Tango

Rating:
Summary: Rich And Breathtaking
Review: "Tango" by Carlos Saura is pure artistic filmmaking of the highest order. Like his "Flamenco," this movie vibrates with energy and flavor through the way he combines the story with the music, in the way he allowes the film to be entirely driven by the music, which is some of the best tango music you will ever hear. The photography by the great Vitorrio Storraro is breathtaking with colors that nearly jump off the screen. Saura, the best director to emerge from Spain since Luis Bunuel, presents his brilliance for composition here. The story is intriguing, stylish and nicely detailed with a dash of romance. "Tango" is daring, romantic, breathtaking and a pure delight. The performances never falter and are always convincing. There are surprises at every corner and the camera is always alive. "Tango" is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: In the tradition of Carlos SAURA! AMAZING! FANTASTIC!
Review: A romance through the story of tango, music, dance and history of Argentina. This is not a lesson on how-to tango, but a travel deep into the spirit of tango. A "must" for anybody who loves Argentina, her people, culture, dance & music. Carlos Saura: A true master in the tradition of "Carmen" and other masterpieces!

Rating:
Summary: Learn to dance Argentine Tango from this movie
Review: Beginners - you will have troubled following most of the material even with the rewind and slow motion buttons.

Intermediate/Advance Dancers - you will get some good ideas.

Accomplished Amateurs - you will see nothing new.

As a movie, the story line is very simple and not particularly moving, but it was beautifully done.

Rating:
Summary: Learn to dance Argentine Tango from this movie
Review: Beginners - you will have troubled following most of the material even with the rewind and slow motion buttons.

Intermediate/Advance Learners - you will get some good ideas.

Accomplished Amateurs - you will see nothing new.

As a movie, the story line is very simple and not particularly moving, but it was beautifully done.

Rating:
Summary: Story of Choreographing Argentine Tango Musical...
Review: Being no expert at the Tango, it seems like this film uses the national song/dance of Argentina to chronicle the nation's culture and recent history. Some interesting character studies pave the way, along with a couple of frustrated love affairs. The story line shows a group of show musical directors and producers working through tango ballet scenes, all of which must be top of the line. This includes schoolchidren at dance class on the most innocent end, along with a savage reenactment of the "disappeared" of the late 1970's, ending with a scene of immigrants. Some of the scenes may suggest the best dance acts of WEST SIDE STORY, so if you like that one, don't miss this Argentine production!! Like a two hour trip through the tango filled studios and streets of Buenos Aires!!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: Carlos Saura strikes again with an Argentine version of his "Carmen". Great dancing, great music and a dialog that wraps the whole thing in an interesting enigma.

Rating:
Summary: A Vivid Blur
Review: Carlos Saura's Tango is a film about art imitating life. In this case the art in question is a stage production composed of several elaborately choreographed tango dances that will attempt to encompass years of Argentine history along with the all its author's ill-defined compulsions. That author, or in this case the director, is Mario Suarez (Miguel Angel Sola), a quite, recently single middle-aged man. In the film's opening scene, the camera pans over cinematographer Vittorio Storaro's breathtaking rendition of Buenos Aires and into the director's apartment where he sits, miserable and lonely listening to an intense carol on a well worn gramophone, the subtitles say "Oh life is strange". It's a great opening scene.

Mario is upset at Laura, the women he used to live with, and angrily confronts her. "I am living with another man now. I'm happy" she says. The situation frizzles relatively peacefully. But Mario still has to work with her, and watch as she dances the tango with her new lover. Later, at a party he is surprised to learn that one of his investors, infact the one who is putting up half of the money is a Mafioso (Juan Luis Galiardo), who asks Mario to consider casting his petite, dance loving girlfriend. The Mafioso is an entirely reasonable man, "I realize that what I'm asking is expected, but all I ask is that you audition her. No favoritism." Then he points out the splendid girl in question, Elena (Mia Maestro), dancing with an older gentleman. Mario is understandably smitten. He instantly agrees.

Before you start drawing parallels with Woody Allen's wonderfully off the wall Bullets Over Broadway, the resultant love triangle or (square, if you add Mario's ex-girlfriend into the equation) is largely expressed in numerous, intense tango dances that may be part of the show's rehearsals or just a figment of Mario's imagination. In an early scene, Mario, in heavily metaphorical mood describes himself to Elena as "One of those lions that roam Africa. A solitary creature." She smiles, a little puzzled. "I know my analogy is pretentious. But vivid." Which exactly describes tango heavy rest of the film, pretentious yet vivid.

Speaking of Tango, that lecherous dance. The sequences in the film are self-contained masterpieces of lighting and choreography. And for this, Storarro and the production designer deserve as much credit as the the writer/director, Saura. You'd think that once you've seen one perfected dance, you've seen them all. Not so. Each dance has its own energy, intrigue and personality. Had these dances more life to imitate, and had they been used more economically they would have really meant a lot more. As a result, a film with over one hour of dance will irritate dance fanatics with the unnecessary story, and will be bemoaned by movie lovers who want more of that story. Moreover, as surprisingly malleable as Tango is, it can not in of itself tell a story. At one point an anxious Mario reflects on what there is of his dilemma and says something to the effect of "I've lost a woman, now I've fallen for another. Is it love, or is just obsession. How can I dramatize this (make a dance of it)? No, this is just silly. It can't be dramatized". That's sound advice. Saura should have listened.

Rating:
Summary: A film out of the ordinary!
Review: Exquisite! A precious gem of a film! The color, the photography, the story, and best of all the excitement of the Tango!

Rating:
Summary: candy for the eyes and ears even though the plot is dry
Review: I could not get enough of this movie because of the way in which the dancing, lighting, music blended beautifully. I have never seen anything like it before. As a matter of fact, I thought it was so invigorating that I watched it three times in a row. As soon as I finished watching this movie I went out to buy the soundtrack because of the outstanding work that was done by Argentinian musician Lalo Schifrin. The only thing that needs work in this movie is the plot. It is not a very good one and leaves you wondering why they paired Elena and Mario in the first place. Nevertheless, the artwork ( choreography, music, and cinematography) of the movie speaks for itself and therefore I give it 5 stars.

Rating:
Summary: Great moments, no story
Review: I don't really understand why so many tango movies seem like they would be better as a series of short films. But I have yet to see a decent whole one.

This is the most extreme of the lot: some gorgeous and touching scenes (I especially like the girls-only scene, and the old musicians jamming), but on the whole the movie is ridiculous and immature. It looks like it should be ripped for MTV.