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January 7, 2006
Happy New Year!
Whether you stayed home or went club carousing, hope you all had a blast. Now, I wish I could say that video i will be on next week, but the show is in the process of getting close-captioned to abide by new laws that went into effect January 2006. You can be sure though that as soon as this transition is over I’ll be giving you the latest info and gossip on upcoming programs. After all, we do have fast approaching film festivals to cover this year, and those carry their fair share of drama. To switch gears, if your New Year's resolution is to get fit, you can do that indie film style. Read on for some dance moves that will be sure to melt off the eggnog belly faster than you can say 6 a.m. pilates class.
Suffering from independent film withdrawal?
I have a couple of gems to share with you, focusing on some films with a far Eastern flava. We could all use a laugh at the start of the year, so let’s begin with a few spicy shakes of "Curry Comedy." This is guerilla filmmaking at its finest, with some adventurous guys willing to take risks in public to deliver some of the funniest antics I have ever seen. You will need Quicktime Pro to watch this video, which you can download at Apple.
The title of this film is Where not to do Bhangra, which is a lively form of folk music and dance that originated from the Punjabi region of northern India. Around the 14th or 15th Century, Punjabi wheat farmers danced and sang songs about village life to help pass the time while working in the fields. From here the dance quickly moved through all divisions of class and education, eventually becoming a part of weddings, New Year parties, and other important occasions. Bhangra has come a long way in the 20th Century, and has recently taken the entertainment industry by storm. Modern artists have also fused Bhangra with other music genres, such as hip-hop, reggae, and house. While Bhangra has caught on more in the U.K. than in the U.S., these daring dudes at Curry Comedy may change that trend. Watch as the Bhangra Brigade takes on San Jose, the BART train, Walmart, and finally, my alma mater, U.C. Berkeley. Pay close attention to the ahem, shower scene--friggin hilarious! Check it out right here:
Where not to do Bhangra!
Middle Eastern dance like you’ve never seen before…
Just in case you're shakin your tail feather around the house dancing Bhangra, I have another short music video discovery I’d like to share with you called Arabs a-go-go. Before more conservative religious movements took place in the Middle East, Arab women commonly graced celluloid wearing tiny mini-skirts, hot pants, go-go boots, and hip hugging capris. But there was a lot more goin on than just edgy wardrobe. Particularly in Egypt, there was a filmmaking boom that began as early as 1912, when Egyptian producer Abdel Rahman Salheya hired outside technicians to make the first Egyptian short films. After Egypt's revolution in 1952, the government established the High Cinema Institute, which fostered bright new film talent. This filmmaking fever spread to other Arab countries like Lebanon. In this short film, Jackie Salloum does an outstanding job splicing together dance scenes from these various vintage Arabic films, turning the stereotype of Arabs upside down. As you will see in this montage, many Egyptian films mirrored American pop culture, from 1960's beach party films made popular by Annette Funicello, to 1970's exploitation films. The film may take a few seconds to load but it's worth the wait. You can see the music video on Salloum’s site:
Arabs-a-go-go.
Until next time...
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