Customer Reviews

Cuba Feliz

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In reference to that reviewer who kept comparing "Cuba Feliz" to Buena Vista, I got important news for you...THIS IS NOT BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB! Buena Vista this and Buena Vista that, frankly I'm pretty sick of hearing about them AND Celia all respect due onto them. There is COUNTLESS Cuban music, such as "El Gallo" Miguel Del Morales, who are lesser known or not known at all! That is why I give this excellant documentay 4 stars. Yes it is "sleepy" at times and has a few less than stellar performers. But I think that is part of it, to display the downtrodden, unknown "musicos cubanos" and focus on them, not Celia or Buena Vista or Desi Arnaz or ANY Cuban musician who has a million and one things done about them. This is a TRUE representation of Cuban music and it may not be polished and professional, but it's true to Cuba! I also expected some type of Buena Vista esque documentary and was VERY HAPPY it wasn't cuz as I mentioned, isn't there enough about them at this point in time? It's like renting a hip hop documentary and saying "Oh snap there is no 50 Cent here so it can't be genuine!!" What are you kidding me? Open you minds and your ears and your eyes, this is the real deal brode!

This documentary is for those in love with Cuban culture, since it brings a rush of nostalgia, that in a way is uncontrollable.
The film follows 76 year old Miguel Del Morales "El Gallo" a guitar playing troubadour across the the island, as he visits old friends, and meets new ones along the way. His journey starts out in Havana and makes his way east, meeting Candido Fabre(IMO one of the top 5 improvisers of all time) in Manzanillo, playing in a local baseball game. Fabre takes a break to pay tribute to El Gallo through his singing.
I feel the film shows how music is truly lived and felt in the island. Musicians playing old passed down instruments, yet making the sweetest melodies. A "bembe" happening at the corner, and the people gathering to dance. It also shows how the hardships are forgotten with every note played.
Other notable street musicians Morales plays with along the way are singer Mirta Gonzales, Anibal Avila trumpet player, Paisan Mallet also a trumpet player.
Lots of beatiful scenery, harmonious music, and interesting characters make this documentary very special.

I just bought 8 copies for friends and family. This video is a rare gem, the most natural and unaffected music video I have ever seen. Most of the songs are Boleros, which I found to be remarkably genuine, real, and sincere. The songs are consistent with the dialogue, scenes and interactions, all of which are equally genuine. In an era of highly sophisticated performance-oriented music, this video is a sweet breath of fresh air.

This is non-stop Cuban music as our star, a street singer named El Gallo (or Miguel Del Morales), moves from town to town, meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends, and jamming with musicians all over the island. It gives one a sense of the vitality and breadth of such music, which the people love. However, one needs to be patient and watch it from beginning to end, and read the subtitles unless you speak Spanish fluently, which I do not.

Let me give it to you straight: if you're a fan of the Buena Vista Social Club, either the DVD or the consequent various CD's that spawned from it, you will be dissapointed with this DVD, Cuba Feliz; it's slow in most parts and has only occasional musical moments where the Cuban music really shines, most notably the street scenes where people gather to hear music, dance, improvise and relish in the deep-rooted traditions of Cuban songs passed down from generation to generation. However, these scences are not prevelent, but the exception in an otherwise sleepy documentary. I would have liked to have seen more performances reminiscent of the concert clips from Buena Vista Social Club. There is a certain nostalgia involved, however, if you've ever been or lived on the island and it is a crude reminder of the poor living conditions and poverty that most Cubans endure in everyday life. It's no wonder why music is so important to them, if only to escape the harsh realities they deal with. I found myself fast-forwarding over the parts I considered...quite frankly, not interesting, and looking for the next part of the DVD that higlighted the musical soul of an entire people. Some of the artists portrayed in this documentary were neither talented, nor engaging. Too bad there isn't a complete concert on DVD that has the old Buena Vista clan performing in Amsterdam or New York City at Carnegie Hall...now THAT would be a DVD to truly cherish.