American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawai'i
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DVD details
DVD: Region Code 0Format: NTSC
DVD Release Date: 2006-07-13
Studio: CustomFlix
DVD Reviews of American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawai'i
DVD Review: Whoa! Patrick Makua-ane! Yum!
Summary: 5 Stars
This documentary has three goals. 1) It shows that hula is not Hollywood kitsch, but a true art form. 2) Both sexes, not just women, are dedicated to it. 3) It's not a cute, easy dance: it is a culture and requires intense practice.
This film says that more Native Hawaiians live on the Mainland than in Hawaii. Throughout you hear Hawaiians mention how much they miss the island. I think many diasporan and immigrant peoples could relate to this. Nuyoricans have said the same about Puerto Rico. Chamorros on the Mainland have said the same thing about Guam. I wonder if the British in New England or the Swedish in Minnesota would say the same about their homelands, respectively.
In this film, one sees that hula is a highly gendered dance. The women dance in a very feminine way and the men in a very masculine way. There is bi-gendered dancing here, but its style never stands out. This documentary says that the hula resurgence has also stirred a resurgence in Hawaiian music and language. Though musicians beat gourds and the dancers sing in Hawaiian, there was not enough focus upon the music and the language revival. Perhaps that can be captured by another documentary.
I personally think Polynesians are drop-dead beautiful. In this documentary, others will get to see how accurate my opinion is. Many of the dancers here were either part or entirely Asian, Black, or White. The interviewees never say, "Yes, hula is for everyone, not just Polynesians." Ironically, by not stating this it seems to suggest just how inclusive this dance culture is.
One hula instructor named Patrick Makuak-ane is possibly the most beautiful man on Earth. I used to live in the Bay Area where he teaches and I'm sure if I ever saw him in person, my jaw would have hit the ground. The viewers get to see him in a sleeveless undershirt and what Westerners would call a toga. However, it was a crime for viewers not to get to see him shirtless. This man could have given a young Arnold Schwarzenegger (now his governor) a run for his money.
For those who love the hula practice scene in "Lilo & Stitch" or loved the films "Whale Rider" and "Once Were Warriors," you must see this film. It was hard for me to return this documentary to its owner based on the artistic and physical beauty presented here.
More American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawai'i reviews:
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