.uk reviews the new “Fire in Babylon” film and talks to some of the legends involved ...
Fire in Babylon tells the story of the rise of the West Indies’ to one of the most feared cricketing outfits throughout history; a side bereft of confidence, who were picked up and sculpted into a brutal winning machine.
Picking up after the side’s humiliating defeat in their 1975-76 tour of Australia, the film documents a change in emphasis and attitude in West Indies cricket, during a period of political and social unrest. Together with archive footage, interviews from the players involved and a brilliant soundtrack, you find it difficult not to get caught up in a world so alien to you.
“It depicted a time which showed the West Indies going from a cocoon coming out into a fully functional butterfly, enlightening the world,” said former West Indian fast-bowler Colin Croft. “Well maybe more beating the world, than enlightening; I’m sure they didn’t like it! Well you look at a butterfly you look at it and think it’s beautiful, but we were more like bees!”
Colin Croft was part of the formidable pace attack, which included the likes of Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding. Together with Clive Lloyd, who captained the great side, they used the mental and physical scars from the Australia tour to drive the team onwards, and upwards; it took more than just talent.
“You didn’t see how hard we worked every day of the week,” commented Garner. “The amount of hours that we went through in terms of training and preparation to get to the point where you were almost perfect at executing any plans that you would need to have.”
After a period of 15 years without losing a test series (between 1980 and 1995 - amounting to 29 series) West Indian cricket has not been the same since, but with the film winning many plaudits, it is hoped that “Fire in Babylon” may spark a revival in the Caribbean.
“It’s not necessarily a cricket story,” concluded Michael Holding. “It’s more about what happened on a cricket field and how it affected things outside. We changed attitudes back then; if we can change some now with our current players, then the better. “
“Fire in Babylon” is now on general release across the UK, with the DVD set to be released on 6th June 2011.