Bob Marley: The Making of a Legend

An extraordinary documentary about the real human being, Bob Marley before he became famous. A true work of art, very carefully crafted and with a stunning music soundtrack. It is not surprising that it has been invited to more than 30 film festivals. I have watched it several times now, and each time I find something new. This film is not formulaic like so many music documentaries which exploit the artist rather than exploring his or her essence. No, this is different. This is for real. The narrative is built around the first ever footage of Bob Marley and The Wailers at a time when they were trying to cross over internationally, showing Bob Marley, Esther Anderson and Peter Tosh talking intimately at 56 Hope Road. We are taken to a river fall where we see the union of Reggae and Rasta with Bob and Ras Daniel Hartman, the star of The Harder They Come. Throughout the film, Esther Anderson, talks about how she started to work with Bob and the Wailers, and how they wrote together songs like Get up Stand up and I Shot The Sheriff. Particularly emotional is to see The Wailers first rehearsal at Hope Road. This film, and Esther's point of view helped me truly understand many things about Rasta that nobody else had explained before. Congratulations and thanks for the inspiration. Blessed.

Went to the premiere of 'Bob Marley: the making of a legend' in Barbados...it was a delightful, honest, insight into the early life of Bob Marley and The Wailers...very refreshing. This movie was just a simple love story...a love for Bob, a love for the Wailers, a love for their music and a love for Jamaica. Esther Anderson's insight into what these artistes would become is clearly visible...the fact that this film was put together from reels of lost footage and the relentless vision to find same...says a lot for Esther's determination. I have been following the 'career' of this short documentary and very proud to see all of the accolades and the awards. Very impressed. Rosemary Parkinson

Back in October 2011 I had the honor of introducing the documentary BOB MARLEY THE MAKING OF A LEGEND at the Chagrin Film Festival for Esther Anderson. What is a documentary? It enacts a story by sound and a sequence of images giving the illusion of continuous movement. A documentary emphasize's or expresses things as perceived without distortion of personal feelings, insertion of fictional matter, or interpretation; "objective art". A documentary is "a film based on real life". It is not illusory, it is "real people; not ghosts". It is hard, historical, objective, and true. A documentary is GENUINE AND UNQUESTIONABLE. Esther Anderson and Gian Godoy have done just that. I loved this film from beginning to end. I feel why there is an ORIGINAL soundtrack is because Bob wanted it that way. He opened the door for us to hear something original, letting us know he is not the only one who carry's the MESSAGE. I loved the footage of Haile Selassie and Marcus Garvey. Bob Marley many times gave TESTIMONY of these two and is crucial for the world to understand this. This film leaves you with that. I loved hearing Esther narrate. I felt like I was right there riding in the Land Rover with Bob, Bunny, Peter and Esther. And my favorite part is when she relates about Haile Selassie's War Speech and the first time Bob heard it. Bob Marley spoke in an interview that the first time he left Jamaica to go out in the world was 1973 and for that we have ESTHER ANDERSON to be THANKFUL for. She brought Bob out into the world. ESTHER ANDERSON truly was part of THE MAKING OF A LEGEND. I've been into Bob Marley since 1976 and I experienced him in 1978 and 1980 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The night I watched the documentary at Chagrin Film Festival I know that Bob was smiling down on Esther. His spirit was there. JAH RASTAFARI

Esther Anderson met Bob Marley in New York at the end of 1972 shortly after starring in A Warm December opposite Sidney Poitier at the time when Bob was still unknown. A minority shareholder and co - founder of Island Records, Esther helped to launch the international career of Jamaican artists like Millie Small and Jimmy Cliff from the early 1960's in London. Growing up with The Beatles and The Stones in swinging London, and in Hollywood with Marlon Brando, Esther was the right person to transform the career of The Wailers into the most successful Reggae band in the world.

When Bob asked her to help him and the Wailers, and she listened to their revolutionary lyrics and rhythm with songs like Concrete Jungle, Slave Driver and 400 Years, Esther made a commitment to get them through the door. She returned to Jamaica to launch the band, rehearsing them, photographing them and filming their early development. A passionate artist, Esther immersed herself in the world of Reggae and the Rastafarian culture, becoming creatively and emotionally involved with Bob Marley, writing songs of protest and pioneering a historical social change in the struggle for equal rights and justice for the people of colour. This entire journey was recorded by Esther with a prototype Sony video camera and a super-8 film camera for a blue print film on the Wailers, Reggae music and the Rastafarian culture, and a Nikon camera for the promotion of their new image. Esther and Bob's first collaboration was the song Get up stand up for your Rights, followed by I Shot the Sheriff, Burnin' and Lootin', Talking Blues, Revolution, Easy Skanking, Road Block and War. Her photograph of Bob smoking a joint became the first iconic poster of Bob Marley and The Wailers and later the front cover of their album Catch a Fire. Her photographs on the gatefold Burnin' album, similar in concept to The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's album, created the union between Reggae and Rasta, which would become Bob Marley's image around the world. Seven years later, when Bob Marley passed away in 1981, his music spoke to all nations, and today he is the most popular artist in the world.......

Beware some negative reviews of this film, which are ill informed and miss the point.This film makes available for the first time, Esther Andersons personal and intimate footage of Bob Marley & The Wailers. Don't expect polished cinematography, this is very much an earthly portrait of Bob and The Wailers from someone who was actually there. That is not to say that this is not a proffesionally produced and quality piece of filmaking,which it evidently is.

Esther Anderson has been the subject of personal abuse and harassment by racists on her social media sites who are pursuing a hidden agenda to undermine the success of this film. This is a must see film for anyone interested in The Wailers,Reggae Music,Rastafari and its message of universal love and unity.

Them tired fi see we face, but dem cant get us out of this race..

I was pleasantly surprised to the point of feeling honoured when I learnt that Esther, whom I have only known for 18 months, had chosen my song "Cry For Love" to be included In The original soundtrack for her documentary. My background as a Caucasian singer-songwriter guitarist includes playing lead guitar for visiting reggae artists such as TyroneTaylor, and writing and recording a single "Reggae Man" with Winston Reedy. At first, I thought I should therefore write this review under a pseudonym , so as not to appear biased, but I have rejected that idea.

Yes, I have been a huge reggae fan for 30 years, and my favourite records of all time, in all genres, Include Bunny Wailer's Blackheart Man. I have not seen The "big" Kevin McDonald film, "Marley" so I cannot compare.

So how do I review this? This film cannot, And should not, be compared to a film that enjoys an unlimited budget. Perhaps this would have allowed for a "better" product ...or just different. Who can Tell? Esther's determination has given us this film, this slice of history, on a shoestring. It is what it is, and the world is richer for it. Whilst I look forward to seeing the "other " film, I cannot for a moment imagine that it would even come near this on one very important feature: intimacy.

This is what gives "Making Of a Legend" such charm. Perhaps also that makes it less commercial, as I'm sure the "other" film appeals to a broader, less partisan audience, whereas this is IMHO one the Marley lover. As such it is invaluable, fascinating, charming, revealing, atmospheric, and given the story it unveils, thought-provoking. How can you put a price on the positive influence Esther had on wising Bob up for his journey into the wider world? It also makes me reflect on The huge influence Family Man had on giving Bob his musical grounding, production values, and making the songs memorable with his basslines. For all of which he has been sadly unrewarded.

I love the "fly on the wall" nature of the modern interviews. I love E's photography. I love the music. I feel as if I have been privileged to read the pages of a very private, very special, up-close-and-personal INTIMATE diary. Thankyou.