This blistering examination of American life during and after the Persian Gulf War is one of the most vital experiences I've had with American independent cinema. The story follows the downward trajectory of three New Mexico residents: a woman whose children are the victim of a vicious hate crime because their last name is the same as that of Saddam Hussein; a high school student whose increasing interest in peace activism leads him to run away from his sheltered home; and a returning soldier who indulges in an empty existence while trying to shake off the horrors he's witnessed. The film is not perfect, with some badly acted scenes, and the politics are unquestionably partisan but nothing less than heartfelt. Made over 6 years and 13 credit cards, this film taps into a raw live-wire energy that means everything to the sorry state of independent filmmaking. Both the characters and the film brandish a fierce, wounded innocence that gives way to inconsolable rage at their own ineffectuality under the shadow of war, modulated by some vivid musical and visual digressions, and culminating in a finale of apocalyptic spectacle of fascination and horror. Not everyone will like this, but everyone should see this.
3 Reviews
Obscure Gem: An Experience To Be Contemplated Not Only With Eyes But Mind
samxxxul7 November 2022
While revisiting Akame 48 Waterfalls (2003), the opening scene of this film kept appearing subconsciously as it is etched literally on my mind forever. Whenever i revisit Shinji Somai's Moving (1993) i always draw parallels with the climax of this film definitely been a favourite of mine.
I was clearing out my IMDb lists and bumped into to this title i scrolled down and was so glad to see two reviews. But i was baffled to see Zero reviews plugged in after 2003. About decades later we just got 2 entries which was posted many moons ago, i wonder why no one else has posted anything. Anyways, i have decided to share a brief note on this film which truly holds the definition of criminally overlooked or unsung gems.
The cinema of John Gianvito showed us the horrors of war, the mental drain, economic impact and dominance of USA over Latin America and the Middle East. His documentaries are compelling without going overboard or melodramatic in the traditional genre approach with room for solidarity. My favourite in his filmography is Profit Motive and the Whispering Wind (2007), a brilliant documentary much more than history lecture.
Coming to this film it stands out in Gianvito's catalgue and the presentation here is minimalistic and strikingly different than his other works. Set up in the times of the Persian Gulf war "The Mad Songs of Fernanda Hussein" brings sensitive issues as Gianvito brings three stories that are impacted by the War.
The first story begins with one of my all time favourite opening ever, a guy in bandanna drops a young boy in the Rio Grande river and we see another dead body of a teenage girl floating as there is a close up as the blood dripped down onto the leaves. Then we see the magnificient painting of Paul Delaroche's Young Martyr as the text pops up on the screen that reads the title of the movie.
At the center of the plot is Fernanda Hussein who is the main character and she embarks on the search of her missing kids. Facing the heat of being an outsider she gets targetted by the system and is falsely accused for Pro-Iraqi sentiments. Now we see what the last name "Hussein" has got to do with this bullying as she loses her children a 14-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son who are thrown in the in the river.
Then we have part ii "Orphans of the storms" it follows the part i template and begins with a quote from John Trudell "Dont trust anyone who is'nt angry" aimed at the character a teenager opposed by his conservative pro-war Father for his antiwar principles influenced by his radical teacher in school. He is seen as a weakling and incapable of anything even the acamdemics. Without having a second thought he flees from his home to contribute to the cause and the movement.
Part iii we are dealing with a war veteran who plunges headlong into the aftermath of Operation desert storm and is forced to stray along with guilt. The feeling he shows sucks him into a real hell as he alienates himself from the rest of the world. In a threesome sex which starts with the girls teasing the marine running hands all over his body and nipples and suddenly intercutting between the flashbacks of the killing fields news clips as he confronts the personal scars with the intercourse.
On the music side John Gianvito uses the perfect talent, Iraqi oud player Nasser Shamma managed to compile powerful musical selection as we can see himself perfectly adjusted to the depressive background of the film.
