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Don Letts is a Actor, Director, Writer, Director of Photography and Cinematography British born on 10 january 1956 at London (United-kingdom)

Don Letts

Don Letts
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Birth name Don Letts
Nationality United-kingdom
Birth 10 january 1956 (68 years) at London (United-kingdom)

Don Letts (born (1956-01-10)10 January 1956) is a British film director and musician. He is credited as the man who through his DJing at clubs such as The Roxy brought together punk and reggae music.

Biography

Letts was born in London, and educated at Tenison's School in Kennington. In 1975, Letts ran the trendy London clothing store Acme Attractions selling, "electric-blue zoot suits and jukeboxes, and pumping dub reggae all day long." Letts was deeply inspired by the music coming from his parents' homeland Jamaica, in particular Bob Marley. After seeing one of Marley's gigs at the Odeon in Hammersmith (June 1976) he was able to sneak into the hotel and spent the night talking to and befriending Marley. By the mid 1970s Acme had quite a scene attracting all the like of The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Deborah Harry and Bob Marley.

Seeing the crowd at Acme, the then promoter Andy Czezowski started up the Roxy, a London nightclub during the original outbreak of punk in England, so that people could go from the store and have some place to party. As most bands of that era had yet to be recorded, there were limited punk rock records to be played. Instead, Letts included many dub and reggae records in his sets, and is credited with introducing those sounds to the London punk scene, which was to influence The Clash and other bands. As a tribute, he is pictured on the cover of the EP Black Market Clash and the compilation Super Black Market Clash. He was able to use the fame and money from DJing and the Acme story to make his first film, The Punk Rock Movie (1978).

Letts quit the retail business to manage the band, The Slits. He was able to get the Slits to open for The Clash during the White Riot tour. While on the White Riot tour he decided that management was not for him, but continued to shoot material for The Punk Rock Movie.

Letts went to Jamaica for the first time when, after the Sex Pistols broke up, Johnny Rotten decided to escape the media frenzy by going with Richard Branson to Jamaica. It was on this trip that Branson was inspired to start up Virgin's Frontline reggae record label.




“

I guess he thought that since I was black and Jamaican - well, sort of - he'd be in good hands. Little did he know that the closest I'd been to Jamaica was watching The Harder They Come at the Classic Cinema in Brixton.

”




— Don Letts


Music
In 1978, Letts recorded an EP, Steel Leg v the Electric Dread, with Keith Levene, Jah Wobble, and Steel Leg. After Mick Jones was fired from The Clash, he and Letts founded Big Audio Dynamite in 1984. In 1990 Letts formed Screaming Target. As of 1 April 2009, Letts is presenting a weekly show on BBC Radio 6 Music.


Books
In 2006, he published his autobiography, Culture Clash: Dread Meets Punk Rockers.


Films
Since his first movie, The Punk Rock Movie, Letts has expanded to doing documentaries and music videos for multiple bands. In 1997, he travelled to Jamaica to direct, Dancehall Queen. While filming a history of punk in 2001, Letts was in New York when the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks occurred. His film Westway to the World won a Grammy Award in 2003.


Filmography (as director)



Year

Title

Notes


1978

The Punk Rock Movie




1982

"Pass the Dutchie"

Video for Musical Youth


1988

The Pretenders: The Singles

Video "Back on the Chain Gang"


1997

Dancing in the Streets: Planet Rock

TV movie


Dancehall Queen




2000

The Clash: Westway to the World

Video


The Pretenders: Greatest Hits

Video "Back on the Chain Gang"


2003

The Essential Clash

Video


One Love




2004

Making of 'London Calling': The Last Testament

Video


2005

Punk: Attitude

TV movie


The Right Spectacle: The Very Best of Elvis Costello - The Videos

Video


The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Gil Scott-Heron




Brother From Another Planet: Sun Ra




2006

The Making of All Mod Cons: The Jam




Tales of Dr. Funkenstein: George Clinton




Rock It To Rio: Franz Ferdinand




2007

Soul Britannia




2008

The Clash Live: Revolution Rock

TV movie


2009

Carnival!




