Tango films

[robd]

Since we have threads already for the music and shoes I thought I could start another to ask if anyone has seen the films

'The Tango Lesson'

or

'Tango'

both of which I saw in HMV yesterday but didn't want to chance the money on.

Worth buying?

Robert

[JonD]

Hi Rob,

I've got both - yes, I know, I'm sad!

"The Tango Lesson" is a little "art house" for some tastes but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of the dancing is mesmerising - particularly the segment where Sally Potter is dancing with 3 leaders! Pablo Veron's tap-dance is pretty good as well. I enjoyed the story and it's juxtaposition of roles as Sally learns to be led in AT and Pablo tries to learn to be led in the world of film. Interesting and worth buying.

"Tango" by Carlos Saura has got some stunning dance pieces - the guys dressed in black and white dancing with each other is amazing (fabulous movement, tension between good & evil, homoerotic overtones - all that good stuff that you'd expect to find in a slightly "arty" movie) but the story is a bit flat. Saura had done "Flamenco" shortly before making the film and freely admits that he turned up in BsAs to make "Tango" without much of a clue about what he was going to do. For all that I enjoyed it - and you get to see Juan Carlos Copes dance which can never be a bad thing. Worth buying but only if you can get it cheap!

Another one you might see is "Assasination Tango". It's a Robert Duvall movie about gangsters. Some great but very, very short Tango sequences (the best of which is on the closing credits). A truly terrible film for the first hour and then improves slightly! People talk about "Scent of a Woman" having a great AT scene - don't believe them: one brief Tango which is just embarrasing to watch.

[philsmove]

Originally Posted by JonD

- particularly the segment where Sally Potter is dancing with 3 leaders! .

This is lesson 11

And was the inspiration for me, to start to learn the dance
By coincided I watched it last night

Its great to watch and work out who is leading who

The Photography in Tango is brilliant

Check he web before parting with money in HMV



http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...024989-9964745


http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...024989-9964745

[JonD]

Originally Posted by philsmove

And was the inspiration for me, to start to learn the dance

One day we'll reprise it Phil! We just need another leader plus a very, very brave follower. Mind you, we might want to practice for a little while more before we attempt it.

I agree with you about the photography in "Tango". I thought some of the choreography is brilliant; the "black & white" sequence is great and the "dirty war" sequence is quite mesmerising and terrible in its intensity.

Have you seen "Flamenco"? There's one sequence in that of a guy dancing on his own that is just terrific - he makes me shudder at my own ineptitude and wonder that someone can dance at that level of skill and beauty. The film is the Carmen story told through a group rehearsing for a Flamenco performance of Carmen. It has many of the same themes as "Tango" and the same kind of pastiche of drama and dance. Some of the dancing is blindingly good but the biggest downside is listening to some of the flamencos and reading the subtitled lyrics; the music is dramatic and compelling but the lyrics are about doing your laundry!

[Feelingpink]

Originally Posted by robd

Since we have threads already for the music and shoes I thought I could start another to ask if anyone has seen the films

'The Tango Lesson'

or

'Tango'

both of which I saw in HMV yesterday but didn't want to chance the money on.

Worth buying?

Robert

I saw the Tango Lesson years ago and would marry a man who could make salad like the guy does in a kitchen scene. I'd buy the film for that bit alone.

[philsmove]

Originally Posted by JonD

We just need another leader!

and a venue

[JonD]

Originally Posted by philsmove

and a venue

Confiteria Ideal in Buenos Aires!

I just did a Google to find that link and turned up this BBC Programme on BBC4 on 8th April. I don't have a TV but will endeavour to get someone to video it!

[Cruella]

Originally Posted by JonD

I don't have a TV but will endeavour to get someone to video it!

Could i be so cruel as to mention it again

[Lory]

Has anyone seen Assasination Tango?

If so, any good?

[Lynn]

Originally Posted by Lory

Has anyone seen Assasination Tango?

If so, any good?

Review from Jon above...

Originally Posted by JonD

Another one you might see is "Assasination Tango". It's a Robert Duvall movie about gangsters. Some great but very, very short Tango sequences (the best of which is on the closing credits). A truly terrible film for the first hour and then improves slightly!

[spindr]

Some nice "flash" movie clips at http://doadance.scbbs.com/flvInfo.php
Includes a tango lesson on the basic eight.

SpinDr.

[spindr]

Nice flash video on http://www.gotanproject.com -- presumably the video for the next album -- which it says should be available in April

And you can "pre-listen"

SpinDr.

[JonD]

Originally Posted by spindr

Nice flash video

It sure is - I really enjoyed that. Thanks!

[CeeCee]

Ooh yay, another Tango outlet, hooray!

