Cadillac Records
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.82 You Save: $7.17 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $5.45 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Cadillac Records
Movie Review: A MUST SEE FOR ELVIS FANS!
Summary: 5 Stars
Cadillac Records is a 2008 musical biopic written and directed by Darnell Martin. The film explores the musical era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, chronicling the life of the influential Chicago-based record-company executive Leonard Chess, and the singers who recorded for Chess Records.
The film stars Adrien Brody as Chess, Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Columbus Short as Little Walter, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, and Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James. The film has been rated R by the MPAA for "pervasive langauge and some sexuality". The film was released in North America on December 5, 2008.Leonard Chess was a record-company executive from Chicago, Illinois, the co-founder of the 1950 American record label Chess Records. He ran the legendary company with his brother, Phil, through the 1950s and '60s.[2] The label started selling albums from the back of Chess' Cadillac,[3] and launched the careers of legendary musical personalities such as blues singers and harmonica and guitar players Little Walter and Howlin' Wolf, blues musician Muddy Waters, soul legend Etta James[4] and guitarist singer-songwriters Chuck Berry and Bo DiddleyCasting
Originally, Matt Dillon was slated to play the role of Chess,[5] but the role was ultimately given to Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody due to scheduling conflicts with Dillon.[6] Early announcements of the cast also included Columbus Short as Little Walter , Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters,[2] and Grammy Award winning singer Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James. According to director Martin, she wrote the role of James with Knowles in mind.[7]
As production increased the roster had grown to include Canadian actress Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess, Tammy Blanchard as Isabelle Allen, and comedian Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon.[8][9][3] Final line ups of the cast also grew to include rapper Mos Def as Chuck Berry, and Gabrielle Union in the role of Geneva Wade, Muddy Waters' girlfriend.[10]
Filming
The filming of Cadillac Records started in February 2008, in Newark, New Jersey and Mississippi, United States.[8] Martin directed the film,[2][4] and shot for Sony BMG Film.[5]
Cadillac Records was produced by Andrew Lack and Sofia Sondervan,[9] and co-executive produced by Beyoncé Knowles.[2]
Music
American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and music producer Steve Jordan will produce the soundtrack to the film.[11] Knowles recorded five songs for the soundtrack, including a cover version of Etta James' "At Last" which will be released on December 2, 2008 as its lead single.[12] Mos Def, Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, and Eamonn Walker recorded songs for the soundtrack, and Raphael Saadiq, Knowles' sister Solange, Mary Mary, Nas, Buddy Guy and Elvis Presley also appears on the album. The soundtrack will be released in single- and double-disc editions.[12]
Release
The film had its world premiere on November 24, 2008 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles.[13] On December 5, 2008, it was released nationally.
Reception
The film has garnered positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 64% of critics gave positive reviews based on 70 reviews. Its concensus state that "What Cadillac Records may lack in originality, it more than makes up for in strong performances and soul-stirring music." [14] Another review aggretator, Metacritic, gave the film a 64/100 approval rating based on 26 reviews classifying that the film has "generally favorable reviews". [15]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave the film 3 stars and stated in his review that "The film is a fascinating record of the evolution of a black musical style, and the tangled motives of the white men who had an instinct for it." [16] Elizbeth Weitzman of the Daily News awarded the film with 3 stars and wrote in her review, "Writer-director Darnell Martin clearly respects the fact that the history of Chess Records is a worthy subject." [17] Most critics praised the film for its music, but complain about its script. Jim Harrington of the Mercury News praised Knowles' vocal performance and wrote in his review that Beyoncé Knowles captivating voice and the film's other pluses can't outweigh the glaring omissions from the story line for this critic" and "Chess Records deserves, and will hopefully someday get, a better spin than the one delivered by "Cadillac Records." [18]
On its opening weekend, the film opened #9 grossing $3.4 million in 686 theaters with an $5,023 average.[19] As of December 14, the film has grossed $5,924,000.
