REMBETIKO sparked a rediscovery of rembetika music, the Greek blues. This passionate, soulful music, born of the plight and pain of the poor, captured the hearts and imaginations of the Greek people. Costas Ferris s classic film is the tale of a Greek singer s remarkable career from the backstreet taverns of Pireas to the nightclubs of Chicago.
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December 23, 2010
#1
Songs of the underworld,
An oustanding, a real breakthrough film by Costas Ferris: the story of rembetika singer (based on true facts of various artists). Voted Most popular Greek film ever in 2000, Silver Bear Award (Berlin Film Festival); Valencia Film Festival; Alexandria Film Festival etc…
Rembetika (or rebetika) was known in Greece and Minor Asia since last century (perhaps even earlier), but after the exodus of Greeks from Turkey in the 20s, thousands of people had to settle in extreme poverty and under almost non-human conditions… The underworld was born – with pimps, criminals, smugglers,spivs, prostitutes, junkies and drug dealers… That was the music of the underworld created under strong influence of music tradition of Minor Asia and Middle East and, very often, not without influence of hashish. That was a Greek equivalent of urban blues – if I may say so. That was a broken soul and a bleeding heart crying – without any hope and with only wish to forget the misery of existence for an instance.
The soundrack (music by Stavros Xarhakos)is heartbreaking.
If you wish to understand better, buy also a book by Elias Petropoulos “Songs of the Greek underworld: The Rebetika Tradition” (the best ever written) -Songs Of The Greek Underworld: The Rebetika Tradition.
As the film success pushed Costas Ferris into further research of rembetika, he managed to produce a musical show, which toured around the world. Although they didn’t perform the real rembetika, the “updated” versions were more acceptable for the general (ignorant) audience. So, another CD “Apopse stou Thoma” (recorded for Costas Ferris show, and released in 1991 on Astria/Fabelsound in Greece) is highly recommended. As it might be not so easy to find, try Rembetika: Greek Music From the Underworld.
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|December 23, 2010
#2
True Rembetiko,
I’ve had the soundtrack to this movie on 33rpm for years now. When my wife and I cook dinner we like music matching the cuisine we are making. This soundtrack is the best. The movie takes the music into an incredible though fictional story of the lives of musicians that fled Smyrna and went to Greece. Though based on real musicains, the story outcome is quite different from truth,. Nonetheless, it is harrowing, and the music is wonderful. Recommended for any true lover of Greek music.
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|December 23, 2010
#3
Great music, mediocre film,
This is the extended cut, but no extra features besides a lightly informative booklet. Worth the money, but not very entertaining.
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