The Romany Trail--Part One: Gypsy Music Into Africa; The Romany Trail--Part Two: Gypsy Music Into Europe; There'll Always Be Stars In The Skies: The Indian Film Music Phenomenon

These three programs from producer/director Jeremy Marre's "Beats of the Heart" series which studies cultures through their music are, unfortunately, just not as lively as we hoped. Both of The Romany Trail tapes, which cover the divergent paths taken by gypsies who left India and traveled to Africa and Europe, offer more performance than insight into the people. In The Romany Trail--Part One: Gypsy Music into Africa, Marre and his camera crew travel to Luxor, Egypt, reputed site of the "lost" tribe of gypsies. Along the way, the filmmakers record three daughters dancing a traditional dance; an epic singer who is seen passing ancient ballads on to his children; and a carnival where acrobats, jugglers, magicians and musicians ply their trades for the tourists. The plight of the gypsy people, while not closely examined, is poignantly alluded to by one interviewee: "Not all gypsies can sing, dance, and play guitar." The suggestion seems to be that when a people becomes cast into a particular stereotype, it is difficult for an individual to break out of the mold. The Romany Trail--Part Two examines original gypsy cultures in India, and looks at gypsy life in Eastern Europe, where visits to Yugoslavia and Hungary capture performances ranging from birthday parties to religious festivals. The program concludes with a stop at the World Gypsy Congress, where gypsies the world over struggle to forge a sense of identity. Finally, There'll Always Be Stars in the Sky looks at the film music phenomenon in India, which produces a staggering 750 feature films per year. (They also have some 600 movie magazines--clearly, these are a people who take their cinema seriously.) While visiting with stars, singers, and music directors, the documentary also looks at the unfavorable reactions of the traditional musicians and performers who have lost the limelight, and whose livelihood is threatened, by the movies. Although all three documentaries feature interesting subject matter, the filming style seems strangely dated (especially since they're only a decade old). An optional purchase. (Available from: Shanachie Records, 37 E. Clinton St., Newton, NJ 07860; (201) 579-7763; FAX (201) 579-7083.)