DVD Review - i-Lived (2015)

Tropicalia Review

Rating: 15
UK Release Date: 5th July 2013 (Cinema), 8th July 2013 (DVD)
Director: Marcelo Machado
Cast: Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso
Buy: Tropicalia [Blu-ray] / [DVD]

Marcelo Machado shines his light on the revolutionary spirit of Brazil's late 1960's Tropicalism movement in his vibrant documentary, Tropicalia. Tropicalism used musical and visual arts, fusing traditional Brazilian influences with western fashions to create an avant-garde style which was used to confront the country's cultural and political status quo.

Machado has clearly been strongly influenced by the movement which would, by all accounts, go on the inspire such musicians as David Byrne and Beck. His film is a lovingly crafted patchwork of contemporary footage and talking-head interviews. It's a neat balance of styles which imparts a decent sense of history, while immersing the viewer in the visuals and the noises of what was clearly a tempestuous and creative period.

Giants of the movement: Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil and Tom Ze all share their recollections of what made the period so vital. A bouncing soundtrack from the likes of Os Mutantes provides an intoxicating accompaniment, imparting a discernible sense of time and place.

What's lacking, if anything, is a concise and informative grounding in Brazilian cultural and political history. To a certain degree Tropicalia assumes that you bring that working knowledge with you. All this flag waving and fist pumping is interesting, indeed rousing, but it's sometimes hard to know where this all fits in contextualy. We're repeatedly told that the Tropicalism movement is one of the utmost importance to Brazil; we're rarely told why.

But it's a pretty rum sort who doesn't feel exhilarated by the infectious spontaneity and creativity of Tropicalism. Plonk yourself down to watch this and you'all feel like you've wandered into a beach side cabana bar only to find a Beatles cover band is playing tonight. In which case I imagine you'd grab a caipirinha and thoroughly enjoy yourself.

★★★☆☆

Chris Banks