Ile Aiye (The House of Life) - A Film by David Byrne
With the earthy, yet otherworldlyIlé Aiyé(The House of Life), David Byrne (True Stories) explores the spirit cult of Candomblé. Based in the Bahia region of Brazil, the African-originated religion permeates all aspects of the culture. Byrne incorporates music, dance, interviews, and clips from old black-and-white Brazilian movies into his documentary. Narration is kept to a minimum and the visuals do most of the talking--along with the rhythmic, trance-inducing songs, accompanied by translations of their evocative lyrics. As befits a former art student--and Talking Head--Byrne does get a little "arty" at times, as when he places screens within screens (much like Peter Greenaway'sPillow Book). Fortunately, the effect isn't as distracting as it sounds and is only used sporadically.Ilé Aiyéis a must for fans of Byrne's groundbreakingBrazil Classics, Vol. 1compilation, on which Tropicalia legend Caetano Veloso sings the lovely number of the same name.--Kathleen C. Fennessy