Nostalgia Sunday – Dizengoff 99

March 15, 2009 - 3:26 PM by · 3 Comments
Filed under: General, Israeliness, Movies, Nostalgia Sunday, Pop Culture 

dizengoff99Thirty years ago, apparently, the film Dizengoff 99 hit Israeli movie theaters and apparently I was there. I distinctly remember going to see the movie but, beyond that, have very little recollection about what it was actually about. You would think this might indicate a forgettable film. But no. In fact, Dizengoff 99 has just been released on DVD, with additional material and interviews about what is being touted as an Israeli cult flick.

Hmmm… I do remember there was a menage a trois with Gali Atari, Anat Atzmon and my beloved Gidi Gov… and so does everyone else, I guess, because that’s what comes up when you Google it and seems to be what this alleged cult is all about. Well, you didn’t get many scenes like that in Israeli movies, back in those days, so it must have made an impression.

What is impressive is the cast and crew. Aside from Gov, who was making a transition from singer to singer-actor, and Atari, who subsequently made an about-face back to the safety of the recording studio, there is Atzmon, a legendary beauty and every Israeli man’s fantasy as the dream girl in Lemon Popsicle (a true Israeli cult film). Also worth noting: this was one of the first films produced by Arnon Milchan.

The director, Avi Nesher, has made some truly great Israeli films such as The Secrets, Turn Left at the End of the World, and another true Israeli cult film – Ha-Lahaka, (also: Sing Your Heart Out), about the life and times of an IDF entertainment troupe. Dizengoff 99 may not be his finest work, but it does serve to document Tel Aviv nightlife in the late 70s and the soundtrack features the era’s great: Yehudit Ravitz, Zvika Pick, Arik Sinai, David Broza, Danny Litani, Dori Ben-Zeev, Yitzhak Klepter, Ricki Gal, Yigal Bashan and of course, Gali Atari, fresh from her 1979 Eurovision “Hallelujah” win.

By the way, there really is a Dizengoff 99 — today it houses the Bauhaus Center.

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Kaveret goes drag

February 23, 2009 - 4:06 PM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General, History and Culture, Israeliness, Music 

Kaveret never sounded as sweet as out of the mouths of these talented Israeli singers

Kaveret never sounded as sweet as out of the mouths of these talented Israeli singers

Everyone is Israel knows Kaveret, the mid-1970s band that came to be known as the Israeli Beatles.

The band (called Poogy outside of Israel) was formed in 1973 by a group of friends who met during their army service, and in their three years together, became local legends. Alumni who went on to illustrious careers include Gidi Gov and Danny Sanderson.

Tons of their songs have become standard parts of Israeli culture, and have been embraced by subsequent generations of music fans. The proof is the fact that a female version of Kaveret has been formed for a special one-time show at this week’s Holon Women’s Festival.

Young singer/actresses Aya Korem, Efrat Gosh, Ania Buckstein and Emily Karpal are performing an all-Kaveret show at the 13th annual ffour-day estival which kicks off on the 25th. And according to the rehearsals aired on the TV news shows last night, they sound as good as the originals.

Besides the female Kaveret, the festival is featuring theater, stand-up comedy, dance and music, as well as workshops, discussion groups and art exhibitions. Outlandish American comedienne Sandra Bernhard is the international guest of honor, performing one show on Friday night.

ALso on the bill are some 20 performances marking premieres at the festival. The Batsheva Dance Company will debut Illusion of Strength, a selection of works choreographed by Ohad Naharin. Five recent theater graduates from Yoram Levinstein’s Acting Studio will premiere Black Laundry, a play about intelligent women that was written specifically for the Holon festival. Also on the lineup: To Die For It, a cabaret-style production that gives a lighter view of death; and It is said that’s she’s Cuckoo, a singing-acting show that brings segments from a woman’s life to stage.

But it’s those quirky harmonies, sing along music and satirical clever lyrics of Kaveret sung an octave or two higher that’s going to have Holon dancing in the aisles this week.

Check out a vintage Kaveret clip here.
YouTube Preview Image

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Nostalgia Sunday

July 27, 2008 - 5:55 PM by · 3 Comments
Filed under: General, History and Culture, Israeliness, Music, Pop Culture 

Probably it’s because “Mamma Mia!” starring Meryl Streep is coming to town but I can’t stop singing songs from the 1974 Eurovision contest. That’s the year ABBA won for “Waterloo” and changed the world’s musical landscape forever, providing a human face to Europop – and a very attractive one, too. Benny, Bjorn, Anni-Frid and Agnetha absolutely blew the crowd away with their glam-rock gear and flying-V guitars – not to mention tuneful vocals and a killer hook – so much so that some of the other amazing things that happened in that same competition have been forgotten.

For example, another singer who would later attain major pop star status in the US, Olivia Newton-John, represented the UK – what do you think of that?! Mouth and MacNeil, who’d already had a minor US chart hit with “How Do You Do?”, represented the Netherlands – who knew they were Dutch? The Italian entry, “Si“, was banned from broadcast in that country because of an upcoming referendum on divorce, and the Portuguese song was also a political hot potato – if you can believe it.

Plus, Kaveret, also known as Poogy, represented Israel.

That last one was so important to die-hard Kaveret fans such as my sisters and myself that our parents actually allowed us to skip out on the last part of the Passover seder to watch the competition. Unfortunately, their entry “I Gave Her My Life”, was lackluster both musically and visually.

Even I could tell that my beloved Gidi Gov in his knit wool vest was no match for the ABBA girls’ satin, silver and spangles, despite my severe romatic crush and undying loyalty (this still holds true so call me, Gidi!). Plus, they just stood in a line, singing and strumming, so the world never had a chance to find out neither what amazing musical technicians Yitzhak Klepter, Alon Oleartchick, Yoni Rechter, Danny Sanderson and Ephraim Shamir were, nor how exciting and funny was their onstage camraderie.

Only three years later, Israel would find the key to becoming a Eurovision hit-maker with “Abanibi” and “Hallelujah” (not to mention “Diva“) but those were still pre-formula, pre-Eurovision-as-Gay-funland days. And while Kaveret’s loss was pretty disappointing for the schoolyard set, it didn’t affect any band member adversely. They’ve all gone on to varying degrees of success (most in music, some in TV and drummer Meir Fenigstein founded the Israeli Film Festivals in New York and LA). Most importantly, Poogy’s place in Israeli pop culture history is assured, with taking 7th place in Eurovision just a footnote in their Wikipedia entry.

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