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Movies / On DVD / Vengo
Vengo

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Vengo (2001)

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62 %
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Reviews Counted: 37

Fresh: 23

Rotten:14

Average Rating: 5.7/10

Runtime: 90 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Celebrating the art of flamenco dancing and the culture from which it was born, VENGO is about a centuries-old dispute between two gypsy families in Andalusia, Spain. Separated into two groups of constantly battling gangs, the families... Celebrating the art of flamenco dancing and the culture from which it was born, VENGO is about a centuries-old dispute between two gypsy families in Andalusia, Spain. Separated into two groups of constantly battling gangs, the families struggle to move beyond violence to overcome their misunderstandings. Between confrontations, a physically disabled young man, Diego (Orestes Villasan Rodriguez), who has a passion for flamenco music and dance, is entertained by his uncle, Caco (Antonio Canales). Caco, whose own daughter died young, treats Diego like a son. To nurture Diego's love of flamenco, Caco arranges for some of the top performers in the region to come give concerts. In an especially powerful scene, La Caita, a gypsy singer, wails her liberating anthems in a Seville restaurant. Tony Gatlif (LATCHO DROM, GADJO DILO) directs this culturally rich, soulful film, which uses the rapid tempo of flamenco percussion to express both happiness and pain. A jumping, unsteady camera, and an often blurry focus give VENGO a visually realistic, documentary feeling. Extreme close-ups draw viewers to the characters, while distanced shots of eclectic parties and performances push the viewer back away from the action reinforcing the awe and admiration that spectators enjoy. It is also interesting to note that the lead actor, Antonio Canales, who is an accomplished flamenco dancer in real life, does not dance in the film. [More]

Starring: Antonio Canales, Orestes Villasan Rodriguez, Antonio Perez Dechent, Bobote

Starring: Antonio Canales, Orestes Villasan Rodriguez, Antonio Perez Dechent, Bobote, Juan Luis Corrientes, Fernando Guerrero Rebollo, Francisco Chavero Rios, Jose Ramirez El Cheli, Juan-Luis Barrios Llorente

Director: Tony Gatlif

Director: Tony Gatlif
Screenwriter: David Trueba, Tony Gatlif
Studio: Cowboy Pictures

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Vengo

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
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challenging and engaging

comment Comment
07/19/04
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
05/29/08
David Stratton
Variety
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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
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No review available.

comment Comment
06/19/05
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
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Spare and beautiful visually, lush and bracing aurally...

Full Review Source: Flick Filosopher | comment Comment
08/06/03
MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher
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Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Film Threat
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
08/17/02
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
N/R

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Full Review Source: Denver Rocky Mountain News | comment Comment
08/09/02
Robert Denerstein
Denver Rocky Mountain News
Ratings Image

An often soul-stirring experience showcasing some of the best flamenco artists in the world.

Full Review Source: Oregonian | comment Comment
01/04/02
Kim Morgan
Oregonian
Ratings Image

As good as the music is, the overall film only suggests what a flamenco drama might be, leaving the viewer hungry for a more fulfilling realization of the concept.

Full Review Source: culturevulture.net | comment Comment
12/29/01
Arthur Lazere
culturevulture.net
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It is flamenco that shapes and forms this film, leading it several intricate steps beyond ordinary.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Examiner | comment Comment
12/28/01
Jodi Paper
San Francisco Examiner
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The combination of drama and music gives the film a stop-and-go quality, like a mixture of documentary and fiction.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
12/28/01
Bob Graham
San Francisco Chronicle
Ratings Image

While the film isn't perfect, it nonetheless captures the dangerously emotional world of both flamenco music and the Spanish Gypsies who use it to stave off the inevitable vagaries of Romany life.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
12/09/01
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
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Spectacular film.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
12/09/01
Maria Garcia
Film Journal International
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Captures the imagination even without a plot.

Full Review Source: Dallas Morning News | comment Comment
11/29/01
Margaret Putnam
Dallas Morning News
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Filled with dazzling moments, Vengo never quite reaches the heights those moments promise.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
11/29/01
Patrick Z. McGavin
Chicago Tribune
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A starkly beautiful ode to flamenco culture.

Full Review Source: Miami Herald | comment Comment
11/08/01
Jordan Levin
Miami Herald
Ratings Image

Feels like a song you may have heard before, but one whose aching beauty makes it endlessly listenable.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
11/02/01
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
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With its compulsive beat of drums, guitars and feet, the sometimes Moorish wailings, the lyrics of startling conviction (typical: 'My soul, it hurts so bad'), Vengo has all the fire it needs.

Full Review Source: San Diego Union-Tribune | comment Comment
11/02/01
David Elliott
San Diego Union-Tribune
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