Vengo

Indeed, not a bad documentary (barely a real film, the plot is just an excuse to the connection of the different flamenco scenes). Antonio Canales is surprisingly good as Caco, and the other characters are of no relevance to the story whatsoever. Orestes, Caco's nephew with cerebral palsy, is actually Antonio Canales' nephew. Undoubtable epic flavor in this escape/flamenco journey. Good details, as the nice landscapes in Cadiz and the references to Caco's relative "exiled" in the Spanish cities of North Africa. Great and not so commercial flamenco singers, such as La Paquera(R.I.P) and La Caita. Special attention to the closing song, "Naci en Alamo".

"Vengo" is a wonderfully alive feast of the flamenco music, dance, and rhythms of the contemporary Andalusia gypsies of Southern Spain built on a ominously rumbling story of a blood feud and death. Not your usual movie fare, "Vengo" divides its time equally between musical ethnic folk singing and dancing from gala festivities to impromptu "jam" sessions to funeral laments while inching the family feud story slowly forward with the kinetic tempos of flamenco rhythms everpresent. More art than entertainment, "Vengo" will appeal most to those into foreign or ethnic films with bold musical underpinnings. Those who enjoy "Vengo" might want to check out "Flamenco (de Carlos Saura)", "Assassination Tango", "Tango, no me dejes nunca", and the like. (B+)

Cultural drama about a gypsy feud and plenty of Flamenco music . The flick deals with the confrontation between two groups of gypsy clans , it starts with Caco (Antonio Canales) , a head of a gypsy community who attempts to protect everyone he loves , he is very powerful in the local neighborhood . Yet he has been torn to pieces by the death of his intimate child . He constantly visits her grave, weeps silently at her photo and has transferred all his wildly protective love and attention onto his dim-witted nephew Diego (Orestes) . It seems that Diego's father, Caco's brother (Antonio Dechent) is in hiding for killing a Caravacas member , who are equally powerful in the gypsy society . To complicate matters , Caco eventually wishes to forget his past but a gypsy clan seeks vengeance against his brother . They are seeking revenge and have come to Caco for justice . When he refuses to betray his brother who is fleeing after having killed a man from the Caravacas family , they grow impatient . They then realize they are getting nowhere, they threaten to murder Diego . Caco has become involved with the violent gypsy faction that puts him at odds with his own responsibilities . Despite his pride , Caco spontaneously realizes that the cycle of murder and vendetta must be broken .

This intense drama concerns about a blend of fiction and documentary about gypsy life . From start to finish this Flamenco film contains drama , an intrigue about gypsy feud , thrills , emotion and a lot of songs . It is an interesting vision of gypsy universe through a story of rivalry among two families . This issue about gypsy family confrontation has been previously treated in other films such as ¨Los Tarantos¨(1963) by Francisco Rovira Beleta with Carmen Amaya , Sara Lezana , Antonio Gades , ¨Montoyas y Tarantos ¨(1989) by Vicente Escriba with Sancho Gracia , Cristina Hoyos , Esperanza Campuzano and ¨Gypsy¨ (2000) by Manuel Palacios with Laeitia Casta and Joaquin Cortes . ¨Vengo¨ is a thought-provoking drama that keeps you interested and expecting , including a tragic final taking on . Main cast gives nice interpretations , as a good acting by Antonio Canales as Caco , a fierce proud , handsome man who protects his physically challenged nephew and a fine performance from Antonio Dechent as his brother who is in hiding after killing a Caravaca member . Emotive musical score including dances in Derviche style and gypsy-African sounds ; with Flamenco songs splendidly sung by a extraordinary plethora of gypsy singers such as El Moro , Manuel Vega Salazar , Tomatito , Sheikh Ahmad Al Tuni , La Caita , Gritos De Guerra , among others . The cinematographer, Thierry Pouget , is great with light, using it crude and clever , creative and beautiful . The motion picture well written by David Trueba was professionally directed by Tony Gatlif . This is a good film that has achieved international knowledge and Closed the Venice Film Festival in 2000.

A simple story of gossip and revenge in a Spaniard little town is the core of a great flamenco/gitano musical film, where you can see the Today's best artist of this musical genre. With a non-conventional camera that catch your senses in every story moment, great narration, music-video clip quality editing and all of that is combined with the rhythm of every song. The tragedy is exposed from the beginning but director address you there until the last second of the last image. Recommended for those with passion running in their bloods.

It's funny that a critic from the new york times could know so little about film. I will not say much except this is one of the most simple, most beautiful stories made into cinema; there is absolutely no artifice, no tricks, and every detail is pure and genuine. Tony uses faces Kurasawa could've killed for. You ain't seen nothing if you ain't seen this. The music, artists like Gritos de Guerra, La Caita, Sheik al Tuni, (seemingly unavailable on record, but better than anything I've heard,) seems to capture at once the joy and sorrow bound up in human life. Likewise the players, most not actors. In fact, the music is so integrated into the lives of the characters, in the end there is no division. For reviewers of respected periodicals, we would explain this is what is called thematic. So much for the standards of education in journalism. Even reviewers who really liked this movie did not fully understand this; like most really great art, it is ahead of the curve. I suppose it should be possible to find a film as beautiful as this, as simple and captivating, but none come to mind. Skip "Vengo" and your life will certainly be less rich.