Os Pastores da Noite

from the samba theme through the tale of love lost and found this old movie presents a wonderful - though romaticized - view of everyday life among the Bahian poor. Shown frequently in the US during the 1970's on double bill with Black Orpheus (both subtitled)and known as "Bahia", it is well worth seeing . . . if you can find it. No VHS available, no TV showings - has this film been lost? Does anyone know where a VHS copy can be found? And who sang the theme song ("O Bahia, o Bahia . . .")?

I went to the Eastman School of Music and also Juilliard. My wife went to Eastman. At the time we saw the movie, in a revival theater, we were both as serious about music as anyone on the planet. Our backgrounds included thorough training from Bach to Mahler, from Beatles to Miles to Doc Watson to Beethoven to Puccini. After watching the movie, which was pretty so-so, I let slip out, although I was embarrassed about it, that the song that introduces the movie was the most beautiful music I had ever heard. My wife, startled, said, "I thought it was just something crazy on my part, but that is exactly how I have been describing it to myself." I am not sure where you can get a tape of this movie, and God forbid that the soundtrack be brutalized by digitizing it, but if you can find an analog tape, or better yet, see this movie in the theater, you may hear something you will never forget. I haven't yet -- but hey, it has only been about thirty years.