It's said that the tango is a dance of passion, and nowhere is that more ably
demonstrated than in Carlos Saura's involving new film, Tango. With only
the thinnest of narrative threads linking scenes and moments together, this
movie becomes a celebration of the dance from which it takes its name.
Approximately three-quarters of the nearly two-hour running time is devoted to
expertly-choreographed performances featuring dancers of exceptional skill,
sensuality, and poise. In general, I do not identify myself as a connoisseur of
any particular kind of dancing, but Tango captured my attention early and
held it throughout.
While the music is undeniably important (only a fool would argue that point),
this is as much a celebration of visual splendor and diversity as it is an audio
feast. Saura (Carmen, Flamenco) uses celluloid the way a master painter
uses a canvas. Tango is an orgy of colors and images - an intense sensory
experience that stands out as one of the most memorable I have recently seen.
The contributions of veteran cinematographer Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse
Now) and composer Lalo Schifrin are as significant as those made by the
actors and Saura himself.
Tango is not entirely without a plot, but that's definitely not the
film's forte. The main character is Mario Suarez (Miguel Angel Sola), a film
maker who is in the process of producing a musical in which various episodes of
Argentinean history are presented via dances. From immigrants entering Buenos
Aires around the turn of the century to Argentina's recent, repressive
government, Mario's film ranges over a variety of themes and topics. The leading
actress/dancer is Laura Fuentes (Cecilia Narova), Mario's ex-wife. Near the
beginning of Tango, he still carries a torch for her, but, after an
explosion of jealousy and desire, he is able to move forward romantically. He
falls deeply in love with a young, lithe dancer named Elena (Mia Maestro), who,
as luck would have it, is the girlfriend of the gangster who is funding Mario's
project.
Like Sally Potter's far less compelling The Tango
Lesson, Tango refuses to be bounded by conventional storytelling
techniques, and those who crave a narrative will be disappointed. Saura boldly
blurs the lines between Mario's reality, his dreams, and the film within the
film. On more than one occasion (especially during the climactic tango), we're
unsure whether what we're watching is happening around Mario or whether it is a
manifestation of his imagination. One dance in particular, which features men
and women being brutally tortured then dumped into mass graves, is as evocative
as any filmed nightmare.
The lead performers do credible jobs, both in terms of their acting and their
dancing. Miguel Angel Sola is the only major actor who doesn't participate in a
tango (the character has a bad leg). As Saura's alter-ego, Sola is solid and
provides an anchor around which everything else can flow. Cecilia Narova and Mia
Maestro, in addition to moving with grace and style, are capable of delivering
convincing dialogue, as well. Displaying equal parts menace and charisma, Juan
Luis Galiardo has an effective supporting turn as Elena's gangster companion.
Ultimately, however, the memorable aspect of Tango isn't the acting,
but the many dances that the paper-thin storyline holds together. Working in
concert, Saura and Storaro use a variety of methods to tantalize the eyes:
silhouettes, shadows, reflections, and hues that span the spectrum from blood
red to pastel violet. Lighting and color play a vital role in every aspect of
Tango, and it's clear that a great deal of planning went into the movie's
visual composition. The result, a sumptuous and energetic example of filmed
poetry, testifies to the success of Saura's approach.
© 1999 James Berardinelli
From movie-reviews.colossus.net
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