I just signed up for Netflix again, after a several year hiatus. I got back on board after a recent visit to Blockbuster proved they don’t even carry the Last Temptation of Christ, or more than one or two old Clint Eastwood movies. I mean, what the hell… none of these things are obscure at all. And I know Blockbuster sucks, yes. But it’s the only thing around. Enter Netflix.

Anyway, browsing around for things to add to my queue, I was delighted to discover an excellent documentary I saw a few years ago called Ile Aiye (House of Life). This a documentary that Talking Heads frontman David Byrne made in the late 80’s about the Brazilian/Yoruban religion Candomble. I haven’t seen it in a few years, but from what I remember it was a really beautiful and intimate portrait of the people, religion and culture involved in Candomble, which is another offshoot of the same African traditional religion which spawned Voodoo (or Vodun), Santeria (Lucumi), Umbanda and others. If you’re looking for a place to begin learning about these traditions, how they think, and what they do, this is a great place to star. Especially because as I understand it, Byrne himself became a practitioner and participant in these religions, and may still be.

I’ll have to look for more info on his involvement with these religions, but it goes back at least to 1986, when he made one of several Talking Heads movies, True Stories. This sort of docu-drama-musical features a young John Goodman going to an old black man to help him find love. The old guy sings a song called Papa Legba (Legba is one of the orishas or lwas) and performs part of a ritual, including spraying rum over and altar. It’s a good movie if you like the Talking Heads music, and sort of a weird art-school documentary style (and I don’t mean “art school” in the annoying way, but you can decide that for yourself).

Anyway, I also saw David Byrne give a really great lecture about the Ile Aiye movie, but it was several years ago, and I’ve mostly forgotten what he said. Maybe watching the movie will bring it back. In any event, I highly recommend it. Does anybody have other good religious/spirituality documentary recommendations for me?