229 Assassination Tango
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 10:49:19 -0700
From: Barbara Garvey <barbara@TANGOBAR-PRODUCTIONS.COM>
Subject: Assassination Tango
Does anyone on the Tango-L know when Robert Duvall's film Assassination Tango is
to be released? A friend told me that there had been a screening in New York
last month--has anyone seen it?
Thanks for any information available--
Barbara
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 16:43:24 -0400
From: Keith Elshaw <keith@TOTANGO.NET>
Subject: Duvall's Assassination Tango
The Toronto International Film Festival presents the World Premier on
September 11th at the beautiful Elgin Theatre.
Mr. Duvall seems to like Toronto and the Festival. Last year, he made a
point of visiting the office of the National Film Board of Canada to pick up
a copy of our film, "TANGO IN A COLD CITY."
Here is the official scoop on his new film:
Production Company: American Zoetrope Productions
Executive Producer: Francis Ford Coppola, Linda Reisman
Producer: Robert Duvall, Rob Carliner
Screenplay: Robert Duvall
Cinematography: Félix Monti
Editor: Stephen Mack
Production Designer: Stefania Cella
Sound: Steve C. Aaron, Patrick Mullins, Wyatt Sprague
Music: Luis Enríquez Bacalov
Principal Cast: Robert Duvall, Rubén Blades, Frank Gio, Katherine Micheaux
Miller, Kathy Baker, Luciana Pedraza, Raúl Outeda
Assassination Tango beautifully combines the exhilaration of a crime
thriller and the warmth of romance this is a rich snapshot of a man whose
professional aggression and machismo are starting to play second fiddle to
softer emotions brought on by domesticity and parenthood. Different versions
of the tale of the killer humanized by age and personal tragedy have
captivated audiences in such stellar works as Clint Eastwood¹s Unforgiven
and Francis Ford Coppola¹s Godfather trilogy; writer-director Robert
Duvall¹s film adds an exciting new chapter to the emotional range and
experiences of this archetypal figure.
John (Duvall) is devoted to watching over his partner¹s daughter as the
little girl makes her way through the metropolitan streets to school, so
when he receives an assignment to assassinate a political figure in Buenos
Aires, he swears that this will be his last job. He stalks through the
Argentine streets with a confidence born of experience until he makes his
way into a tango club, where he is instantly seduced by the passionate dance
and begins to lead an intriguing double life. The hit job heats up and John
needs all his cunning to overcome a barrage of complications, but he still
finds time under the tutelage of the strong, magnetic dancer Manuela
(Luciana Pedraza) to become engrossed in the sensual world of tango.
In the role of the assassin rethinking his life, Robert Duvall¹s first-rate
acting abilities rival the breadth of his directorial vision. He dominates
the screen: his concentration and energy in a demanding role are superb, his
dialogue baroque, his anachronisms entertaining. His bravura style contrasts
effectively with Pedraza¹s low-key yet luminous presence. The ambience is
clearly established by the tense loneliness of the hotel room where John
camps out and by the laid-back, welcoming atmosphere of the tango clubs.
Duvall¹s previous directorial work, such as The Apostle, has expertly drawn
out the myriad aspects of his characters without apologizing for their
shortcomings and, in Assassination Tango, he succeeds again in taking us
through the fascinating idiosyncracies of a complex man.
Piers Handling
Robert Duvall was born in San Diego. His prolific acting career includes
appearances in such critically acclaimed films as The Godfather Parts I and
II, Apocalypse Now, Rambling Rose, Wrestling Ernest Hemingway and The
Apostle, which he also directed. He has been nominated four times for
Academy Awards® and won the best actor prize in 1983 for his role in Tender
Mercies. Directorial filmography: We¹re Not the Jet Set (77), Angelo My Love
(83), The Apostle (97) and Assassination Tango (02).
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 03:16:57 -0400
From: Keith Elshaw <keith@TOTANGO.NET>
Subject: Assassination Tango (4)
As the world turns ...
I see that earlier press reports indicated Miguel Angel Zotto would be doing
choreography.
He is not listed in the main credits now. I have no idea whether he did, or
didn't, work happily in the production. Looking for answers ...
But, I show stills from the movie on my website - and you can see from them
that Mr. Duvall is not dancing close-embrace-social-style with his real-life
girl friend/co-star.
So, somebody choreographed something, from all indications.
We'll be right back after this commercial message from United Artists, who
seem to be cleverly concealing themselves as the distributor ...
