Search - Hawaiian Rainbow on DVD

A wonderful film on Hawaiian music and it's history

planetmango | Chico, CA | 01/02/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A wonderful film on Hawaiian music featuring live concert footage with Auntie Genoa  Keawe, Raymond & Elodia Kane, Sam Bernard Trio, Vicky Holt Takamine & Pua Ali'i 'Ilima,  Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau, Andy Cummings, Ho'opi'i Brothers, Jerry Santos & Haunani Apoliona,  Violet Pahu Liliko'i, Billy Hew Lin, Michael Kahikina, and Puanani Burgess. Robt. Mugge has done a brilliant job of presenting the history of Hawaiian music in a film that will be watched over and over by anyone with an appreciation for this lovely music. This film is a treasure. "Two thumbs up.""

Island music historicized and demonstrated

Jeffery Mingo | Homewood, IL USA | 03/15/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In this documentary, first an academic or musician talks about the history of a Hawaiian musical style. Then someone demonstrates it. The focus in on music, but there is some hula here. I love the way that this way constructionist: they talk about pre-Cook music as well as the non-American but still Western influence on modern Hawaiian forms. This film showed male and female; young and old; thin and fat. To be honest, I dozed off a few time watching this, but that's because the music is so soothing. This film totally makes me want to visit the Pacific Islands and learn the Hawaiian language. I think all those interested in indigenous cultures and ethnomusicology should see this piece."

Great music, but a little long...

J. Tinsley | Coeur d'Alene, Idaho | 03/24/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This film is a little dated now. It was made in 1988. But the ambition of the film is to document every aspect of Hawaiian music and that's a tall order. You will see a taste of hula, slack key, falsetto and steel guitar. You also get to see George Kanahele, the Hawaiian music scholar who has passed away. The highlights are falsetto by the Ho'opi'i Brothers and Sam Bernard, slack key by Ray Kane, a song by Genoa Keawe and protest songs by Mike Kahikina.
The downside is that the film is full of long sound bites trying to explain the the complexity and background of the music. Every Hawaiian music lover should see it, but have some coffee handy."