2010

Strummerville




2011

Rock 'N' Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen




2012

Subculture

Usually with

Rick Elgood
Rick Elgood
(2 films)
Carl Bradshaw
Carl Bradshaw
(2 films)
Shane MacGowan
Shane MacGowan
(1 films)
John Lydon
John Lydon
(1 films)
Jayne County
Jayne County
(1 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Don Letts (10 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten
Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (2007)
, 2h3
Directed by Julien Temple
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Documentary films about music and musicians, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Musical films
Actors Brigitte Bardot, Michael Peter Balzary, Steve Buscemi, John Cusack, Johnny Depp, Matt Dillon
Roles Self
Rating74% 3.7444753.7444753.7444753.7444753.744475
En tant que leader du groupe punk Clash à partir de 1977, Joe Strummer a profondément marqué l'existence de ses contemporains. Cinq ans après sa mort, cette influence perdure à travers le monde entier. Joe Strummer : The Future is Unwritten est un portrait sans complaisance de Joe Strummer, décrit non seulement comme musicien et légende du rock, mais aussi comme un véritable témoin de notre temps.
Coping with Cupid
Coping with Cupid (1991)
, 18minutes
Genres Science fiction, Comedy, Fantasy
Actors Sean Pertwee, Don Letts, Lorelei King, Hetty Baynes
Roles Man on Train
Rating55% 2.7555952.7555952.7555952.7555952.755595
Three beautiful blonde aliens are sent to Earth to find the recipe of romantic love in 48 hours. They ask passers-by in Soho and are offered all kinds of responses. But this doesn't get them anywhere and they're in danger of being trapped in loneliness.
The King of Comedy
The King of Comedy (1982)
, 1h45
Directed by Martin Scorsese, Todd Phillips
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Comedy-drama, Crime
Themes Films about television, Children's films
Actors Robert De Niro, Jerry Lewis, Sandra Bernhard, Diahnne Abbott, Shelley Hack, Martin Scorsese
Roles Street Scum
Rating77% 3.899763.899763.899763.899763.89976
Rupert Pupkin (De Niro), a stage-door autograph hound, is an aspiring stand-up comedian unsuccessfuly trying to launch his career. After meeting Jerry Langford (Lewis), a successful comedian and talk show host, Rupert believes his "big break" has finally come. He attempts to get a place on the show but is continually rebuffed by Langford's staff and, finally, by Langford himself. Along the way, Rupert indulges in elaborate and obsessive fantasies where he and Langford are colleagues and friends. He even takes a date, Rita, to Langford's home, uninvited, trying to impress her.

Director

Punk: Attitude
Punk: Attitude (2005)

