The Fabulous Samia Gamal 2003
Distributed by Arab Film Distribution, 10035 35th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98125; 206-322-0882
Producer n/a
Director n/a
DVD, b&, 84 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Dance, Biography, Film Studies, Middle Eastern Studies
Date Entered: 05/14/2004
Reviewed by Kim Davies, Milne Library, State University of New York College at GeneseoFor fans of such Egyptian romantic comedies as I Love You (1949, Arabic title, Ahebak Enta), Afrita Hanem (1950), and Don’t Tell Anyone (1952, Arabic title, Matolsh Lehad), Samia Gamal is not a new name. For those less familiar with her work, Samia Gamal, born Zainab Ibrahim Mahfuz, is one of the world’s most famous bellydancers and in 1949, was proclaimed “The National Dancer of Egypt” by King Farouk of Egypt. She has demonstrated her talents in multiple films and was the first oriental dancer to perform on stage in high-heeled shoes. She frequently appeared in foreign films with former lover, Farid Al Atrache, who is featured in many of the clips in The Fabulous Samia Gamal. Unfortunately, much of this information did not come from the DVD itself, but rather from further research in an attempt to become better acquainted with Samia Gamal.
Although the fifteen film clips of Samia’s dancing are mesmerizing and show her true talents as a dancer and star, the audience may be left with more questions than answers to the life and experiences of Samia Gamal. Out of the three choices on the DVD menu (Dances, Audio, and About Samia Gamal), the portion with the dance clips proved to be the real bulk of the DVD. A synopsis of each film to place the dance scenes in context would have been helpful. Furthermore, Gamal’s biography (one short paragraph) and filmography were difficult to read and provided a bare minimum of information.
The dance sequences in The Fabulous Samia Gamal are obviously the main attraction of this DVD. Unfortunately, due to the production style of films from the 1940s and 50s, each clip is in black and white and does not allow the audience to marvel at the beautiful costume colors made famous in middle-eastern dance. Much of the “white” in these black and white clips is too bright, fading out backgrounds, and the editing of some of the dance scenes is poorly cut. Despite any inadequacies in film editing and production, audiences of this DVD will be hard pressed to take their eyes away from the beaming smile and sultry movements of Samia Gamal.