carlos saura's flamenco

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Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

carlos saura's flamenco

Just watched Flamenco for the 2nd time, after about 3 years, last night. I had remembered it as being pretty easy to watch, thought maybe it would be a good way to introduce certain aspects of flamenco to my wife. Ooops! That thing is 75% cante... she fell asleep and that's a good thing.

I enjoyed it very much, although it's a little shocking to see these cantaors spilling it all on the stage when you've been away from Spain for almost a year. These guys got some pipes. I'm a little suspicious, though, how these guys can go at it full tilt and not sing a bit off key. Did they use some pitch correction, perhaps? If not, very impressive indeed.

Another thing that really stuck out at me was just how good of a guitar player Manolo Sanlucar is. He flies over the fingerboard and his left hand looks to be using about as much pressure as if he were using a slide. Effortless playing! And so smooth and clean. Makes me feel like some kind of gorilla when I play.

And is it just me, or is Paco really cool? Would I think he were as cool if he were not the Godfather? He just looks good when he plays. Except the fakey parts where they told him to smile at his brother and act like he's having fun.

I met Chocolate last year and he looks a lot older. I also met Jose Menese last summer and he does too. But that piece he sang in the movie was great.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 26 2004 14:26:21

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

quote:

thought maybe it would be a good way to introduce certain aspects of flamenco to my wife.

Mike,
My wife is an absolute expert at judging good Flamenco.
If it's got a clapalong 4/4 beat and a repeating chorus then it's good.
Anything else is just an arhythmic dischordant noise, made worse by some general shouting by a drunk man with bad teeth.
She does like the GK's though......

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 26 2004 16:43:13

Guest

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

Sauras flamenco is a wonderfull film, and I agree that Sanlucar has got a very effortless tecnique. I´m a huge fan of Sanlucar, and still think that Tauromagia is one of the best flamenco titles ever.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 26 2004 20:33:18

Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

quote:

thought maybe it would be a good way to introduce certain aspects of flamenco to my wife

I had the same idea, my wife left home shortly after

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Foro Flamenco founder and Admin

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 26 2004 21:10:54

Guest

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Escribano)

¡Que buena suerte!

Sean

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2004 1:12:53

Jon Boyes

Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

Fantastic film - is there anyone here who hasn't seen it?

I was going to post something about my favourite bits - Sanlucar's Alegrias is definitely up there (isn't that a classical guitar??), La fernanda De Utrera's Solea with Gastor accompanying is just so powerful, but why does he cut her short??

The Camaron tribute Buleria with Potito, Tomatito et al - wow!

Nice Tangos in there too, and the Fandangos De Huelva round the table is pretty cool.

The baile is beautifully filmed - the lighting is excellent.

Anyway, essential viewing for anyone into flamenco, methinks. Great cross section of trad, contemporary, and rumba pop even (Ketama do a cool rumba at the end).

Jon

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2004 7:43:31

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Jon Boyes)

One of the lasting impressions I have from the movie is that young girl (gitana?) dancing in everyday clothes and flat shoes to a buleria. (the first number).
The expression on her face says everything.
She looks like she's in another world, dancing not just for an audience, but for her own joy.
Her baile is so effortless and expressive.
I get the feeling she didn't go to any dance school to learn that!

cheers

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2004 12:48:41

Tenshu

Posts: 150
Joined: Oct. 18 2003
From: Belgium

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Ron.M)

Oh, man, Ron, I hear you...

Barullo singing an amazing copla...

No me hagas desprecio gitana
que yo soy Santo y bueno gitana
yo me voy con mi madre gitana
nada más que quieres dinero gitana
ya no me voy contigo gitana

The girl takes her place to return to her seat. The first dancer, already seated, fills in two beats with his upper body in some sort of spasm(in compas!). And when she returns, every single man/woman present returns with her.

Take another look at that buleria, but instead of looking at the protagonist, take a look at the guys in the background. It's like they're one entity, one organism...

Damnit, just TYPING about it gives me shivers.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2004 14:06:28

Escribano

Posts: 6417
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (with ly... (in reply to Tenshu)

For me it's...

Un cuento para mi niño (Poema por bulerias)
Lole y Manuel

Erase una vez, un mariposa blanca
que era la reina de todas las mariposas del alba,
se posaba en los jardines,
entre las flores más bellas,
y le susurraba historias al clavel y a la violeta.....

Then to see her sing it in Jerez this year was the icing on my cake.

All the lyrics to the movie are here http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Quarter/1650/flamenco/levyletrat/saurasoundtrack.html

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2004 15:03:15

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

I liked that one too Simon. I really enjoyed the Manolo Sanlucar one, although I don't like the facial expressions. I think I enjoyed the Jose Menese one the most. Did I tell you guys about the time I snuck into the Caves of Nerja and met Jose Menese and Enrique de Melchor?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2004 15:37:40

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

quote:

Another thing that really stuck out at me was just how good of a guitar player Manolo Sanlucar is. He flies over the fingerboard and his left hand looks to be using about as much pressure as if he were using a slide. Effortless playing!

Agreed!

But Tomatito presses really hard with his left hand fingers!
And he's pretty quick and smooth player himself!

So who's playing correctly?

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2004 21:09:47

Miguel de Maria

Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ

RE: carlos saura's flamenco (in reply to Miguel de Maria)

I don't know Ron, I think Manolo. The reason is that if you press hard, that increases your potential of injuring yourself. This can be a big factor if, like me, you play 3-4 hours a day and sometimes have gigs taht are 4 hours long. I want to be playing until I am old, real old--well at least until I'm your age, Ron! :)

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Mar. 27 2004 21:17:01