I have to mention about my favorite scenes as it is seared into my memory and tough to just single out one moment or sequence. The most important of all the xenophobic graffiti on Fernandas wall which says 'Arab pigs go home'. Gianvito doesn't opt for a fullblown acting here he uses a realistic approach without giving an burdensome acting or narration. I loved the scene in which Assad and Amir looking out into the sky and discussing about the clouds taking shapes changing patterns a really beautiful moments between the siblings. The shot when the lucky wish bracelet slips off Assads hand in the river was done brilliantly. I was invested in the police station sequence it gives a clue that they are definitely accomplices and have been hand in gloves with the the hate. The cop goes on to suggest Fernanda to change her last name to Sanchez or Lopez. The sungazing shot of the marine presents a tonal shift as the atmosphere is supernatural and masterfully created. Another favorite is the short glimpse of a note "My loves the door is open I've gone to look for you," it evokes a melancholic feeling.
There are many more i can go on and on but ultimate favorite is the climax which is surreal avant-garde madness and otherworldly sight. The closure takes place in a local gathering event known as Zozobra giant burning effigy consumed into the bonfire to get rid of bad vibes and negativity. Fernanda witnesses the entire event as people showcase their carnal impulse that is innate to humanity amidst cheering and "Burn him, Burn him" screams. The primitive mindset psychological heaviness as what drives people to indulge in this trance inducing violence is captured. Fernanda's morality quest is in question mark as the narrative is presented in near abstraction it is superimposed with flickers hyperactive zooms as the giant effigy represents chaos of human nature. It reminded me of the experimental films of Takashi Ito, Dore O, Ishu Patel l, Phil Solomon, Teo Hernndez, Klaus Wyborny, Peggy Ahwesh and Moving (1993) being the most obvious all wrapped up in that edge that Gianvito sinks into the depths of his subconscious.
I was clearing out my IMDb lists and bumped into to this title i scrolled down and was so glad to see two reviews. But i was baffled to see Zero reviews plugged in after 2003. About decades later we just got 2 entries which was posted many moons ago, i wonder why no one else has posted anything. Anyways, i have decided to share a brief note on this film which truly holds the definition of criminally overlooked or unsung gems.
The cinema of John Gianvito showed us the horrors of war, the mental drain, economic impact and dominance of USA over Latin America and the Middle East. His documentaries are compelling without going overboard or melodramatic in the traditional genre approach with room for solidarity. My favourite in his filmography is Profit Motive and the Whispering Wind (2007), a brilliant documentary much more than history lecture.
Coming to this film it stands out in Gianvito's catalgue and the presentation here is minimalistic and strikingly different than his other works. Set up in the times of the Persian Gulf war "The Mad Songs of Fernanda Hussein" brings sensitive issues as Gianvito brings three stories that are impacted by the War.
The first story begins with one of my all time favourite opening ever, a guy in bandanna drops a young boy in the Rio Grande river and we see another dead body of a teenage girl floating as there is a close up as the blood dripped down onto the leaves. Then we see the magnificient painting of Paul Delaroche's Young Martyr as the text pops up on the screen that reads the title of the movie.
At the center of the plot is Fernanda Hussein who is the main character and she embarks on the search of her missing kids. Facing the heat of being an outsider she gets targetted by the system and is falsely accused for Pro-Iraqi sentiments. Now we see what the last name "Hussein" has got to do with this bullying as she loses her children a 14-year-old daughter and a nine-year-old son who are thrown in the in the river.
Then we have part ii "Orphans of the storms" it follows the part i template and begins with a quote from John Trudell "Dont trust anyone who is'nt angry" aimed at the character a teenager opposed by his conservative pro-war Father for his antiwar principles influenced by his radical teacher in school. He is seen as a weakling and incapable of anything even the acamdemics. Without having a second thought he flees from his home to contribute to the cause and the movement.
Part iii we are dealing with a war veteran who plunges headlong into the aftermath of Operation desert storm and is forced to stray along with guilt. The feeling he shows sucks him into a real hell as he alienates himself from the rest of the world. In a threesome sex which starts with the girls teasing the marine running hands all over his body and nipples and suddenly intercutting between the flashbacks of the killing fields news clips as he confronts the personal scars with the intercourse.
On the music side John Gianvito uses the perfect talent, Iraqi oud player Nasser Shamma managed to compile powerful musical selection as we can see himself perfectly adjusted to the depressive background of the film.
