Fados

Fados
by Carlos Saura

Fados
List Price: $29.99
Our Price: $16.22
You Save: $13.77 (46%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $15.89 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details


(Click here)
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada

DVD details

Actor: Caetano Veloso, Camane, Carlos do Carmo, Lila Downs, Mariza
Director: Carlos Saura
Brand: Zeitgeist Films
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); Spanish (Original Language)
Format: Anamorphic, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 92 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-10-20
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Zeitgeist Films

DVD Reviews of Fados

DVD Review: Not Great - Just ok
Summary: 3 Stars

I had high hopes for this movie because I love fado and have been listening for many years. This film is an interesting overview of a lot of different styles of fado and the movie does make it's point that fado is widespread and varied depending on what part of the world it comes from. To me the old school is still where the great fado is happening - the place where fado really shines. There are some good performances here, and the director does a lot with a limited budget and palette, but the lighting, set design, and cinematography are really not as evocative as they could be.

I recently saw a live flamenco performance by Paco Pena (Royce Hall UCLA 2009) it was as spare a set as one could ever imagine, but it was beautifully lit and absolutely magical. This movie does not touch the potential for drama and effect that can be achieved with good lighting and simple set design. There are some interesting video background effects, at times they work, at times they are just distracting or flat. The lens focal lengths used are sometimes just a mistake.

Cinematic shortcomings detract from the real/potential drama of the performances. I found it better to just listen to the film rather than watch. It's just kind of flat looking even when it tries to achieve visual depth and drama. This is a good film to rent or watch as a download from net-flix... but it is definitely not an "owner". check it out somewhere on the web ( like youtube which has trailers and segments) before you drop cash on this one, or buy a cheap and or used copy.

There's a lot of dance action - some works and some really does not work well at all - some of the dancing is not even in time with the music. The musical part of this movie that really bothers me is how uneven this is with regard to soul and depth in fado. There's a melange of new, pop, and hip-hop styles of fado. Among this lot of new Fado the hip-hop is most interesting but I'm not really into rap-fado. I can get rap anywhere... I don't need it in my fado. I like some rap done well. I'm open to it as an evolutionary thread of new fado, but it's still not a direction that brings a lot of joy. Great fado should grip my soul - or at least that's what I like and look for - and the rap version doesn't engage me. Even worse the "pop" versions - pop is lite - saccharin - that's not what moves me in fado. The pop stuff just lacks authenticity and depth. I get that there's light and heavy fado. But fado should be from the heart and the pop stuff just falls flat - false manufactured sentimentality without the spirit or the real passion.

If you want an education in breadth of fado, if you want a sampler of new and old fado, if you want the pop AND the classic, then this is going to be ok for you. I stress the "OK" aspect but not the "great". I still say rent or stream this before you buy it. I am so happy that I did not buy this dvd, I would have been very disappointed. I watched it as a streaming download from my monthly service - it's perfect for that.

I'm not here to defend the idea of a pure or rigid standard of what fado should be. I think this movie is about how fado is not restrained by classical notions of purity, but there are better more exciting and engaging ways to execute that concept. If you prefer a more classical style of fado you're not going to be wowed by this movie or the soundtrack. My suggestion would be to track down the artists you really like, get their albums, and enjoy the classic beauty of the best the old school has to offer.
More Fados reviews:
1 2

Description of Fados

FADOS - DVD Movie
Bestsellers in DVD
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] ImageThe Story of Jeremiah [VHS]
Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS] ImageWresting With God [VHS]
by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $19.99
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS] ImageStudy Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]
Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops: $44.00
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS] ImageTempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]
HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops: $9.98
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/Party Video [VHS] ImageTempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]
HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Strike the Original Match [VHS] ImageStrike the Original Match [VHS]
New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $14.95
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] ImageMedjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]
JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008 ImageMayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008
by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops: $1,463.24
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single User ImagePediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single User
by Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops: $1,463.24
Cost Accounting [VHS] ImageCost Accounting [VHS]
by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Story of Fado (Portugal) ImageStory of Fado (Portugal)
Release date: 1997-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $6.13
Price in other shops: $11.98
Fado Em Mim ImageMariza - Fado Em Mim
Release date: 2002-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $11.00
Price in other shops: $16.98
Salome ImageSalome
Image Entertainment; Release date: 2006-08-08; DVD
Best price: $80.97
Fados De Carlos Saura ImageFados De Carlos Saura - Fados De Carlos Saura
Release date: 2008-01-29; Music CD
Best price: $14.45
Price in other shops: $47.98
Fado Tradicional ImageMariza - Fado Tradicional
Release date: 2011-07-26; Music CD
Best price: $9.24
Price in other shops: $15.98
The Lisbon Story ImageThe Lisbon Story
Lions Gate; Release date: 2007-11-20; DVD
Best price: $7.31
Price in other shops: $14.98
Flamenco ImageFlamenco
Release date: 2003-12-02; DVD
Best price: $46.97
Eclipse Series 6: Carlos Saura's Flamenco Trilogy (Blood Wedding / Carmen / El Amor Brujo) (The Criterion Collection) ImageEclipse Series 6: Carlos Saura's Flamenco Trilogy (Blood Wedding / Carmen / El Amor Brujo) (The Criterion Collection)
Eclipse; Release date: 2007-10-16; DVD
Best price: $109.50
Concerto em Lisboa w/Bonus DVD ImageMariza - Concerto em Lisboa w/ Bonus DVD
Release date: 2007-03-13; Music CD
Best price: $10.99
Price in other shops: $18.98
Tango ImageTango
Tango; Release date: 1999-08-03; DVD
Best price: $7.89
Price in other shops: $14.99
Compare prices and read customer reviews for more than one million DVD titles.
Oscar 2005 Winners