Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

La Bamba

Collapse
X
Collapse
  •  
    Horace Cordier
    Senior Member

  • La Bamba



    Released by: Twilight Time
    Released on: September 2014
    Director: Luis Valdez
    Cast: Rosana De Soto, Elizabeth Pena, Lou Diamond Philips, Esai Morales, Joe Pantoliano
    Year: 1987
    Purchase From Screen Archives

    The Movie:

    When rock and roll pioneer Ritchie Valens died he was only 17 years old. Though often mentioned alongside the likes of Buddy Holly (who was killed in the same tragic plane accident - the infamous "the day the music died" that took Valens' life), they really weren't comparable. Valen's entire recording career encompassed a little over a year and he's really remembered primarily for two songs. The lasting impact of "La Bamba" - the song - was that it was a pioneering crossover of traditional Mexican music and the burgeoning early rock sound. But Holly died at 22 after a much more substantive career.

    While Valens may have been a perfect example of the tragic shooting star, 1987's film of his life story manages to craft something both powerful and dramatically meaningful out of it. This is a story about family and about the latent prejudices of late 1950's America. Lou Diamond Phillips (in his onscreen debut) is wonderful as Valens - the "good kid" from a Mexican immigrant family that just wants to play his guitar. His father is dead and Ritchie has a very tight relationship with his mother Connie (Rosana De Soto). But the family is poor and forced to work on a migrant farm. When Ritchie's brother Bobby (Esai Morales) shows up fresh out of prison one fine day riding a motorcycle and with a wad of ill-gotten cash the family is off to live in the sunnier climes of Southern California.

    The heart and soul of LA BAMBA is the relationship between Ritchie, his alcoholic brother Bob and their mother. The woman that sort of comes between the two brothers, Rosie (Elizabeth Peí±a) ends up pregnant with Bob's child and this first clash is a harbinger of the kind of tension and sibling rivalry the brothers will endure throughout the film. Bob is a true screwup in every sense but he's not entirely unsympathetic either. It is a testament to Morales' skill as an actor that the audience finds it difficult to turn on him even after he acts like a complete ass. LA BAMBA makes its "message" point when it tackles Ritchie's love for the lily-white high school girl Donna Ludwig (Danielle von Zerneck). Her father heartily disapproves and makes derogatory racial cracks.

    Ritchie starts out playing with a ensemble that resent him but after splitting off into his own band he's seen by a canny promoter named Bob Keane (Joe Pantoliano) at a disastrously riotous show. This sequence is masterfully done and the highlight of the film as it really lets Phillips show off his impersonation and acting chops. The fact that the show turns into a brawl right out of a Western barroom instigated by Ritchie's drunk brother adds a blackly hilarious touch. Ritchie is whisked into the studio where he cuts his iconic "Donna" and "La Bamba" tracks in short order. Pantoliano has a lovely understated vibe in these scenes and its a nice change of pace from the actor's usual sleazeballs. After some appearances with national deejays, Ritchie winds up on a short tour with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper. Their joint appearance together is another highlight with both Marshall Crenshaw (as Holly) and Brian Setzer (as Eddie Cochran) doing amazing impersonations. And then - that plane ride.

    Despite the ending, the best word to describe LA BAMBA is uplifting. With its terrific mix of beautifully rendered classic early rock and roll, heartfelt performances and pro-family message, LA BAMBA is a feel-good movie that never traffics in cheap sentimentality. It is also a picture perfect snapshot of late 50's Southern California and the early rock and roll era. This is one of the very best of the musical biopic genre.

    Video/Audio/Extras:

    Twilight Time's 1.85:1 framed AVC encoded 1080p transfer for this Blu ray was provided by Sony and as such is about what we've come to expect - excellent. Sony's track record with Twilight Time has always been strong and remains so here. This is an organic transfer with a completely film like appearance and natural grain structure. Black levels are deep and image sharpening is not in evidence. The detail boost is readily apparent throughout the film as well. This is a commendable Blu ray presentation. A quick note however - don't be thrown by the opening "nightmare" sequence. This was intentionally visually degraded to create mood.

    Audio is a very good 5.1 DTS HD-MA. Good use of the surround field is in evidence and the musical parts of the film sound terrific with discreet and effective use of LFE. Dialogue and ambient sound don't suffer at any point however. This is a perfectly balanced track. English subtitles are proved as well for those that need them.

    Extras consist of two commentary tracks and a theatrical trailer. The first commentary with actors Esai Morales and Lou Diamond Phillips, director Luis Valdez and producer Stuart Benjamin is a bit crowded but is packed with a lot of info about both the production and the real life Valens clan (who were intimately involved in the film). It is a great chat and well worth a listen due to the level of knowledge shared as well as the camaraderie of the participants. The second commentary features producers Daniel Valdez and Taylor Hackford and is a bit more dry but still worth a listen. Julie Kirgo contributes a set of liner notes in the included color insert booklet that offer some background information and insight into the film.

    The Final Word:

    Both a moving drama and a fun look at the pioneering 50's rock scene, LA BAMBA never puts a foot wrong. Yes there is tragedy in this story but a far more joy. Twilight Time's presentation is first-rate and I heartily recommend this one.

    Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screen caps!






















    • Mark Tolch
      #1
      Mark Tolch
      Senior Member
      Mark Tolch commented
      Editing a comment
      I watched this one on the weekend...Netflix, not the blu-ray. Despite the liberties taken with the story and a few moments of cheese, it's a really entertaining film. Also, Marshall Crenshaw's, "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" > Buddy Holly's, and I love me some Buddy Holly.

      Watched it as a double bill with The Buddy Holly Story.

    • Ian Miller
      #2
      Ian Miller
      Flattery and foreplay
      Ian Miller commented
      Editing a comment
      It's been ages since I've seen it, but I seem to remember some startling similarities between the "Donna" TV performance scene here and the "Vicki" scene in WILD GUITAR with Arch Hall Jr. Nice review, Horace Corduroy!
    Posting comments is disabled.

Latest Articles

Collapse

  • Hot Spur (Severin Films) Blu-ray Review
    Ian Jane
    Administrator
    by Ian Jane


    Released by: Severin Films
    Released on: April 30th, 2024.
    Director: Lee Frost
    Cast: Joseph Mascolo, Virginia Goodman, John Alderman
    Year: 1969
    Purchase From Amazon

    Hot Spur – Movie Review:

    Director Lee Frost and Producer Bob Cresse's film, Hot Spur, opens in Texas in 1869 with a scene where a pair of cowboys wanders into a bar where they call over a pretty Mexican waitress and coerce her into dancing for them. She obliges, but
    ...
    03-22-2024, 11:53 AM
  • Death Squad (Mondo Macabro) Blu-ray Review
    Ian Jane
    Administrator
    by Ian Jane


    Released by: Mondo Macabro
    Released on: April 9th, 2024.
    Director: Max Pecas
    Cast: Thierry de Carbonnières, Jean-Marc Maurel, Denis Karvil, Lillemour Jonsson
    Year: 1985
    Purchase From Amazon

    Death Squad – Movie Review:

    Also known as Brigade Of Death, French sleaze auteur Max Pecas’ 1985 film, Death Squad, opens with a night time scene outside of Paris in the Bois de Boulogne Forest where cars pass by a small gang of transsexual
    ...
    03-22-2024, 11:46 AM
  • Roommates (Quality X) Blu-ray Review
    Ian Jane
    Administrator
    by Ian Jane


    Released by: Quality X
    Released on: February 28th, 2024.
    Director: Chuck Vincent
    Cast: Samantha Fox, Vernoica Hart, Kelly Nichols, Jerry Butler, Jamie Gillis
    Year: 1982
    Purchase From Amazon

    Roommates – Movie Review:

    Directed by Chuck Vincent and released in 1982, Roommates opens with a scene where a young woman named Joan Harmon (Veronica Hart) gets a hotel room with an older man named Ken (Don Peterson, credited as Phil Smith),
    ...
    03-15-2024, 01:10 PM
  • Night Of The Blood Monster (Blue Underground) UHD/Blu-ray Review
    Ian Jane
    Administrator
    by Ian Jane


    Released by: Blue Underground
    Released on: March 26th, 2024.
    Director: Jess Franco
    Cast: Christopher Lee, Maria Rohm, Dennis Price
    Year: 1970
    Purchase From Amazon

    Night Of The Blood Monster – Movie Review:

    Directed by Jess Franco, The Bloody Judge (or, Night Of The Blood Monster, as it is going by on this new release from Blue Underground) isn't quite the salacious exercise in Eurotrash you might expect it to be, and while it
    ...
    03-15-2024, 01:07 PM
  • Phase IV (Vinegar Syndrome) UHD/Blu-ray Review
    Ian Jane
    Administrator
    by Ian Jane


    Released by: Vinegar Syndrome
    Released on: March 26th, 2024.
    Director: Saul Bass
    Cast: Nigel Davenport, Michael Murphy, Lynne Frederick, Alan Gifford, Robert Henderson, Helen Horton
    Year: 1974
    Purchase From Amazon

    Phase IV – Movie Review:

    Saul Bass’ 1974 sci-fi/thriller Phase IV is an interesting blend of nature run amuck stereotypes and Natural Geographic style nature footage mixed into one delicious cocktail of suspense and
    ...
    03-15-2024, 01:02 PM
  • The Bounty Hunter Trilogy (Radiance Films) Blu-ray Review
    Ian Jane
    Administrator
    by Ian Jane


    Released by: Radiance Films
    Released on: March 26th, 2024.
    Director: Shigehiro Ozawa, Eiichi Kudo
    Cast: Tomisaburo Wakayama, Minoru Ôki, Arashi Kanjuro, Bin Amatsu, Chiezo Kataoka
    Year: 1969-1972
    Purchase From Amazon

    The Bounty Hunter Trilogy – Movie Review:

    Radiance Films gathers together the three films in Toie Studios’ Bounty Hunter Trilogy, starring the inimitable Tomisaburo Wakayama. Here’s how the three movies in this
    ...
    03-13-2024, 11:30 AM
Working...
X