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Special Features
- Extra concert footage
- Running commentary
- Interview with filmmaker
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The ancient art of Tuvan throat singing may not sound like the most scintillating subject for a movie, but for those wishing to immerse themselves in a different culture or meet remarkable people, this inspiring and exhilarating Oscar-nominated documentary will be pure pleasure. This is a story no Hollywood screenwriter could have imagined. Paul Pena is a blind San Francisco blues singer who has played with the likes of John Lee Hooker and Jerry Garcia (he also penned "Jet Airliner," which Steve Miller covered). One night while listening to his shortwave radio, he picked up a Radio Moscow broadcast and heard the mesmerizing, gutteral sound of throat singing, which is peculiar to Tuva's region of upper Mongolian. Enthralled, he became a master of this obscure art form. Enter Friends of Tuva, a curious group that included Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, who likewise had become fascinated with Tuva. In 1993 they sponsored a San Francisco appearance by Tuvan singers. Pena was in the audience and met with the singers afterward. Pena so impressed the Tuvans that he was encouraged to come to Tuva and participate in its annual festival competition. Genghis Blues chronicles this incredible journey. Pena's performance is as joyous and triumphant as the Buena Vista Social Club's Carnegie Hall concert, but this is more than just a one-note concert film. It also movingly charts Pena's friendship with revered Tuvan singer Kongar-ol Ondar (whose stature is described as "John F. Kennedy, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jordan rolled into one"). Documentarians Roko and Adrian Belic modestly profess they were ill equipped to make this documentary. They may have a point, but would you pass up such an opportunity? --Donald Liebenson
Product Description
Paul Pena heard a sound -- something intensely beautiful but disturbing at the same time -- coming from his short-wave radio. The sound was that of Tuvan throat-singers, a sound that changed his life forever and sent him on a journey across the world to
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
38 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a scenario not even Richard Feynman could have imagined when he helped to form Friends of Tuva. Thanks to this group's effort to bring Tuvan throat singers to San Francisco, Paul Pena was able to realize a dream that lifted him out of the depths of dispair and take part in the tri-annual Tuvan throat singing competition in Kyzyl. This remarkable story not only tells the tale of Paul Pena, best known for penning Jet Airliner, but of the unconquerable spirit of Tuvans who for centuries were subjected to Chinese and Russian rule. Deep in their throats they came up with a harmony that has beguiled musicians the world over. But, it was Paul Pena who seemed to unlock the mystery to the western ear and not only take part but win over the Tuvan audience with his brand of kargyraa style singing. The most amazing part of the story to me is that in order to learn Tuvan, Paul had to learn Russian in Braile in order to translate the words into English, since Tuvan was so rarely heard beyond the steppes of Asia.
This film is so deeply satisfying in its honest presentation of events by the Belic brothers. The enormity of such an undertaking hit them like a thunderbolt when Mario Castella, one of the few other Americans to appreciate Tuvan throat singing had a heart attack, and Paul was running low on medication to treat his depression. Worried that it might be the drum the crew had bought as a souvenier, Kongar-ol Ondar, who had befriended Paul, had the evil spirit removed by a shaman. The storm passed and Paul and the crew were able to enjoy the remaining days in Tuva with Kongar taking them to his home village where he was finally able to get Paul up on a horse and complete this incredible journey.
This is a film you will want to purchase so that you can watch it again and again. It opens up a new vista for those unfamiliar with this incredible music, bringing it home by showing you its wellspring and introducing you to the marvelous Tuvan people, through the ear of a very special man, Paul Pena.
This film is so deeply satisfying in its honest presentation of events by the Belic brothers. The enormity of such an undertaking hit them like a thunderbolt when Mario Castella, one of the few other Americans to appreciate Tuvan throat singing had a heart attack, and Paul was running low on medication to treat his depression. Worried that it might be the drum the crew had bought as a souvenier, Kongar-ol Ondar, who had befriended Paul, had the evil spirit removed by a shaman. The storm passed and Paul and the crew were able to enjoy the remaining days in Tuva with Kongar taking them to his home village where he was finally able to get Paul up on a horse and complete this incredible journey.
This is a film you will want to purchase so that you can watch it again and again. It opens up a new vista for those unfamiliar with this incredible music, bringing it home by showing you its wellspring and introducing you to the marvelous Tuvan people, through the ear of a very special man, Paul Pena.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Filmmakers Roko and Adrian Belec graduated from college with the desire to "Never work a real job in their life". With an extraordinarily low budget, they decided to make a documentary film about the land of Tuva, a country at the north-western border of Mongolia. After reading Ralph Leighton's book "Tuva or Bust!", they contacted the author, who then introduced them to the blind blues guitarist Paul Pena.
Mr. Pena had taught himself to throat sing Tuvan music while listening to the CD "Tuva - Voices from the Centre of Asia". This was around the year 1991, during a period in which Paul was grieving the death of his wife. Alone, in a small apartment in San Francisco, the process of learning Tuvan multiple overtone vocal music provided some much needed distraction from his personal troubles.
