Customer Reviews

Genghis Blues [VHS]

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I saw this documentary at the Seattle International Film Festival a year or two ago. I had no idea at the time where Tuva was, or what throatsinging was, but a friend of mine had been telling me about it, so I thought I would check this out. I was stunned with how incredible this man's story was. I also enjoyed an insight into the culture of a tiny tiny country with its singular vocal styling. Those of us who went to see this that night were treated to the surprise or our lives. Kangor-al Ondar had travelled for several days from Tuva to Seattle to attend the showing of this documentary, and gave a short concert afterwards. It was an experience I will never ever forget.

You owe it to yourselves to check this DVD out. I guarantee it will be a story you have never heard before, and because of the remoteness of Tuva, you may never have the opportunity to hear of, ever again!

These film-makers followed their instincts and Richard Feynman's legacy to craft this gorgeous, inspirational trip to the center of Asia and a man's dream. The characters and landscapes make this documentary extremely captivating if the story doesn't get you first. This film is a MUST SEE for musicians, students, teachers, dreamers, San Franciscans, travellers, shamans and anyone who respects the notion that anything is possible.

This movie was recommended to me during a local film festival, and I went along not really knowing what to expect. From the outset, I was captured by the humanity of it all - a miracle of the media - blind muzo Paul Pena, sitting in his LA apartment, listening to his short-wave radio, little knowing that he would later end up winning prizes in the very unusual art form he was hearing for the first time. The movie then follows him to Tuva in north-west Asia, home of the throat-singers, where he makes new friends and learns more about the skill involved, all the while preparing for the annual competition.

It's hard not to be impressed by what you hear - the sounds of throat-singing (and the impressive vocal harmonics which result), combined with Pena's more natural blues influences. Well worth a look, even if it's just for the story alone!

If you want to know how true friendship and human spirit of love can bridge any cultural, racial, or ethnic gap and geographic distance between people even today, you must definitely see this film. I would suggest that college humanity professors consider including this film in their course curriculum. I've traveled around many remote corners of the world and never seen anything more touching than the story in this film.

I recently read a short obituary for Paul Pena in which this documentary was mentioned, and was inspired to rent it. What a beautiful story it is! Not unlike the fictional protagonist in "Schultze gets the Blues," Paul Pena, a blind musician living in San Francisco, was fiddling with his short-wave radio one day and came across some Mongolian music which turned out to be Tuvan throat singing, a fascinating art form virtually unknown in the United States. Through long and exhaustive study (which included the laborious translation of songs from Tuvan to Russian to English, because there is no Tuvan-English dictionary, using Braille), Pena taught himself this genre and mastered the art to the point where he was invited to travel to Tuva and compete in the national throat singing competition. The film includes a delightful cast of characters ("characters" as in: unique individuals) who travel with Pena, and a fascinating look at the handsome and deeply spiritual Tuvan people, who welcomed Pena with incredible warmth and kindness -- to the point where he actually felt a stronger bond with them than with his community back in the U.S. Truly a special film not to be missed. PS I rate this film FIVE BIG STARS but maybe I goofed and Amazon's program doesn't permit the number of stars to change once a review is sumbitted.

I first saw the movie "Genghis Blue" on the Sundance channel and it touched me so much. It made me wanting to learn more and more about Kongar-ol and Paul. I bought a VHS and watched it mostly everyday because I was so amaze by the sound they made. This movie is a "must see" movie! If I enjoyed it, so can you!

I was first introduced to Paul Pena through the Documentary that aired on TV. I had heard throat singing back when I was a small child living here in Alaska. When I heard "Earthquake" sing, I was instantly transported back to that time in Anaktuvuk Pass Alaska, where the Greenlanders where in a song festival, but Paul was so much better. He really did put his trust in the Friends of Tuva to go off, half way aroung the world, in the first place. When he got there he was kept in a whirl and somewhat out of his element, but he prevailed with style and the same grace that he's had for so many years. He entered the Triennial Khoomei Competition, in the Kargyrua category for his rendition of Kargyraa Moan. He was by far the most popular entertainer there at the contest judging from the fact that they wouldn't let him off the stage.
Unfortunatly he has been very ill for the last couple of years and I feel that this is a testiment to his very special talent. I also enjoyed the DVD which had added attractions of additional concert footage.
Although this isn't main stream it is well worth the money to see one of the treasures live and in action... I highly recommend this DVD to everybody!