Vengo
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Movie Reviews of Vengo
Movie Review: Flamenco Puro
Summary: 5 Stars
I lived in a small village in Andalucia for many years. I am very grateful that I can appreciate this film for what it is, a visual love poem to the place, people and passions of the region as Gatlif's previous film Latcho Drom was to all of Roma culture. Gatlif pays meticulous attention to every detail of how flamenco music and its people infuse and help define everyday Spanish life to this day. It begins with a remarkable homage to flamenco's Muslim heritage featuring a living flamenco legend, Tomatito. Although much is lost in the translation of the subtitles, lovers of a simpler, truly family-centered life will treasure poignant, visually satisfying vignettes of modern Spanish village life. An entire family living together and lovingly caring for a disabled family member. Gathering pomegranates together. The enormous paella outside cooking to serve 50 family members at a christening. People greeting one another as they get on the bus (this scene is from the heartbreakingly delightful short on the DVD which takes place in the sun-parched, narrow city streets of Almeria's gypsy neighborhood.). The cemetery rituals. The painted shutters and lace curtains on the windows. The family's widows - harvesting olives, whitewashing graffiti off the village walls, cleaning up after the previous nights' flamenco party. And the spontaneous outbursts of clapping, singing and dancing that occur anywhere - in the street, under a tree, on the bus. These are all scenes still visible every day; they were not staged for a movie.
The melodrama in this film is no different from the polite, socially acceptable melodramas that play out every day in our own society; reputations, families, relationships are destroyed in a very refined, sanitary, occult manner. The Spanish, and the gypsies in particular, have no concern for such posturing and show what is in their heart for all to see, even if it is the darkest pangs of human emotions. From this comes the unequaled, boundless complexity and depth of flamenco.
I have been very fortunate to study flamenco with an Andalucian gypsy who grew up with and learned from Spain's greatest flamenco artists, among them her most beloved dancer, Carmen Amaya. To understand this film, flamenco, and Spain, one must abandon all attempts to understand it and allow the duende - the spirit of flamenco - possess one's senses and one's soul. Flamenco is not contrived enough to worry itself about a theme, a story line or impressing an audience. It arises from a place deep within the soul that most of us keep carefully guarded and shut off. That Gatlif has exposed it, once again, for us to experience I'm certain is success enough for him.
Movie Review: An All-time Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
It's really a pleasure to read some of the reviews on here and to share in the great appreciation and deep satisfaction that has been created by this film.
I think that if one has a personal understanding of the history of the circumstances which tie Andalucia and North Africa together, along with some of the cultural, social, and spiritual connections that are maintained between these two separate but connected worlds, the movie Vengo will strike you as being very symbolic.
There is a lot which is implied and will go right over your head if you are not aware of the culture and history of this region (as well as being aware of the life and struggles of Gatlif as a Gypsy man born in Algeria, caught between these two worlds). Gatlif does not spell anything out for you. He leaves it up to you to try to put the pieces together, and he knows that there are certain types of people, with a certain awareness, who will be attracted to his films.
I thought Vengo was incredibly deep with so much true emotion and so much of the subtle and misunderstood inner-struggles of the people of Andalucia being depicted through a number of overlapping stories and characters: The retarded nephew, the man whose daughter had died, the feuding Gypsy families, the exiled father of the son living in Morrocco, etc.
This movie told the tale of a people and their will to hold on to the purest ("Flamenco Puro!") sources of happiness and joy within their lives, amidst circumstances which seemed destined to tear them a part and undermine their unity.
An incredibly beautiful story with lots of information, emotion, and spirit. If you are open, this movie will touch your soul.
Viva 'l Flamenco Puro!!!
By the way, the soundtrack can be found at the link below:
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Movie Review: Pure Passion
Summary: 5 Stars
The title that I gave this review sums it up. This film is an excellent look at a people (Los Gitanos) whose every act or thought is infused with passion. Passionate dance, passionate music, passionate love of Life, and passionate hate. The essential plot concerns two feuding gypsy clans in southern Spain, Andalucia (the birthplace of Flamenco). A Clan's brother has been killed by the brother of the protagonist. The protagonist seeks to protect the life of his handicapped nephew, who is the son of the initial murderer. However, the story is played out to its tragic end with a backdrop of excellent Flamenco music and dancing. As with the story, Flamenco music and dance can not be easily described as beautiful, or even wonderful; some of the songs are quite discordant. The best word to use is compelling; one is entirely drawn into it emotionally, used up by it, and left exhausted, literally. It has an hypnotic effect to it, using all the themes of Life: Joy, Jealously, Betrayal, Love, Sex, and the tragedy of Death. This film and El Flamenco Puro are mirrors, held up to each other. This film, and Flamenco, are the stories of our lives, but told passionately. Always passionately. Watch the film, and be prepared to be swept away by the Passion!Movie Review: I suppose it should be possible to find a film as beautiful
Summary: 5 Stars
It's funny that a critic from the new york times could know so little about film. I will not say much except this is one of the most simple, most beautiful stories made into cinema; there is absolutely no artifice, no tricks, and every detail is pure and genuine. Tony uses faces Kurasawa could've killed for. You ain't seen nothing if you ain't seen this. The music, artists like Gritos de Guerra, La Caita, Sheik al Tuni, (seemingly unavailable on record, but better than anything I've heard,) seems to capture at once the joy and sorrow bound up in human life. Likewise the players, most not actors. In fact, the music is so integrated into the lives of the characters, in the end there is no division. For reviewers of respected periodicals, we would explain this is what is called thematic. So much for the standards of education in journalism. Even reviewers who really liked this movie did not fully understand this; like most really great art, it is ahead of the curve. I suppose it should be possible to find a film as beautiful as this, as simple and captivating, but none come to mind. Skip "Vengo" and your life will certainly be less rich.Movie Review: a dream
Summary: 5 Stars
I am from the gypsy world so to me this movie is so real and so true that I was almost on the verge of tears. The music direction is amazing. This is like watching a Passolini movie - but a Passolini of modern days. The camera work is also good. If you get a chance watch this movie. The movie is about that part of Spain which does not get publicity. Life here means more than football games and TV - it is music and the passion for music. Life and death are part of a flow where everybody gets the chance to die (some with honor and some as sacrifice). The passion behind this movie is beyond imagination - the only recent movie I can compare with is "Sound of Music" but at a much grand scale.