Fados Review
By David Kempler
Music Videos Portuguese Style
Fado is a genre of music born during the 19
th century. Its origins can be traced to the poor neighborhoods of the port cities of Portugal. It can be sung by a man or woman but is almost always accompanied by a Spanish guitar and a Portuguese guitar. Fado is undergoing a revival, primarily in Portugal, but it has been seeping into other areas and Carlos Saura has directed this documentary in the hopes of furthering its expansion. "Fados" explores many of the sub-genres of Fado, and there are apparently quite a few of them. Rather than being a film, it would be more properly classified as a series of about twenty MTV-esque videos.
For the first five or so songs I was extremely antsy in my seat, expecting a story to break out, only to eventually realize that there is no story here. No beginning, middle or end. Once I got the point I sat back and actually started to enjoy what I was watching. Saura is most certainly a talented director because to hold an audience's attention with over an hour's worth of music utterly foreign to the viewers is a pretty fair achievement. By the end of "Fados" I was torn between enjoying the show and thinking to myself that I wish it would end. Yet, as each new "video" began, I found myself usually happy with Saura's presentation skills and the music. Like any large group of songs there are some you like more than others so the overall effect is a bit uneven.
Saura is considered the current master of Spanish musical cinema. His career includes over 40 films devoted to the musical form on film. This is clearly a labor of love for Saura. He oversees the lighting and through his use of semi-transparent screens and color, manages to create very different scenes and in turn, moods. The performances range from competent to outstanding, although expecting someone like myself, who has zero experience with Fado music, to give an expert opinion, is probably a bit farfetched on my part. I can tell you that I enjoyed parts and wanted other songs to end quickly. It is hard to imagine there is much of an audience in America for this but if you're a fan of dance or music in general, you probably will not find yourself disappointed if you do happen to find yourself a viewer.
