Finally, there's a movie that goes straight for the throat. Throatsinging, that is.
Admittedly, that very unusual, multi-harmonic vocal styling -- which sounds akin to either an Australian didjeridoo at its lowest tones or at its most high-pitched, a tin whistle -- may not appeal to every music lover. But "Genghis Blues" should appeal to every music documentary lover.This smart, funny and ultimately uplifting filmed "diary" chronicles blind blues musician Paul Pena's 1995 trek to Tuva, a small country sandwiched between Siberia and Mongolia, and the numerous cultural exchanges that resulted from that trip.
And aside from a couple of missteps (such as clunky montage sequences), it's a completely absorbing piece that doesn't feel anywhere near as long as its 90 minutes. Of course, it helps that Pena is such a fascinating subject -- one who's certainly worthy of a full-length documentary portrait, regardless of his interest in other musical styles.
Pena, probably best known for his session work, as well as penning the song "Jet Airliner" for the Steve Miller Band, first heard throatsinging on a pirate radio transmission more than 15 years ago. But that was enough for Pena to try to emulate it for the next decade.
Then, when a group of Tuvan throatsingers toured the United States, Pena impressed the group's vocalists with his self-taught talent that he wound up being invited to the Tuvan Throatsinging Competition and Symposium, a triennial contest that brings together the country's most notable talents.
Having performed with some of the greats (including B.B. King and Bonnie Raitt), Pena wasn't too daunted by that invitation/challenge and headed to the tiny country, accompanied by friends and first-time filmmakers Roko and Adrian Belic.
But in spite of their support, as well as that of his "guide," Tuvan performer Kongar-ol Ondar, Pena began to get cold feet when the day of the competition arrived -- especially after being told that the song he was planning to perform has been "banned" by local authorities.
That may seem like enough story for a documentary right there, but surprisingly there's still a lot more to "Genghis Blues" than that, and the Belic brothers have captured it all beautifully. They've assembled their footage quite well, as the movie has a convincing story structure and relatively few slow or uninteresting parts.
In fact, there haven't been many more riveting moments on the screen this year than the scene wherein Pena finally performs in front of a jam-packed crowd at the National Theatre of Tuva -- or the crowd's reaction to his performance (and vice-versa).
"Genghis Blues" is not rated but would probably receive a PG-13 for profanity (including one use of the so-called "R-rated" curse word), brief athletic violence and a scene of animal slaughtering, which includes some gore.