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When I'm not playing my guitar, I make my living as a documentary filmmaker. I wonder if anyone could recommend documentaries that capture the true spirit of flamenco. I'm not looking for performance footage as much as a historical perspective on the roots of the art form.
Posts: 15482
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
You want the true spirit but no performances? That makes zero sense. Anyway, the best of all time is the series called "Rito y Geografia" but it is quite extensive, something like 100 half hour episodes.
Meanwhile many found on youtube are compiled here:
Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
Latcho Drom is a sort of musical documentary which maps the musical journey of the Gypsies from India to Spain. No explanations are given, but the music and dance slowly evolves from India as the people migrate.
Another interesting documentary is Herencia, about the Habichuela family, a true flamenco dynasty.
Posts: 1108
Joined: Sep. 29 2009
From: Back in Boston
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
The older PdL documentary is Light and Shade. Two other films, both by Jocelyn M. Ajami: Gypsy Heart (about Omayra Amaya who is Carmen Amaya's niece) and Carmen Amaya (about Carmen but a lot of info about Sabicas). Jocelyn is a wonderful woman who is a film maker.
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
There is a very interesting Dutch documentary called "El Cante Bueno Duele". It´s mostly based on the Moraito Chico family. Luckily this documentary could be made before just little before Moraito´s passing. It has been uploaded in youtube, in one single file, and in 1080 HD quality! Definitely a must see.... There is also a french 80s documentary about el Cabrero, another interesting one devoted to the Manuel of Lole y Manuel, made by a japanese filmaker
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to barblackmore)
This one sounds excellent. Will have to check it out. Thanks!
quote:
ORIGINAL: barblackmore
There is a very interesting Dutch documentary called "El Cante Bueno Duele". It´s mostly based on the Moraito Chico family. Luckily this documentary could be made before just little before Moraito´s passing. It has been uploaded in youtube, in one single file, and in 1080 HD quality! Definitely a must see.... There is also a french 80s documentary about el Cabrero, another interesting one devoted to the Manuel of Lole y Manuel, made by a japanese filmaker
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
There is this documentary on youtube by Tao Ruspoli "Flamenco a personal journey" wich I enjoyed very much. He later made a another seria called "Flamenco bohemio" You can find them all on his channel on youtube. Another film wich was quite nice about las tres mil viviendas in Sevilla, can't remember the name though....
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
quote:
Another film wich was quite nice about las tres mil viviendas in Sevilla, can't remember the name though....
Poligono Sur, it's on youtube in parts but it gets mixed up with another documentary about drug use and crime in the same barrio. Also really interesting but no flamenco
Kumpania, is about the scene here in LA, might be more interesting to me 'cus I know most the people in it but I liked it!
Posts: 9
Joined: Dec. 10 2012
From: Bradford United Kingdom
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
Vengo By Tony Gatlif it is a fantastic film that features lots of flamenco performances from the likes of tomatito and la caita. Any of his films are worth a watch althougth they are not all about flamenco they do give a good insight into rommani gypsy culture. Gypsy Caravan is also a great documentry that follows a group of rommani gypsies from around europe and india.
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
There's a Swedish documentary shot in 1962. I 've lost the filmmaker's name but its the best I've seen. It features the gypsies still living in the caves of Sacromonte, basket laden donkeys travelling up and down the Albacin and a youngster equalling or even bettering Farruquito's prodigy performance in the original Carlos Sauro's Flamenco. There's a quaint flamenco school in central Granada and some singing in a Jerez bodega. A good part of it is on youtube but a fuller version can be found on a European tv archive site.
Posts: 1604
Joined: Dec. 24 2007
From: Siegburg, Alemania
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
quote:
Poligono Sur, it's on youtube in parts but it gets mixed up with another documentary about drug use and crime in the same barrio. Also really interesting but no flamenco
I have the DVD, and it's both, i.e. a documentary about flamenco and the social situation in that barrio. So you're probably talking about exerpts.
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to GaryNLA)
I watched em both all the way through. The one without flamenco is a different format, like an exposé. A journalist finds people on the streets smoking crack and talks to them. I did appreciate the social side of the other one though...
RE: Documentaries about Flamenco? (in reply to Leñador)
quote:
At 1:30 does El Bomba say "estas hablando de angel guey!?"??? Never heard a spaniard say guey.......
He say "¿que estas hablando de angel? 'joe!'.... Soft way to say 'Joder' (f_uck), the usual with Andalusian accent. He say it several times.
Concerning documentaries. "Agujetas Cantaor" (I think in youtube) is a good perspective about how was the spirit of people of our grandparents generation that grew up in hard conditions.
Concerning guitar documentaries, I think "El cante bueno duele"
has a respectful point of view in the controversial dicussion about old and new flamenco. (English subtitles)
Concerning TV programs similar to documentaries. "Geografía y rito" is a very good review about palos and the musical three of flamenco.
"Puro y Jondo" programs (I think in youtube) you can find lots of interviews to cantaores specially from Jerez and Los Puertos.
A very important recopilation of close interviews to singers was done by Jesús Quintero in his former program"El Sol y la Sal". The 'spirit' is there. From El Torta to Gaspar de Utrera. All in Spanish (most of them in you tube).
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