Nice edition of Mandabi out on Studiocanal. Prob my fave Sembene so far, apart from early short Borom Sarret. Apparently still gets played on Senegalese TV, and I can see how this would be more of a crowd pleaser than Black Girl or Emitai.
Lots of extras but somewhat careless - it comes with a good essay but doesn't attribute the author, an interview with Sembene's son where he compares the movie to Patricia Highsmith and the subtitles say "Patrick Highmsith"...
― Daniel_Rf, Tuesday, 20 July 2021 13:53 (two years ago) link
I've now also seen Moolaadé and liked it a lot. When he's shooting in these village/rural environments, he just seems to know where to place the camera for maximum clarity and expressiveness. There's drama just in the layout of the village.
― Halfway there but for you, Tuesday, 20 July 2021 14:21 (two years ago) link
Also, both Xala and Mandabi attempt to have "big endings" where he's using superimposition effects and quick montage, and it seemed really amateurish.
According to the extras in Mandabi this happened because the guy playing the postman couldn't make it so Sembene had to shoot his speech without him.
― Daniel_Rf, Wednesday, 21 July 2021 09:06 (two years ago) link