The Clash song “White Riot” was the late ’70s British equivalent of “Born in the U.S.A.”: a song adopted as an anthem by right-wingers who didn’t understand its message. The Clash was calling for poor white Britons to unite with U.K. people of color against economic and political oppression — in response to the country’s National Front movement which wanted people of color ejected from the country and said so in blatantly racist language while campaigning for elected office. The NF had emboldened vicious skinhead gangs, who attacked and murdered people of color in horrifying numbers.
The documentary White Riot paints a frightening picture of this period of English history while tracing the inspiring rise of Rock Against Racism, a grassroots movement that organized multiracial concerts to rally young people to oppose the NF and its minions. Leading punk bands — The Clash, Sham 69, Tom Robinson Band — were on the side of equality; Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart went on the record supporting the NF.
It’s a fascinating and little-known story told by the ordinary people who were its unsung heroes. What’s more, director Rubika Shah’s first feature is a remarkably accomplished film, featuring a kinetic aesthetic derived directly from Rock Against Racism’s graphically madcap magazine — the design sensibility of which is used as a unifying visual language.
The fragmented graphics also reflect the documentary’s impressionistic portrait of Rock Against Racism and its battles. While the time and place are never in doubt, cause and effect can be muddled, as things no doubt seemed to the people who lived through the events. (The thick accents can also be a challenge for U.S. viewers.) But for all the horrors detailed in the film, it’s ultimately a feel-good story as all the activists’ work culminates in an amazing musical event that has to be seen to be appreciated.
Available to rent starting Oct. 16 via grailmoviehouse.com
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