Cheap Genghis Blues (DVD) (Roko Belic) Price

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Customer Reviews of Genghis Blues

Don't let this one pass you by!
Being a sometime listener of Tuvan music, I rented this one expecting something like a music video. There is plenty of great music here to be sure, but its just a sideline to the real story, which is a personal and spiritual journey of discovery. There are many threads here: dealing with the limitations of blindness and depression, the arduous journey to the remote outpost of Tuva, and of course, the cultural and linguistic barriers encountered upon arriving. The manner in which Pena faces and overcomes these obstacles is nothing short of inspiring.

The filmmakers provided excellent insight into what it's like to be blind, and indeed, into the soul of Paul Pena himself; I truly felt acquainted with the man when the end credits rolled. What also came through was the incredible openness and warmth of the Tuvan people; what else can you say about a people who give a total outsider their highest award despite (or because of) the fact that he took their music and transformed it into something uniquely personal?

This could well be the best film I've seen this year, and I recommend it without reservation to absolutely anyone. It's an oasis of pure humanity and hope in the cultural desert, and the perfect antidote to the oh-so-hip cynicism that afflicts most media these days. And after watching it, you may find yourself actually liking some of that weird throat-singing stuff...

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a story of music and friendship
This is simply a gem of a movie. Blues singer Paul Pena hears Tuvan throat-singing on short wave radio and is determined to find out what it is and where it comes from. This was years before world music was widely available and so it takes him a while to track down the source. When he does, he teaches himself this style of singing and before he knows it he's being sponsored to go to Tuva to take part in an international competition. This is a movie about music and you may find yourself singing along (or trying to) before the movie is over. You may understand why Paul Pena was so captivated by the sounds that he was determined to make these sounds for himself. If you're as swept away by this singing as I was, you'll want to hear other Tuvan music. But this is also a movie about a country and about friendship. In Tuva he meets and stays with Kongar-ol Ondar, a singer who is quite famous in his country. The hospitality of Ondar, and the warmth and genuine friendship between the two men, makes this much more than just a music documentary.

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Excellent
If you are of an inquisitive nature, and enjoy the social aspects of this world....various cultures, etc; and appreciate the sounds of all music, you will be fascinated by the incredible possiblilities of the voice and the spiritual journey that this enhanced.........I would recommend this to everybody....perhaps something new would be learned for you and the people that you as well adviced to watch it......sally in Portland