I have to mention about my favorite scenes as it is seared into my memory and tough to just single out one moment or sequence. The most important of all the xenophobic graffiti on Fernandas wall which says 'Arab pigs go home'. Gianvito doesn't opt for a fullblown acting here he uses a realistic approach without giving an burdensome acting or narration. I loved the scene in which Assad and Amir looking out into the sky and discussing about the clouds taking shapes changing patterns a really beautiful moments between the siblings. The shot when the lucky wish bracelet slips off Assads hand in the river was done brilliantly. I was invested in the police station sequence it gives a clue that they are definitely accomplices and have been hand in gloves with the the hate. The cop goes on to suggest Fernanda to change her last name to Sanchez or Lopez. The sungazing shot of the marine presents a tonal shift as the atmosphere is supernatural and masterfully created. Another favorite is the short glimpse of a note "My loves the door is open I've gone to look for you," it evokes a melancholic feeling.
There are many more i can go on and on but ultimate favorite is the climax which is surreal avant-garde madness and otherworldly sight. The closure takes place in a local gathering event known as Zozobra giant burning effigy consumed into the bonfire to get rid of bad vibes and negativity. Fernanda witnesses the entire event as people showcase their carnal impulse that is innate to humanity amidst cheering and "Burn him, Burn him" screams. The primitive mindset psychological heaviness as what drives people to indulge in this trance inducing violence is captured. Fernanda's morality quest is in question mark as the narrative is presented in near abstraction it is superimposed with flickers hyperactive zooms as the giant effigy represents chaos of human nature. It reminded me of the experimental films of Takashi Ito, Dore O, Ishu Patel l, Phil Solomon, Teo Hernndez, Klaus Wyborny, Peggy Ahwesh and Moving (1993) being the most obvious all wrapped up in that edge that Gianvito sinks into the depths of his subconscious.
A brilliant concept limited only by mediocre acting
jransom27 March 2003
To be quite honest, the film is not perfect. But even when it fails on a professional level, it still manages to affect the viewer on a human level, and that I believe is the mark of its potential. Now as America plunges once again into war with Iraq, the film's sentiments speak more boldy than ever. We did not learn our lesson the first time. Let me start with what I disliked about the film, this being primarily the acting. Gianvito spends a good deal of time focusing on the thoughts and fears of the film's three lead characters. Because he is so careful to script these parts into touching human drama, it is unfortunate the acting falls through completely at some of its most important moments. I am reminded of Charlie Sheen in Platoon. Like Platoon, the dialogue here is deep, thoughtful, and occasionally shocking, but the actors say it as flat lines rather than breathing life and heart into it. Interestingly enough, in his cameo role, Gianvito seemed far more authentic than the leads, pulling off one line in particular to a student's father that could easily have fallen flat. Fernanda's caring friend and the old woman who takes the homeless boy under her wing are also played meaningfully and full of conviction. My only major issue with the story itself is the use of drugs and sex to portray the soldier's downward spiral. Drugs, especially, seem to pop up in any movie that requires a character to descend quickly into misery. It can be argued that this was a true occurence among those returning from war, but then why shoot the scene as a hyper-erotic scene of promiscuous sex. The sins of indulgence have become a staple of independent cinema and it's sad to see a film as good as this one bearing these trappings. On the other hand, I was completely absorbed by the docu-drama feel of the film. The shots of children obsessed with G.I. Joe, patriotic apparel, and Desert Storm-themed fireworks gave rise to a sick realization that as a child I had been the same way. And it all felt so innocent back then. The soldiers depicted with guns blazing seemed like comic pictures, not reality. I was also impressed that a large amount of the more successful dialogue is shot interview style. This reinforces and enhanced the stock footage used to show world events. The cinematography of the film is spell-binding. Vast Southwestern landscapes of sandstone and prairie grass stretch out to the infinite blue skies. The characters are shot at long distances, like ants. One scene concerning protestors who burn an effigy, turns into a demonic spectacle that managed to scare me more effectively than any horror film I've viewed in the last couple years. All in all, I have to argue that Gianvito created a concept that was completely original, poignant and significant to both my generation and his own, and limited only by his budget and his reliance on mediocre actors. I sincerely hope that Gianvito is able to gather together enough funding to shoot another film that can incorporate a higher degree of acting.
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