Beyoncé Knowles received a Satellite Award nomination for her portrayal of Etta James.[20] Knowles also earned a Golden Globe nomination for "Best Original Song" for "Once in a Lifetime"
Movie Review: R&B and Rock n' Roll Greats
Summary: 5 Stars
I'd seen Beyonce in "Carmen," whatever that movie was with Cuba Gooding Jr., and "Dreamgirls," and I was not impressed with her performance in any of the films, so seeing her in this one didn't make me want to run out and see it. Instead I rushed to the theater as soon as I found out that Mos Def and Columbus Short were in the film, plus I enjoyed seeing the guy who plays Muddy Waters on the CNN Show with D.L. Hughley.
Mos Def, as usual, played his part to a tea. It always amazes me to find out he wanted to be an actor first instead of a hip hop lyricist, but he's excellent at both. I hope he never quits either, and I loved his role as Chuck Berry, specifically when he performed. Columbus Short as Walter was crazy. Once again, (like in "Stomp the Yard) he played a character with a hair-trigger temper, and he did it well. I LOVED his hair in this film. He was definitely "pretty," and Walter's antics had everybody in the theater laughing or gasping. The actor who played Muddy Waters did a phenomenal job, as he does in other movies I've seen him in (although I can't think of any offhand). But what threw me was that I thoroughly enjoyed Beyonce's performance. I just about covered my ears every time she cursed because it sounded so crazy coming out of her mouth, but she was cursing like an episode of "Def Comedy Jam." She reached deep down into a diva aura for this one and did great!
I also liked the performance of the Jewish guy who was the manager of Chess Records, specifically his romantic scenes. I was impressed. Actually every single person in the film played their role nicely. I couldn't think of anybody I'd rather see play their parts than them.
Basically the movie is about different African American firsts and greats in the R&B and Rock n' Roll market who are trying to make a career in music, rise above segregation, deal with music being stolen from them from other artists (I hope all Elvis Presley fans and Beach Boys fans watch this movie, but I doubt they will), but these folks aren't perfect. They all have at least one weakness holding them back and are very human.
The only con I have for the film isn't really a con because the film seems to be based on a true story all the way through. Minus Short's character, everybody was unfaithful. It was almost like the music industry and monogamy were polar opposites, which made me a little sad watching the film. However, I loved it from beginning to end.
Movie Review: A great tribute to the fathers of Chicago Blues!
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is a great reference to a part of the history of American music that is way overlooked--Chicago Blues. Most people don't realize that Muddy Waters was, by way of musical lineage, one of the fathers of rock and roll. But the most important aspect of Muddy's (as well as that of Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, et al) place in musical history is the music itself--Chicago Blues. Even if rock and roll, heavy metal, and hip hop were never invented, these blues icons would still be marked in history for their achievements in Chicago blues music. 2003 was the 100th anniversary of the blues, and despite Martin Scorsese's noble effort in recognizing this with his PBS documentary of the Blues in that year, I didn't notice much of a blues revival stemming from that year. It's nice to have movies like this that remind us from time to time what the roots of American music really are!
I was really impressed with the actors in this movie--they did a great job in portraying their respective characters, including their own singing, which was great! I was particularly impressed with the authenticity of Jeffrey Wright's both singing and acting aspects of the portrayal of Muddy Waters.
Some of the details of this story are skewed for effect in this movie, I'm sure, but overall I found it faithful enough in its depiction of how it all came about and went. I must say, though, that I find it hard to believe that Howlin' Wolf actually threatened to kill Muddy if he stole any of his band members again. I know they were rivals, but I have trouble believing they hated each other that much--maybe I'm wrong--I was just surprised to hear something like that in the script.
Adrien Brody does a fine job of portraying Leonard Chess, but Robert DeNiro would have been PERFECT. DeNiro even looks now a lot like Leonard Chess did back then (Brody is simply much younger than Chess was at the time), and I'm sure the makeup team would have had no problem in creating a dead ringer of Chess out of DeNiro! And Chess's legendary tough-guy type attitude? That's right down DeNiro's alley! But alas, I guess they couldn't afford DeNiro, as this was a pretty low-budget film.
