Iberia, a series of outstanding flamenco dances inspired by composer Isaac Albéniz, exhibits an even better Saura, dealing with multimedia concepts and a more contemporary concept of dance and music. The movie, dancers, musicians, the dance and the music, all are equally important: the camera shows various aspects of music interpretation, examining not only technical issues, but also the emotional experience of playing.
Saura's interest on the bridge between classical and contemporary music and dance is one more ingredient in morphing this movie into his most aesthetically exciting work yet. An amazing ensemble of music, dance, drama and great cinema with an unstoppably intense ethnic mix of music, singing, dancing and that peacock manner of noble preening that is the essence of Spanish flamenco style.
Iberia is a musical film, trying to recreate on the screen the musical we go and see to a theatre. Based on the music by a Spanish classical composer, Isaac Albéniz, many artists from different backgrounds (classical, flamenco, Spanish folk, contemporary Spanish dance) tell the "story" of the film playing, singing, and mainly dancing. |
