LATCHO DROM
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1994 James Berardinelli
Rating (0 to 10): 6.6
Date Released: varies Running Length: 1:43 Rated: no MPAA rating (Mature themes)
Director: Tony Gatlif Producer: Michele Ray Written by: Tony Gatlif Cinematography: Eric Guichard Music: Alain Weber Released by Shadow Distribution In various languages with occasional English subtitles
LATCHO DROM, which means "safe journey", has no cast and no dialogue. This film, which tells of the migration of the Gypsies across Europe and Asia, presents its story through song and dance. It is an unusual--and ultimately effective--way to tell the tale of an often-neglected people.
Through the centuries, few groups of people have been as persecuted as the Gypsies. Hitler went after them as assiduously as he did the Jews. Nicolae Ceausescu terrorized them in Romania. Christians castigated them as pagans. Wherever they have traveled, bigotry and hatred have awaited. Yet it is rare to find documentation of their travails. They have become a forgotten footnote in history books.
LATCHO DROM uses Gypsy musicians from seven countries (India, Egypt, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, France, and Spain) to get across its many-faceted message. With song and dance, they tell of their long journeys, the anger directed at their people, and their own indomitable will. The carefully-constructed picture of the Gypsies could not be clearer, and the brushwork is accomplished without spoken words.
Director Tony Gatlif uses images to reinforce the power of his aural message. The most memorable of these occurs when a concentration camp survivor is singing a mournful dirge about Auschwitz. We see lonely footsteps in the snow, and the impression is as chilling as the weather.
Much of LATCHO DROM is upbeat, however, concentrating on the Gypsy zest for life. Many of the songs are designed to be accompanied by clapping, and the dancers move their hips in a manner that is suggestive and sensual. One scene illustrates the healing power of song as an impromptu performance by a band of roving Gypsies teases a smile from a young woman on the verge of tears.
The most impressive quality of LATCHO DROM is how much history it manages to convey using such an unorthodox manner of story-telling. The film is a sensory banquet of colorful costumes, lively dancers, and emotional songs. There are limits to what can be accomplished exclusively with music and camerawork, however. Coupled with a slow (and, at times, almost-somnolent) pace, this occasionally makes the movie's greatest asset its most noticeable weakness.
On balance, though, those in the picture's small target audience are likely to find LATCHO DROM both appealing and engaging. It is undeniably different.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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