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I'LL SING FOR YOU / JE CHANTERAI POUR TOI
Jacques Sarasin, France, 2001; 76m
Jacques Sarasin's lovely, lyrical tribute to Boubacar Traoré, aka
KarKar, the musical superstar of the late 50s and early 60s whose music
was a cornerstone of the movement that led to
independence for Mali. With hits like "Mali Twist" and "Kayesba," KarKar
became known as the Malian Elvis Presley. Traoré dropped out of music in
the mid-60s and went through a long, rough time, as both a person and as
a citizen of his home country, before his triumphant return to music in
the late 80s, in Europe. A poignant, finally joyous experience.
Fri Aug 16: 1, 4:30 & 8:15
Sun Aug 18: 7:15; Tue Aug 20: 1:30
SUPER 8 STORIES BY EMIR KUSTURICA
Emir Kusturica, Germany/Italy, 2001; 90m
This is a documentary about a kind of music that describes the manic,
mad, dramatic world of the Balkans. The No Smoking band was founded 20
years ago in former Yugoslavia. No sooner had the band formed at the
beginning of the 80s than they incited public displeasure on account of
their disrespectful comments on Tito's demise. Emir Kusturica has been
a band member since 1986. No Smoking created the music for Kusturica's
film Black Cat, White Cat since then the band's irresistible brand of
Balkan punk has found fans all over the world.
Emir Kusturica: "No Smoking are more than merely a rock 'n' roll band.
They are a phenomenon that, during the 80s, changed the intonation and
language of music not only in Sarajevo, but also throughout Yugoslavia.
All kinds of different styles of Balkan music have left their mark on
the band's repertoire. It is an explosive mixture of jazz and gypsy
music, in which southern Serb trumpets as well as the melancholy sound
of Asian influences can be found."
Fri Aug 16: 2:40, 6:15 & 10
Sat Aug 17: 1 & 7:15
LATCHO DROM
Tony Gatlif, France, 1994; 100m
LATCHO DROM begins in India, where Gypsy life has roots dating to A.D.
1000, and travels through Europe, celebrating the boundless energy and
beauty of this enduring community's songs, dances, and customs. Wherever
the Rom wander, they make sad yet passionate music, drawing on the
traditions of every country through which they pass - Muslim ritual
chants, flamenco, the kind of French Gypsy jazz that Stéphane Grappelli
and Django Reinhardt made famous in Paris. Gatlif's ebullient film can't
really be contained in the category of documentary; this mostly
unscripted but perhaps occasionally shaped odyssey creates its own
unique momentum and itinerary.
Sat Aug 17: 3;
Mon Aug 19: 1, 5 & 9
SCRATCH
Doug Pray, USA, 2001; 87m
SCRATCH is an invaluable lesson in the history of modern musical
culture. Rather than trying to tackle the hip-hop movement in its
entirety Pray focuses solely on the evolution of the DJ. Through
entertaining and enlightening flashbacks, we learn that DJs came before
MCs, the rap vocalists that dominate the genre today. From well-known
legends like Afrika Bambaataa to forgotten pioneers like Kool Herc,
these trailblazers were the first to take drum loops from old funk songs
and turn them into extended montages of beats. SCRATCH succeeds
brilliantly in presenting a myriad of technical terms, obscure names,
and difficult concepts with conciseness and humor. It triumphs by
profiling a vibrant, underground culture that is as innovative as it is
misunderstood. Not only do you walk away from the film with a head
crammed full of knowledge, but also a heart racing with the excitement
of seeing something entirely new. - Tor Thorsen
With DJ Q-bert and Josh Davis, creator of Endtroducing and The Private
Press, otherwise known as DJ Shadow.
Sat Aug 17: 5:15 & 9:15
Mon Aug 19: 3:10 & 7:10
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