Michael Doucet
Michael Doucet, a Grammy-nominee and member of the band Beausoleil, has proved over that he knows how to play the Cajun fiddle. He has said that his personal Cajun style has been influenced by the music of great talents Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Tennessee Ernie Ford. During this instructional video, Doucet shares tips with fiddle students about mastering various fingerings and learning to fully feel the beat of the music before adding Cajun embellishments to a variety of tunes. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
This lively documentary takes the viewer deep into the Cajun and Zydeco musical world of Louisiana, and features interviews and performances from some of the best known musicians, as it traces the history of both musical forms using archival footage from the 1930s onward. That history is inextricably intertwined with the history of the people who settled Louisiana, and the documentary illuminates that story with interviews from historians and folklore specialists. Among the many musicians featured are Clifton Chenier, Queen Ida, and Wayne Toups. These two musical forms were almost obliterated by the influx of U.S. popular music when rural Louisiana became less isolated after World War Two, but they underwent a revival in the 1960's which has continued to this day. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Doucet, Marc Savoy, (more)
- 1988
An author (Pierre Etaix), an actress (Nicole Calfan) and a stage manager (Jean Carmet) star in this plotless story about the preparation of a new play. Scenes of the audience are inserted to move along this story within a story. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Carmet, Nicole Calfan, (more)
- 1986
This inexpensive but effusively energetic film is set in Louisiana's Cajun country of the 19th century. Belizaire (Armand Assante), unofficial spokesman for his people, butts heads with local bigots who want to rid the area of Cajuns. Belizaire's former girlfriend (Gail Youngs) is now the common-law wife of the film's main antagonist (Will Patton), the son of a wealthy landowner. When Patton is murdered, the locals try to pin the blame on the rabble-rousing Belizaire. He confesses, but only to save his cousin, who'd previously been targeted for lynching. All plot pieces fall into place on the day of Belizaire's scheduled execution. Although an American film, Belizaire the Cajun was unable to get US distribution until it was showered with praise at the Cannes Film Festival. Visually, the film is a banquet, but the multi-dialect soundtrack can be very difficult to follow at times. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Armand Assante, Gail Youngs, (more)