So despite the flak that this movie is getting in respect to authenticity, I'm giving it five stars, because it is in fact a very good movie and a great effort in preserving the memory of Chicago Blues!
Movie Review: The Music Alone makes it worth it!
Summary: 5 Stars
Cadillac Records chronicled the rise of Chess Records and the career of Muddy Waters, a sharecropper turned musician in the late 1940s. Chess records, the product of a very ambitious Leonard Chess (portrayed by Brody) birthed several great musicians (Etta James, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Howling Wolf, Little Walter to name a few) during a time when the industry was segregated, as well as society. Giving prized cadillacs to his employees versus royalties, Chess created an empire that allowed talented artists to cross over into radio and television. Creating, influencing if not impacting Rock & Roll, R&B as well as other genres of music, Chess Records would stay at the top of the industry for years.
The movie also looked at the personal lives of these famed stars. The movie centers around Muddy Waters, a womanizer and drunk, who was the first big artist signed to Chess Records, and Leonard Chess (it's founder). A very talented Beyonce plays Etta James who wrestles with her own demons (drugs and alcohol), after being rejected by her father, who is not ready to admit to the world or anyone for that matter that he has a bi-racial/illegitimate daughter. There was Chuck Berry (played by the very talented Mos Def) who was one of the first African Americans to play on American Bandstand, and successfully crossover before going to jail and suing some of the biggest name bands in the country (Beach Boys) for stealing his music. Little Walter, a harmonica playing musician with a temper, entertained us with his quick wit and quicker temper. And a host of other equally talented musicians, among them the very imposing and intimidating Howling Wolf, all who helped create the basis for some of the music we hear today.
Although I traditionally don't go for these types of movies, I enjoyed it and would recommend it for no other reason than hearing Beyonce singing James' "At Last" and several others. Her voice is indeed magical and resonates of the pain she felt her entire life. She really brought James to life as I think no other musician of today could. If you're bored on a Sunday afternoon, take some time out to see it. It's worth the $8 ticket price.
Movie Review: The best dramatic rock movie of all time
Summary: 5 Stars
I cannot remember the last time I saw a movie as fine as this. I'm sure it plays fast a loose with "the facts" as much as anyone alive knows the facts, but the story, the performances, the sound quality are so far beyond "good," I can't even describe them in words. There were so many times I found myself trembling with excitement watching this movie, as though I was actually there seeing the original players perform these songs for the first time. I was privileged to see both Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf perform at Newport, Rhode Island in the 1960s, so this subject has been of great interest to me throughout my life. I was prepared, however, to expect very little from a group of rappers fooling with this great old music. It feels so good to be wrong when someone else does something this right. There's been plenty of talk about Beyonce Knowles' stunning performance as Etta James, and she does, indeed, bring tears to my heart in this role as both an actress and a singer. And Adrian Brody and Jeffrey Wright carry the film as Leonard Chess and Muddy Waters. But don't for one minute underestimate the staggering power of Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf, Gabrielle Union as Geneva Wade, Columbus Short as Little Walter, and Mos Def as a spot-on Chuck Berry. If you love the blues and rock & roll, don't hesitate for one minute. This is the best dramatic movie about the blues or rock & roll to date. If you loved La Bamba, Cadillac Records will blow you out of the water. I've never been the least bit interested in following the career of Beyonce, but I'll tell you, she won a new fan tonight. I'm putting this sound track on my iPod tomorrow and I will check out her records. Now, if they'll just spin it off and let Eamonn Walker do a movie on the life of Howlin' Wolf, and Mos Def devote an entire film to Chuck Berry's life, I'll be delighted. I did miss one of my favorites, Bo Diddley, and wonder why he was left out. I guess they couldn't cover everyone. Perhaps he was left on the cutting room floor. If so, I hope they release a director's cut. Cadillac Records has joined the ranks of my very favorite movies.