Directed by Don Letts
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Documentary films about music and musicians, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Musical films
Actors Henry Rollins, Jim Jarmusch, Jello Biafra, Iggy Pop, Mary Harron, John Cale
Rating73% 3.689813.689813.689813.689813.68981
The film begins showing the roots of punk music with many views on various artists and genres who accentuated the beginning of the genre, like the MC5 and the Velvet Underground. Punk: Attitude then proceeds chronologically to sort through the various artists and alumni who were central to the movement, drawing light on the general idea or "Attitude" of the punk movement, which spoke out for a generation. Bands such as The Ramones, The Stooges, The Clash and The Sex Pistols feature prominently throughout. The movie offers a canvas of praise and respect given from many interviewees as these bands are heralded commonly as the beginning of Punk progressively through the movie. Rare concert footage and personal accounts of gigs and band meetings highlight the aggression and destructive entities with surprising accuracy. The movie wraps up by emphasizing the influence that punk has on modern music.
One Love
One Love (2003)
, 1h37
Directed by Don Letts, Rick Elgood
Genres Drama, Documentary, Romance
Actors Ky-Mani Marley, Cherine Anderson, Vas Blackwood, Idris Elba, Carl Bradshaw
Rating60% 3.0453.0453.0453.0453.045
Kassa, un jeune musicien rasta membre d’un groupe jamaïcain de reggae, rencontre en participant à un casting de musique nationale la jeune et douce Serena, membre d’un gospel et fille d’un pasteur local. L’amour foudroie Kassa et perturbe Serena qui, au long du film, sera amenée à choisir le cœur ou la raison. Cela pendant que Selector G le producteur véreux tentera de s´approprier les droits de la musique symbolique des rastas.
The Clash - Westway To The World
The Clash - Westway To The World (2000)
, 1h
Directed by Don Letts
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Documentary films about music and musicians, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Musical films
Rating77% 3.883313.883313.883313.883313.88331
Les Clash vus par les Clash, le groupe punk le plus éclectique de la scène britannique de la fin des années 70. Sept ans de tournées et de studios revus par les membres du groupe, l'histoire riche et intègre d'une légende du rock. Concerts filmés, entrecoupés d'interviews des membres du groupe.
Dancehall Queen
Dancehall Queen (1997)
, 1h38
Directed by Don Letts, Rick Elgood
Genres Drama
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Audrey Reid, Paul Campbell, Paul Campbell, Cherine Anderson, Carl Bradshaw
Rating66% 3.341393.341393.341393.341393.34139
Marcia Green (Audrey Reid) is a single mom and street vendor barely scraping by even with a financial assist from the seemingly avuncular Larry (Carl Davis), a gun-toting strongman with a twisted desire for Marcia's teenage daughter Tanya (Cherine Anderson) who he then decides to pursue. Complicating things is Priest (Paul Campbell), a murderous hood who killed Marcia's friend and now is terrorizing the defenseless woman. Facing three big problems — Larry, Priest, and a lack of money - Marcia arrives at an inspired solution: develop an alter ego, a dancing celebrity called the Mystery Lady who can compete in a cash-prize contest and put both of the men against one another. Which is exactly what she does, and it's great fun watching Marcia instigate her complicated plan with a little help from sympathetic friends.

Scriptwriter

Punk: Attitude
Punk: Attitude (2005)

Directed by Don Letts
Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Documentary films about music and musicians, Documentaire sur une personnalité, Musical films
Actors Henry Rollins, Jim Jarmusch, Jello Biafra, Iggy Pop, Mary Harron, John Cale
Roles Writer
Rating73% 3.689813.689813.689813.689813.68981
The film begins showing the roots of punk music with many views on various artists and genres who accentuated the beginning of the genre, like the MC5 and the Velvet Underground. Punk: Attitude then proceeds chronologically to sort through the various artists and alumni who were central to the movement, drawing light on the general idea or "Attitude" of the punk movement, which spoke out for a generation. Bands such as The Ramones, The Stooges, The Clash and The Sex Pistols feature prominently throughout. The movie offers a canvas of praise and respect given from many interviewees as these bands are heralded commonly as the beginning of Punk progressively through the movie. Rare concert footage and personal accounts of gigs and band meetings highlight the aggression and destructive entities with surprising accuracy. The movie wraps up by emphasizing the influence that punk has on modern music.
Dancehall Queen
Dancehall Queen (1997)
, 1h38
Directed by Don Letts, Rick Elgood
Genres Drama
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films
Actors Audrey Reid, Paul Campbell, Paul Campbell, Cherine Anderson, Carl Bradshaw
Roles Writer
Rating66% 3.341393.341393.341393.341393.34139
Marcia Green (Audrey Reid) is a single mom and street vendor barely scraping by even with a financial assist from the seemingly avuncular Larry (Carl Davis), a gun-toting strongman with a twisted desire for Marcia's teenage daughter Tanya (Cherine Anderson) who he then decides to pursue. Complicating things is Priest (Paul Campbell), a murderous hood who killed Marcia's friend and now is terrorizing the defenseless woman. Facing three big problems — Larry, Priest, and a lack of money - Marcia arrives at an inspired solution: develop an alter ego, a dancing celebrity called the Mystery Lady who can compete in a cash-prize contest and put both of the men against one another. Which is exactly what she does, and it's great fun watching Marcia instigate her complicated plan with a little help from sympathetic friends.

Cameraman

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