Ralph Leighton was also an organizer of the group Friends of Tuva, which he co-founded with Nobel prize winning physicist Richard Feynman. The Friends of Tuva had invited some Tuvan musicians to America to sing as part of a cultural exchange program. During this visit, Mr. Pena formed friendships with the Tuvan vocalists and the idea for "Genghis Blues" was conceived.
Every three years, a throat singing competition is held in Tuva's capital, Kyzyl. Mr. Pena was invited to compete in a contest held there during the year of 1998. This film follows Paul Pena and his new friends on their journey to that remote land, which remains mostly untouched by Western Civilization. The resulting documentary is a story of the hardship of foreign travel, the rewards of cultural exchange, the shared love of music and the creative pursuit of filmmaking.
Though the film is often about experiencing atypical realities, in the closing performance of the blues standard, "You Gotta Move", we can also hear just how talented Paul Pena is in his native tongue. "Genghis Blues" is a film for all who strive to maintain enthusiasm for relating with new people, hearing different points of view, and becoming involved with unique modes of shamanic cultural expression.
Mr. Pena had taught himself to throat sing Tuvan music while listening to the CD "Tuva - Voices from the Centre of Asia". This was around the year 1991, during a period in which Paul was grieving the death of his wife. Alone, in a small apartment in San Francisco, the process of learning Tuvan multiple overtone vocal music provided some much needed distraction from his personal troubles.
Ralph Leighton was also an organizer of the group Friends of Tuva, which he co-founded with Nobel prize winning physicist Richard Feynman. The Friends of Tuva had invited some Tuvan musicians to America to sing as part of a cultural exchange program. During this visit, Mr. Pena formed friendships with the Tuvan vocalists and the idea for "Genghis Blues" was conceived.
Every three years, a throat singing competition is held in Tuva's capital, Kyzyl. Mr. Pena was invited to compete in a contest held there during the year of 1998. This film follows Paul Pena and his new friends on their journey to that remote land, which remains mostly untouched by Western Civilization. The resulting documentary is a story of the hardship of foreign travel, the rewards of cultural exchange, the shared love of music and the creative pursuit of filmmaking.
Though the film is often about experiencing atypical realities, in the closing performance of the blues standard, "You Gotta Move", we can also hear just how talented Paul Pena is in his native tongue. "Genghis Blues" is a film for all who strive to maintain enthusiasm for relating with new people, hearing different points of view, and becoming involved with unique modes of shamanic cultural expression.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By Anita
Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is simply a gem of a movie. Blues singer Paul Pena hears Tuvan throat-singing on short wave radio and is determined to find out what it is and where it comes from. This was years before world music was widely available and so it takes him a while to track down the source. When he does, he teaches himself this style of singing and before he knows it he's being sponsored to go to Tuva to take part in an international competition. This is a movie about music and you may find yourself singing along (or trying to) before the movie is over. You may understand why Paul Pena was so captivated by the sounds that he was determined to make these sounds for himself. If you're as swept away by this singing as I was, you'll want to hear other Tuvan music. But this is also a movie about a country and about friendship. In Tuva he meets and stays with Kongar-ol Ondar, a singer who is quite famous in his country. The hospitality of Ondar, and the warmth and genuine friendship between the two men, makes this much more than just a music documentary.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
worthwhile film
Great representation of a little known musical tradition. It doesn't exoticize the distant land of Tuva, but makes it accessible and relatable. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Taryn
5.0 out of 5 stars
Required viewing.
This lovely TRUE(!!) story about the eager and harmonious meeting of two wildly different musical cultures should be required viewing for any class about music and culture. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Dorothy Keyser
4.0 out of 5 stars
How could this go wrong?
This isn't the best done documentary, but it makes up in the shear quality of its subject and location. Tuvan landscape is so beautiful and the music mysterious and captivating. Read more
Published 2 months ago by John b
5.0 out of 5 stars
Paul Pena in the Middle of Asia - A Must See Documentary
Forgotten Blues performer Paul Pena flies to Tuva to enter a tjhroat singing contest, taking "sand to the beach". Read more
Published 2 months ago by B. R. Blackshaw
5.0 out of 5 stars
Paul Pena
Documentary was well done. I bought it for my Son who was a close friend of Paul. Well done, I would suggest it for anyone.
Published 3 months ago by Dancer
5.0 out of 5 stars
truly wonderful...
one of the films that helped change public perception about documentaries, this film was the first production of the belic brothers, who've gone on to make films together and... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Hakim
4.0 out of 5 stars
such an interesting story
it's not the greatest documentary from a quality standpoint, but the two main characters are amazing people. Definitely worth watching!
Published 5 months ago by Nick
5.0 out of 5 stars
Encounters at the End of the World!
Blind, American bluesman Paul Peña was going through a very tough period of his life, particularly after having lost his wife, when he came across a CD of Tuvan throat... Read more
Published 6 months ago by birthdaynoodle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sweet film
I was asked to watch this film as a introduction to Tuvan throat singing in a class I took this year. This is not a Hollywood blockbuster but it is a vey good amateur film. Read more
Published 9 months ago by White Raven
4.0 out of 5 stars
Genghis Blues -- Richard Feynman
Richard Feynman, world famous Nobel prize winning Physicist, first discovered Tana Tuva from its triangular stamps and he thought that with a capitol city called Kyzyl it must be... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Yvan
