Cocalero
(2006)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Documentary: B-
After
seeing a long list of documentaries about U.S. politics and elections,
criticisms of the Bush II administration, U.S. involvement (government,
corporate and freelance hiring) in other elections, Alejandro Landes’ Cocalero (2006) is a surprisingly
amusing piece about Evo Morales, a older Aymara Indian coca leaf grower who
travels the grass roots way to run for President of Bolivia and win, making him
the first indigenous such individual to win that position.
The
involving 94 minutes shows how differently the elections work over there, how
the older technology is a throwback to elections in the U.S. up to the 1970s
and how democracy is more possible there in ways it is not in a media-saturated
country like the U.S. where TV and all of its successive technologies combines
by-pass more and more people, leaving progress (and the American Dream in
particular) out of the reach of more and more people left behind. Humorous without trying, the energy and
spirit captured here is impressive and if you are enjoying the current cycle of
political documentaries, this should be at the top of your list.
The
letterboxed 1.78 X 1 image is not bad for being shot under the circumstances it
was made, but color, detail and depth are limited. The Dolby Digital 2.0 captures the location
sound throughout, which is barely stereo.
Extras include a trailer, which is really not enough for such an
interesting work, but don’t let that stop you from seeing it.
- Nicholas Sheffo