Originally posted by Robd

'The Tango Lesson'

or

'Tango'

both of which I saw in HMV yesterday but didn't want to chance the money on.

Worth buying?

Robert

Ooh ooh ooh, I bought ‘Tango’ it’s great! So it’s available from Amazon for under a tenner? I paid £17 but hey, it was in the heat of the moment, back in the days when I was, impressionable and impatient. A girl in the class, who I hardly know (and more to the point hardly knows me) highly recommended it and assured me that I just had to see it and would definitely enjoy it. Tempted by her confidence I couldn’t wait for Amazon, so totally out of character, I bought it on impulse.

I wasn’t disappointed and have watched it a squillion times. There is some inspiring dancing, glorious singing, evocative imagery and great use of background colour.

Originally posted by Jond

and you get to see Juan Carlos Copes dance which can never be a bad thing.

Is he the one they introduce as The Maestro, Carlos Nebbia?

If so that’s one of my favourite scenes, the venue looks fabulous with its marble pillars, arched mirrors, globe lamps and wood panelling. The girl he dances with is a joy to watch, graceful and elegant, in a beautiful, gorgeous blue/purple dress, she appears to float in his arms across the floor, magical.

Originally posted by Jond
Tango" by Carlos Saura has got some stunning dance pieces - the guys dressed in black and white dancing with each other is amazing (fabulous movement, tension between good & evil, homoerotic overtones

Yep, that’s definitely the boys’ bit of the movie, there’s a Montagues and Capulets, Jets and Sharks kind of thing going on, violence and intrique, combined with provocative, evocative sensuality…

I like watching the group class where they all dance a routine together in a circle, all of that foot stamping gets me every time and the leg warmers and leotards give it a kind of Flashdance meets Tango feel. (Not saying whether that's good or bad!) The children dancing in their little white overalls are sweet too.

Originally posted by Jond
People talk about "Scent of a Woman" having a great AT scene - don't believe them: one brief Tango which is just embarrasing to watch.

What a relief to hear someone say that. I watched the film and waited for THE scene only to be singularly unimpressed.
I was disappointed with Shall We Dance too. Didn’t work for me at all, overrated and a waste of time.

Originally posted by SpinDr

Nice flash video on http://www.gotanproject.com -- presumably the video for the next album -- which it says should be available in April

And you can "pre-listen"

SpinDr.

Wow, thanks for this, the new album sounds great. Surprise surprise it’s just in time for their concert in July. Some of us have already bought our tickets, why wait, you snooze you lose.




Feel the music, dance the feeling

The journey continues…

[JonD]

Originally Posted by CeeCee

Is he the one they introduce as The Maestro, Carlos Nebbia? If so that’s one of my favourite scenes, the venue looks fabulous with its marble pillars, arched mirrors, globe lamps and wood panelling

Yes, that's the fellow. There's a bit about Juan Carlos Copes here. I think the venue was Confiteria Ideal which is being shown on that BBC 4 programme. They must have tarted it up a lot for the movie - last April it was looking rather distressed. It's a very "grand" place that clearly hasn't seen a lick of paint or any maintenance for a long while. Julie came back from the ladies giggling because the door handle / lock was a bit of string that you put over a nail. It's charming though with a lovely atmosphere of decaying decadence: I bet it's seen some things down the years.

Lory, if you want to see "Assasination Tango" I've got a copy. I'll try to remember to bring it to Southport. The film is pretty lousy but we can drink wine and watch the closing credits over and over again on my portable DVD!

[Lory]

Originally Posted by JonD

Lory, if you want to see "Assasination Tango" I've got a copy. I'll try to remember to bring it to Southport. The film is pretty lousy but we can drink wine and watch the closing credits over and over again on my portable DVD!

Sounds good to me!

[Msfab]

Originally Posted by JonD

I just did a Google to find that link and turned up this BBC Programme on BBC4 on 8th April. I don't have a TV but will endeavour to get someone to video it!

We're a little late, this program was broadcast back in 2005

[RogerR]

The Tango Lesson is great, after the arty bits! "Tango " is great if you get the Argentinian film ( the french film of that name is all about horizontal tango! )

You can dance with Sally Potter in London (often at the Welsh centre)

[JonD]

Originally Posted by Msfab

We're a little late, this program was broadcast back in 2005

Sorry everyone, I just assumed it was this year. It doesn't give the year on the page but when you look at the days and dates it's clearly last year. (You'd think they'd have taken the page down after the programme had been broadcast).

Originally Posted by RogerR

You can dance with Sally Potter in London

I'd be far too scared!

[Msfab]

Its not necessarily a film, but there are some nice clips of tango dancers on these 2 sites
http://www.tangodinamia.com.ar/clip.htm and http://www.pnievasyvzunino.com.ar/english/videos.htm

One day