Yparho

Yparho, a film inspired by the life and music of the legendary Stelios Kazantzidis, is nothing short of a masterpiece. It seamlessly blends raw emotion, stunning performances, and timeless music, creating an experience that leaves audiences mesmerized. This biographical tribute captures the spirit of Kazantzidis, a man whose voice became the soul of Greek music.

The storytelling is impeccable, taking us through his struggles, triumphs, and the heartache that shaped his art. The film doesn't shy away from depicting the harsh realities of his life, making it both a poignant and inspiring watch. The cinematography is breathtaking, transporting viewers to the Greece of Kazantzidis' era with its authentic settings and evocative visuals.

The soundtrack, featuring his iconic songs, is the heart of the movie. Every note resonates with emotion, reminding us why Kazantzidis remains a beloved figure in Greek culture. The lead actor delivers a flawless portrayal, embodying Kazantzidis' passion, pain, and resilience with remarkable depth.

Yparho is more than a movie; it's a celebration of a legend. Perfectly executed, it is a must-watch for music lovers and anyone who appreciates a story of human perseverance. This film stays with you, much like Kazantzidis unforgettable voice.

Reviewed by Filmmining 101:

Dealing with Greece's most famous folk singer, "Stelios", is a highly fictionalized tale of its central subject's life story, one filled with dubious creative decisions, shades of the melodramatic flair and occasionally one dimensional characterizations. Nevertheless, director Yorgos Tsemberopoulos ("Backdoor" (2000)) has managed to assemble together a concrete Greek production, worthy of international release due to its (finally) strong production values, craftmanship and exquisite cinematogropahy (courtesy of Giannis Drakoularakos) that gives the shots the necessary Mediterranean authenticity. Bypassing the historical and personal inaccuracies of Katazantzidis's life, one will find plenty to admire in this tale of artistic passion, failed romances and creative thinking in a time period where music was defining people's livelihoods.

Greece, like so many countries which were swept away by the devastation of World War II and the Nazi occupation, saw a rise in folk-pop songs from low socioeconomic status individuals. Kazantzindis himself already a refugee from the Greek-Turkish war and a victim of right wing brutality in the mid 40s infused his heart and soul into his art, appealing to the masses by not performing in sold out venues but in taverns (yes, really). The film makes use of this traditional Greek culture endeavor, emphasizing the importance of delivering in a live audience Laika (aka songs of the people) pieces. None was best than Kazantzidis himself due to his thunderous vocals and his unique skill of combining feelings of sorrow and joy.

Despite Stelios' story being a remarkable Odyssey yet the script treats several key events unable to explore their impact to the his psyche. A clunky prologue bypasses significant life changing developments hastily; Tsemberopoulos does not clearly articulate the timeline between them and using the same protagonist for the age period of 18 to 50+ muddles the things further. As such, we are left desiring details required to understand what make this cinematic Stelios tick. Played stoically by an excellent Xristos Mastoras, we only experience superficial descriptions of potential motivations but these are not enough to connect with Greece's number one singer of the people, his life approach and philosophy remaining unclear such as continue living among ordinary people.

At moments, it feels like Tsemberopoulos and screenwriter Katerina Bei are conceiving a fan-fiction tribute for Kazantzidis' listeners and not for others who could discover the beauty of his singing through an approachable and meticulously put production of an unknown to the rest of the world, Greek Icon. The movie tries to cram too many real and most unnecessarily fictional aspects in an already fulfilling story (e.g., his battle against record companies, his third marriage is never mentioned but his wife Vasso pops out of nowhere) in desperate need of a bit more of panache and trimming. This notion extends in the supporting roles too, particularly the women who stood by Kazantzidis' side. While the actresses are all great and believable, their purposes is to worship Stelios and whatever ambiguous goal he has in life as opposed to being fully fledged characters. The device of using a journalist to talk a now recluse Stelios and get his flashback narration is an interesting one but his actions never challenge himself - he is there simply to record these events, extend graciously the running length and for the director to get some gorgeous opening shots.

Be that as it may, Mastoras excels by playing the guitar and performing wholeheartedly the singer's vast catalogue (reminding Val Kilmer's mesmerizing performance as Jim Morrison in "The Doors" (1991)) which should rightfully (and hopefully) attract some accolade attention. The sound design is well done too; those who grew up with Stelios' music might feel an overwhelming emotion of nostalgia due to the accurate and authentic representation of an era that barely lingers in modern memory across the companionship of 25+ of his hits. Employing real sets, spot on costume design this biography is a time capsule of a period and Tsemberopoulos has an obvious and vivid passion for this national folk hero and it shows: from steadycam to pull out shots, he accentuates the beautiful environment which was Greece in the 60s, putting Stelios in front and center. It is a shame then this ambitious biopic does not conduct a deep psychological dive preferring to lean towards a safe compilation in the life and morality of one of the most famous Greek performers.

I will be honest: when I first heard that Mastoras was gonna portray Kazantzidis, I was dissapointed. I mean, the universally aclaimmed best Greek singer of all time is gonna be portrayed by a pop singer? Luckily, I was wrong. Mastoras has a unique way of immitating Kazantzidis' voice without sounding like a parody. His acting, although nothing amazing, was solid. The other actors played their part as well. If you take out the few "flatlines" that this flick has, it could have easily been a 9/10. Also, if you are not a familiar with Greek music of the 50-70s you won"t understand the references or the name drops.

To sum up, a solid movie and an amazing tribute to best Greek singer of the 20th century (if not of all centuries)

Cudos to the casting manager, every character selected is spot on. The movie itself doesn't do justice to the life of one of the most iconic singers in Greece. There are so many sides of him that we didnt get to see like the gambling addiction, the Matsas conflict, the Nikolopoulos trial and so many that divided society and influenced so many singers. In my humble opinion the movie is missing a lot of elements os trying to "round the corners" . Finally the last months of his life dealing with the tumour and how he wanted to make amends with the people he hurt and how some of them rejected him even in the last moment of his life is not shown.

I'm sure that anyone knowledgeable about the Greek music scene would be constantly nodding with informed appreciation of the people and events depicted in this movie, but as an ignoramus I liked it fine anyway. I'm not sure that the release I saw included all the two hours and twelve minutes. There seemed to be gaps in the time line, even taking into account the framing device of a retrospective interview, But they caused no great confusion. Although the musical performances were abbreviated, they were plentiful and enjoyable. The character of Stelios is sketched in broad but believable strokes, and if I can trust the web, the script respects the truth. In one way the protagonist conforms to the usual showbiz biopic formula--- he's brilliant but dedicated to his work at the expense of his family life. But on the other hand, he is a quixotic campaigner for his vision of justice.