There's no business like show business.
k
https://ToTANGO.net
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 10:13:35 -0700
From: Barbara Garvey <barbara@TANGOBAR-PRODUCTIONS.COM>
Subject: Re: Assassination Tango (4): rather lengthy
Dear Keith et. al.
But, I show stills from the movie on my website - and you can see from them
> that Mr. Duvall is not dancing close-embrace-social-style with his
real-life
> girl friend/co-star.
Actually I believe Luciana is his wife.
I've responded to this mistaken concept before on the Tango-L, that
close-embrace, especially what is called Milonguero Style, is the only tango
danced socially in Buenos Aires. In fact, away from downtown, in the
residential neighborhoods where dancers usually are couples rather than
singles, people dance differently, commonly known as salon style. These
clubs are where the very few dancers who still remember the Golden Age of
tango hang out..
What is the basis for this opinion? Six trips to BA, beginning in spring of
1987, one month after Robert Duvall's first visit. I believe that, after
him, we were the second Northamericans to find real social tango. The first
night, in the city center at Salon Argentina, my husband and I noticed
people dancing very close, totally differently from what we had been taught
by cast members of Tango Argentino and the Bay Area's only resident
milongueros Jorge and Rosa Ledesma (love to you both if you read this), who
had moved here from Quilmes, a close suburb of Buenos Aires. This
super-simple very close tango confused us.
We took lessons where we could find them, notably from Raul Bravo,
considered one of the creators of modern tango. No one taught the close
style. Then someone told us about a milonga in Villa Urquiza where we could
see the 'best dancers in Argentina'. Of the over 300 milongueros (in the
most respectable sense of the word!) there, almost all older than 50, all
(or maybe almost all) were dancing salon style, or a version sometimes
called Villa Urquiza style, quite close in walking and straight steps,
further apart in turns and molinetes. We met and spent the evening (till 6
am) with Fino Rivera and Teresa. He is still considered the best dancer of
the 1980's although he died three weeks after we met him. We took one lesson
from him on our way to the airport. I believe that the only other
Northamerican who met him, saw him dance and took lessons from him is
Duvall.
Although salon style is danced close most of the time, partners separate a
little to execute turns, molinetes, paradas, etc. NO ONE does high
boleos,fantasia or anything that could interfere with other dancers or stop
the line of dance. The best, maybe only, example on video is the milonguero
scene in Tango Bar, starring Raul Julia. These are some of the people we
met. The best dancers use simple basic steps most of the time, interspersed
with intricate and subtle footwork of their own. This gave birth to stage
tango as it makes room for dramatic possiblities. Professional dancers such
as Eduardo and Gloria, Virulazo and Elvira, Copes and Nieves, the Zottos,
etc. took the techniques of salon style a step further for the stage.
What is now called Milonguero Style, based usually on the personal style of
Tete Rusconi, appeared on the scene in 1994. Before that, as we discovered
in March, 1987, most people in the center of the city did dance in close
embrace, but much simpler, mostly walking and back ochos. Certainly many
couples or leaders had their individual variations, which we were too new to
distinguish. Then In 1994 Susana Miller discovered Tete and began teaching
and promoting his personal style as the only true social tango; Daniel
Trenner immediately brought this idea to the US, others to Europe. Since few
tango tourists these days make their way beyond the singles tango clubs of
the city center, the idea that close embrace is the only 'true social tango'
has taken root among those who haven't explored further.
Barbara Garvey
PS: there is also orillero style, best exemplified by Nito and Elba, more
dramatic and open, from the outskirts and further suburbs where dance floors
are less crowded.
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2002 03:48:45 -0400
From: Keith Elshaw <keith@TOTANGO.NET>
Subject: Assassination Tango
Hello all;
Robert Duvall's film premiered this week at the Toronto International Film
Festival.
Alastair Brown, a filmmaker and close friend of yours truly, shares his
thoughts and impressions of the film at https://ToTANGO.net/ttindex.html.
Alastair was asked to write his review with the Tango-L reader in mind.
Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 21:38:04 EDT
From: Timothy Pogros <TimmyTango@AOL.COM>
Subject: assassination Tango on Bravo
Tonight I watched a special program about Robert Duvall on the Bravo Network.
It was a history of his life in film, with scenes from many of his films. It
also discussed his new film "Assassination Tango", with many scenes including
shots of Pablo Veron, Guillermina and Roberto Reis, and Carlos Capello and
Alica Monte.
I'm sure this will be aired again. Watch for it in your area
