Customer Reviews

Dengue Fever: Sleepwalking Through the Mekong

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In his unfinished manuscript The Cultural Apparatus, "plain marxist" C. Wright Mills discussed how culture in corporate capitalist society is sublimated to market demands. No longer able to maintain a critical distance, cultural expressions are largely controlled and commodified by institutions whose singular drive is that of profit. Such is the case with the vast bulk of contemporary music, theater, and fine art -- largely shallow, vacuous mind candy that deadens the spirit.

But such is decidedly not the case with Dengue Fever and their film, "Sleepwalking...", which as with all art of substance, has many levels. On the surface, it's an American alt rock band centered on 1960s-70s Khmer music, which in and of itself is fascinating to see their travels in Cambodia. They ain't in Kansas anymore. It's remarkable to see the joy on the faces of Cambodians as they hear their music played back to them -- it's 'psychologically healing,' and there is a scene in which the band visits a school and the kids are so remarkable that they all but steal the show.

Dengue Fever's music is stunning. To borrow a phrase from the bassist, when Chhom Nimol "starts wailin'," a couple of things are likely to happen to a first-time listener -- the hair on one's neck will stand up, goose flesh will cover the body, and their mouth will fall open in amazement. It happened to me. I've watched the film twice and have listened to the soundtrack three times and it still does. She's that great. She has a vocal range, piercing clarity, and flawless enunciation such that every note rings true. And it doesn't hurt at all that she's as beautiful as she is talented. Add a funky guitar and organ, toss in a remarkably talented sax/flute, keep the entire thing held together by a bass and drums that mesh perfectly, and there's a sound that is truly superb and unique.

But it's more than a dialectic of California surfer music, Booker T and the MGs, and Cambodia rock 'n roll, because if all you know about the country's recent past is the name 'Pol Pot,' then you should know that the mere survival of their culture is a triumph of the spirit. The ghosts of the past are right there on the surface of the music and, at times, glanced on the faces of the people. Dengue Fever draws from Pan Ron, Sinn Sisamouth, and others, and even a cursory search for information about them quickly reveals that they "are not believed to have survived." But their music and musical tradition mercifully has.

It's hard to find enough superlatives for Dengue Fever. Buy this DVD. Share it with others. It's that great.

I am excited to get this DVD, I have seen it so many times and it still is just amazing.. THE MUSIC IN THE MOVIE IS GREAT, I am getting the soundtrack too! my son saw this movie once with me also and loves it. if you do not know about cambodia, look it up, it is amazing , part of my family is cambodian/Laos and when I got older and realized the things they went through it shocked me. Dengue Fever is a respect to this culture and bringing back some songs from the past and doing it with much respect, go see them live!!! they are such nice people also and I have been photographing them since maybe 4 years or more and I am honored each time (and don't get me started about how beautiful the singer is)! I hope they make many more albums, so buy them to keep them making them :) an amazing book to read (sold on amazon) :Survival in the Killing Fields (Paperback)
by Haing S. Ngor (Author) crazy thing is, he survived all that and then came to the USA to get killed. this book will grab you and you will not put it down. the movie is not the same really, same tittle and the author acted in it also. the movie should of been a different tittle.

loved the documentry and added bonus did not know it came with a sound track c/d that is awsome

Great CD/DVD combo. The DVD details how the band got together, which is very interesting. The band shows how they found their lead singer in Cambodia and documents their first trip there. Great!

Dengue takes their music to its roots in the movie and accompanying soundtrack. Traveling around Cambodia and giving the viewer a brief history lesson in the process. Great images of the Khmer people and their love of music. A should view!
glen Hopkinton NH