MIXED MEDIA : ** “TEX-MEX” Produced/directed by Jeremy Marre <i> Shanachie Video ($19.95)</i> : <i> Items in this survey of pop-related videos, books and laser discs are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to five (a classic). </i>
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This is part of “Beats of the Heart,” English filmmaker Jeremy Marre’s 14-part series that was filmed about 10 years ago and promises far more than it delivers. The documentary aims for a street-level perspective on border culture and music but suffers from an intrusive, banal narration. Visually, “Tex-Mex” amounts to little more than voyeuristic sketches that jump from subject to subject so arbitrarily that the handful of insightful segments seem to have slipped in by accident. The biggest beef: constant declarations that the music reflects social concerns and issues, but no translations of the lyrics for non-Spanish-speaking viewers.
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