Mali
Blues (2016/Icarus DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: C Extras: D Film: C+
Africa
has been know to be the birth place of Blues music since the
transatlantic slave trade that carried them over to American slave
fields, but what is Blues music and African culture today? Musicians
and artist today are still be threatened by Islamic fundamentalists,
their music banned and threats on their lives have forced them to
flee their homeland in Lutz Gregor's drama Mali Blues (2016).
African
culture has been ripped up, torn up, rebuilt and redone countless
times by foreign/European countries. Time and time again, they find
their culture threatened not only by Western influence but also by
fascist regimes and zealots within their own culture. Throughout
history, musicians and artists have used music and song to not only
express their joys and sorrows, but to tell their stories of
political/social oppression ...and will continue to do so at the risk
of their lives.
This
was basically a documentary of African music, the music was much like
a fusion of Blues, rap and folk music. While Blues may had origins
in African culture, it has already been heavily influenced by Western
and modern music. Throughout the 3rd-world countries, Africans have
used music to express their hopes and dreams to be free from
oppression and to have control of their own futures and their own
country someday. The only reason why any music is banned is due to a
limited and small (political) minds ...and like all losers in
history, fascism and their ideas will be forgotten in time, while the
music will live on forever.
The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image and lossy Dolby Digital sound
are passable, but a bit lite alone and in combination, though we
expect a Blu-ray would play better. There are sadly no extras.
-
Ricky Chiang
