Djangomania!

Aside from Woody Allen's Sweet and Lowdown, you won't find many places on film that discuss the legend of Django Reinhardt. Djangomania is an hour-long documentary in which writer-director-narrator Jamie Kastner travels the globe to reveal the influence of the legendary Gypsy guitarist. In addition to finding his most avid fans and taking the viewers back to the place of Django's roots, we also hear a lot of great music along the way, including an amusing Django-influenced jazz-bluegrass hybrid.

That said, my main complaint with this film is with Kastner himself. Using Michael Moore's style of invasively documenting, he tends to overshadow his subjects and often uses sarcasm in his narration and questions to disagree with them. It felt condescending in several instances. Other than that, I recommend this film. It was informative and contained great music.

This is an excellent documentary because it seeks the *current* place of Django within the context of Europe's Gypsey often reviled communities.

The interviewer goes to various Django festivals all over the globe to investigate the legacy and effect of Django's performance style and legacy in current jazz ensembles and performances.

He also seeks out the Django Reinhardt family in France - and documents the prejudice Gypsies still suffer.

There are discussions with great European jazz musicians, some who knew Django.

It's an excellent documentary and deserves a place in any serious jazz buff's library.