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Review #211 of 365
Film: Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul [R] 90 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $13.50
Where Viewed: Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 10 August 2006
Time: 5:30 p.m.
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DVD | soundtrack |
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
Last week it was the music of Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man which I could not get out of my mind, now it is an amalgam of Turkish rap, soul, and street music. After seeing this Fatih Akin-directed, Fatih Akin-written documentary called, Crossing the Bridge: The Sound Of Istanbul which features the German musician Alexander Hacke traveling all over Istanbul and neighboring cities in Turkey to get a feel for what Turkish music is today, I think I have a solution for world peace. Send Fatih to make a film in every country in the world about the music scene and then invite everyone, in every country, watch every film. Unbelievable. There is no possible way you can hate a group or culture of people after seeing a film like this for it showcases the highs and lows and the inbetweens of every slice of life in the city as it maps onto the those who represent the entire nation. Turkey, lest we not forget, is an Islamic nation. Yeah, you don't hear about that very much, and some nations who are labeled as part of the Islamic world resent that people always forget about Turkey. But, then again, as one of the most westernized of the Islamic nations, some of the Islamic nations consider them sell-outs. So, Turkey, just sort of does all it can to stay out of world politics as much as possible while meanwhile blazing ahead proving that a thoroughly modern Islamic nation can exist just fine without all of the concepts most westerners subscribe to Islam that really, rather, are Middle Eastern cultural practices—like a lack of rights for women—a Middle Eastern nation concept, not an Islamic concept. In any case, I can think of no better, faster way to get a look at an international culture than to see a movie filmed in the heart of one of its greatest cities.
"…a fascinating film filled with fantastic music and amazing musicians."
When you make the movie a documentary about the music scene, however, you get the mother lode of information and perspective. One of my gauges I often apply is to see if, at the end, I'm drawn to want to go visit. Well, I already looked into airfares to Turkey. Wow! Look at the picture above and then imagine a bustling, thriving metropolis filled with industrious people all working hard to better their economy and their nation. Meanwhile, picture a thriving music scene as robust as any you'd find in the USA or Western Europe but one that capitalizes on 1000s of years of musical history that is very unique. Then you toss in a language that nearly sounds like singing when spoken in the first place with lots of rolling letters and melodic tones, and you get a version of rap music that even I, a self-proclaimed 'anti-raptonian' could appreciate as being an amazing form of aural communication. I loved the interviews with the charming rap artists as they explained that unlike their USA counterparts, their music was really about the human condition as it applies to all people and not just about gangstas killin' and chillin'. It was very insightful. The film does a particularly good job of showing the people as they truly are and not as rehearsed public figures but rather as genuine artists who love their music and love the impact their music has on others. They are not shooting for a multi-million dollar recording contract, they are really taking on issues and trying to use their form of art or expression to provide political commentary to the youth, inspire hard work, and motivate everyone to have a good time in the face of hard times.
All tolled this was a fascinating film filled with fantastic music and amazing musicians. I try to envision what the USA version would be like or the Brazilian, or the Israeli, or the…well you get the idea. Films like this one cannot help but bring cultures closer to understanding each other, and we would all benefit from taking the time to get to know and understand our global compatriots. It cannot be a coincidence that throughout the history of human beings on this planet, there has always been music. When we seek the ties that bind, maybe we need look no further than our common ear for music.
All tolled this was a fascinating film filled with fantastic music and amazing musicians. I try to envision what the USA version would be like or the Brazilian, or the Israeli, or the…well you get the idea. Films like this one cannot help but bring cultures closer to understanding each other, and we would all benefit from taking the time to get to know and understand our global compatriots. It cannot be a coincidence that throughout the history of human beings on this planet, there has always been music. When we seek the ties that bind, maybe we need look no further than our common ear for music.
Crossing The Bridge: The Sound Of Istanbul [DVD](2005)
| CD Soundtrack | DVD | |
Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul Review-lite [150-word cap]
Last week the soundtrack of Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man wouldn't leave my mind, this week it is an amalgam of Turkish rap, soul, and street music trapped in my cerebrum. Delivered via the Fatih Akin-directed, Fatih Akin-written documentary entitled, Crossing the Bridge: The Sound Of Istanbul, the film features the German musician Alexander Hacke traveling all over Istanbul and neighboring cities in Turkey to get a feel for what Turkish music is like today. I can think of no better, faster way to get a look at an international culture than to see a documentary filmed in the heart of one of its greatest cities. Yet, when you make the movie a documentary about the music scene, you get the mother lode of information and perspective. This was a fascinating film filled with fantastic music and amazing musicians. Could films like this be the solution to world peace?
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