Carlos Saura's ‘Flamenco’ is re-released on DVD
The director
launches a book with his previously unseen photos of flamenco
artists
Flamenco-world.com, August 2004
‘Flamenco’ by Carlos
Saura, the documentary film that has become flamenco's principal
messenger around the globe, was unavailable to the public
for some time. Now it's been reissued on DVD, in all-zone
format (PAL and NTSC). This audio-visual gem contains performances
by the greatest flamenco artists in recent memory: Joaquín
Cortés, Farruco, Paco
de Lucía, Fernanda de Utrera, Mario Maya, Agujetas,
Enrique Morente... To coincide with the long-awaited reappearance
of this jewel from the vaults, a book - also entitled ‘Flamenco’
- is to be published, in which the Spanish director presents
a collection of his flamenco photos, accompanied by texts
written by himself, and explaining his attraction to flamenco.
Antonio
Gades, Vicente Escudero, Cristina Hoyos, Matilde Coral...
they're all portrayed inside this beautifully-presented
book, in never-before-seen photos.
Paco de Lucía
(Frame from DVD 'Flamenco')
“The idea was to make a documentary
film with no storyline, no gimmicks, just to put together
the best artists from the genre: contemporary artists and
old-timers, the orthodox and the not-so-orthodox, classical
flamenco and the flamenco of the future, different approaches,
palos, combinations, etc. all had to be faithfully portrayed
in our project.” Carlos Saura writes in the book of
photographs ‘Flamenco’ how the movie that was
to become the international point of reference for this
artform was conceived. Though its projection at festivals
all over the world has never ceased, this essential piece
of viewing was deleted from catalogs a good while back now.
Almost ten years on from its première, it's reissued
now on DVD, both for the PAL system (Europe, zones 1 through
6 and all DVD players compatible with PAL) and for the NTSC
system (America, Japan and all players compatible with NTSC).
And it can be purchased through Flamenco-world.com, with
all the guarantees of our safe international shipping service.
Enrique Morente (Frame
from DVD 'Flamenco')
The movie presents a fascinating tour of
flamenco in all its facets, in the capable hands of its
elite cast. And, to provide it with some educational value,
it features an introduction where a voice narrates the history
and evolution of this artform, and is accompanied by a brief
explanation of each ‘palo’ or style in the accompanying
booklet (or in the case of the DVD, in the ‘extras’
menu). The action kicks off with the tremendous voice of
La
Paquera de Jerez, the crowd of eager onlookers huddled
around her egging her on, including El Torta and Moraíto
Chico, among others. Then Merche Esmeralda dances 'por guajiras',
and Manolo
Sanlúcar plays alegrías accompanied by
vocalist Diego Carrasco. After that, Joaquín Cortés
dances an unforgettable farruca, which is followed by a
martinete featuring Manuel Moneo and Agujetas, while Mario
Maya shows his skills.
Then it's back to full-tilt with a group
performance of fandangos de Huelva led by Paco Toronjo;
after him come Fernanda de Utrera with a soleá, María
Pagés and José Menese with a petenera,
and Enrique Morente and Cañizares with a seguiriya.
And from the duos, we move on to the family clans: there's
Manuel Carrasco, José Mercé and Moraíto,
and then there's Farruco, Farruquito and Chocolate. The
taranta performed by Carmen
Linares and Rafael Riqueni is followed by a showdown
'por tangos' between Remedios Amaya, Juana la del Revuelo
and Aurora Vargas. Next, come popular Jerez carols at the
hands of La Macanita, the legendary ‘mariposilla’
by Lole and Manuel, the cantiñas with Matilde Coral
in her traditional bata de cola flamenco dress, her students
in tow... Flamenco guitar makes a reappearance at the end
of the movie, with Paco de Lucía and his septet,
with Tomatito and a historic line-up comprising Duquende,
Potito, Belén Maya and Joaquín
Grilo. And the film winds up in an up-tempo and modern
key, with two champions of 'nuevo flamenco': Manzanita and
Ketama.
Fernanda de Utrera (Frame from
DVD 'Flamenco')
| Book
of photographs
 Certain
moments from the movie were also captured by Carlos
Saura's photographic camera. Not only from this film,
but also from the trilogy ‘Bodas de sangre’,
‘Carmen’ and ‘El amor brujo’,
and from ‘Sevillanas’ and ‘Salomé’.
And these photos can be seen in his book:
‘Flamenco’, containing more than a
hundred shots, most of them previously unpublished,
of artists like Rafael Romero, Vicente Escudero, Camarón,
Antonio Gades, Paco de Lucía, Cristina Hoyos,
Manuela Carrasco, Aída Gómez... As the
author explains, “the photographs in this book
are without doubt a visual testament to my explorations
in this incredible world of flamenco.” And he
adds that “with the passing of time some of
the images from this book have become even more valuable,
and unforgettable artists who demonstrated their talents
for the relentless camera come back to us once again
in this everyday miracle that is photography.”
The book is published in a De Luxe edition by Galaxia
Gutenberg Círculo de Lectores.
|
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