This movie captivated me. Although i must say it didn't do so from the very start. It took me a scene (and/or a song) to begin to submerge deeply into the feeling of the music that floods this tale of Saura. And it's been wonderful. Each song made me want to live it again a thousand times, i felt it resound inside my head and each singer moved me to the point where they gave me to carry all of their sorrow and burden.
Absolutely a must see for all of those who've been caught inside the music and don't know how - or don't want to - be set free. For all of you is this journey in which Carlos Saura invites us to go.
A journey that conjugates perfectly music, contemporary dance, scene art, costume design, lighting and of course cinema
Unfortunately there is occasions within the film in which this escapes perhaps too much from what we can refer to as the "real Fado". For example the scene where the raper NBC pays his tribute. I feel that's a fairly big - and unjustified - jump from the feeling that was building up throughout the film... this "saudade", that Portuguese people have so jealously kept for themselves, but that they tell us about it in Fado. Another black spot (in my judgment of course) it's the dancers in that same scene, who i presume - and hope - do an improvisation that's poorly accomplished, and seems more like a mockery than an interpretation of the music that NBC is singing. However, this little "impasse" is saved completely thanks to the great interpretation in the next scene from Carlos do Carmo.
Another great aspect of this film is that each scene it's different and appealing. Saura accomplish this experimenting with, as i was saying, the dance, light, scenery, costume, music or all of them at once.
A movie to feel.
