Saturday, February 23, 2013
HOME IS WHERE YOU LIVE
Today's film was the documentary by Aaron Schock
A NYTimes Critics' Pick.
As Schock tells it, he had decided to do a film from "inside Mexico", that is, far away from the border with the US stuff. Totally from the other side. Mexico as it has been for centuries and still is to a lesser extent. A dying way of life.
In the process, a circus came to town. The Circo Mexico.
He went to the show. He got to visit with the family who owned and performed in it and he decided this was the film he wanted to make.
He ran away with the circus.
This is a wonderful film with all the glitz of the ring and absolute mind boggling work back stage. Traveling town to town, no more than two shows in a town, usually one, the circus and the family, the Ponces, truly make a life for themselves on the road.
We see the show and the back story. Ups and downs. Including a breakdown of the marriage of the key figure, the son of the owner.
I don't think they hid much from Schock and I don't think he left a lot out.
The kids are all "exploited" happily. The family has been together in the circus life for over a hundred years and they expect to continue it.
Prodigious performances in a tattered tent, a rough hewn ring, and, very often, mud just outside miring the whole operation down.
Life is abundant here. It is hard to leave the show. Even for me. I had to watch all the "extras" because I didn't want it to be over.
Actually, it is good to watch the extras because it tells what happens next and finds the family, especially the kids, two years later.
I can say that I am glad I never ran away with the circus.
I remember there was a show that came to our town every other or third year or so. It was similar. One ring. The performers obviously doubling despite ingenious costume and makeup changes. Big kids, little kids, others. "Death defying acts" which, for them, as we see here, are routine matters of daily life.
Get into town very late or very early, rig the tents, assemble the trailer compound, setup the show area, take care of the animals, practice, practice, practice. Day in and day out.
You will not find this kind of life in the USA because our laws would not allow it. The kids. The danger. The animals.
It is already gone here and will surely be gone there some day.
But not yet.
I would like to see this again sometime but, if I don't, this small, brave, rugged family will live in my heart.
Presentación de los Ponces, el Circo de México!
This is a 5 out of Netflix5.
Labels: films
