Cadillac Records
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Movie Reviews of Cadillac Records
Movie Review: CADILLAC RECORDS
Summary: 5 Stars
PRODUCT ARRIVED AHEAD OF TIME. IT WAS IN GREAT CONDITION. WOULD DO BUSINESS WITH THIS SELLER AGAIN!!!Movie Review: GREAT MOVIE
Summary: 5 Stars
I ENJOYED IT. MOVIE CAUSED ME TO BUY ETTA JAMES, MUDDY WATERS, LITTLE WALTER MUSIC.Movie Review: Excellent service
Summary: 5 Stars
My DVD arrived before I expected it and was as advertised. Thanks. AAA+++Movie Review: Cadillac Records - A Very Good Movie, Despite Continuity Issues
Summary: 4 Stars
Cadillac Records is a very good movie that brings to life the early years of Chess Records, the Blues and Rock and Roll. It takes some artistic license with music history. But it succeeds in creating a compelling story that introduces younger audiences to the lives of music legends like Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry and Etta James. Movies based on real events are always a challenge. Problems with timeline continuity may irk those who are already well educated on the music. Yet writer / director Darnell Martin deserves praise for all of the accurate history that this movie succeeds in squeezing into two hours.
For those wondering if they should see this movie, my answer is an unequivocal "yes." Those who are interested in the special features and more details on the history, please read on.
THE STORY
The story of Chess Records hinges on the relationship between two key characters, Len Chess, played by Adrien Brody, and Muddy Waters, played expertly by Jeffrey Wright. When Chess decides to record Waters, the history of music is forever changed and Chess Records is put on the map.
Columbus Short is great as Little Walter, the volatile harmonica player and Blues singer who, at the young age of 17, started playing with Muddy Waters. Even at that age, he was already a master of his instrument having been a street performer before his teens. He first appears on Muddy's recordings but eventually becomes a hit recording artist for Chess Records on his own.
Eamonn Walker also puts in a great performance as legendary blues singer Howlin' Wolf. He clashes with Muddy over women and band members. We also get to see the record label grow into a major force with artists who cross-over to mainstream radio, such as Chuck Berry, played by Mos Def, and Etta James, played by Beyonce Knowles. Mos Def puts in a good performance as Berry, but Beyonce really shows her tremendous growth as an actress.
The legendary song-writer Willie Dixon is played by Cedric The Entertainer, who is mainly the narrator and has limited screen time. Even as a fan of Cedric the Entertainer, I think it was a stretch to cast him as Willie Dixon. He is simply too old to portray a young Dixon during the 50s, and I found his accent distracting.
The success of Chess Records is bitter sweet, as some of its artists succumb to their demons and over time more of their music is copied by other artists. Still, we get a clear picture of the tremendous influence that early Blues musicians had on Rock and Roll.
THE MUSIC
Musical tastes vary, and to many people no re-creation of any blues classic could ever live up to the original. Yet I really think that the music of this movie is very well done, considering that not all of the actors had formal training and they produced this film with limited time and money. Steve Jordon produced the music for the movie, directing the actors on their singing and arranging for professional musicians to re-record the arrangements.
In addition, Terrence Blanchard lent his accomplished hand to the score of the movie. While the score mostly blends into the background, that is a sign of how well made it is. The music is a central character in this movie and they made the right choices here by employing two incredible musical minds.
SPECIAL FEATURES
There is a standard production feature included that has interviews excerpts from the director and cast members. There are some valuable insights into the technical aspects of the production, including sets, wardrobe and makeup.
Deleted Scenes: There are some interesting deleted scenes included here. In one, Len introduces Phil Chess to Muddy. Many think Phil's character wasn't in the movie at all because this scene was cut. Played by Shiloh Fernandez, Phil actually does still have some other scenes in the movie: one where he introduces Etta to Len and a few others in the recording studio. But while Phil at least has face time, the Great Bo Diddly is unfortunately not in the movie. There were just too many characters to cast, it seems. Other deleted scenes include one of Len and his wife, played by Emmanuelle Chriqui, an alternate take of the scene where Howlin' Wolf threatens Muddy, and two different versions of a scene where musicians are locked out of Chess studios.
DIRECTOR COMMENTARY: While I religiously watch special features, I rarely enjoy the director's commentary as much as I did with this movie. Director Darnell Martin communicates just how tight the budget was, including:
** The scene where Len Chess pays Vincent Dinofrio, a radio DJ in the movie, to play Muddy Waters record was shot on a set that had been built that day while the paint was still wet!
** Because they couldn't budget for wigs for the actors who played the Rolling Stones, several were cast for hair alone.
** Perhaps most incredibly, many of Columbus Short's scenes were filmed in one take. The company that insured the film put strict limits to avoid any cost overruns due to filming delays.
THE HISTORY (*** SPOILERS ***)
The director admits in the commentary that there was no evidence of any of the intimacy between Len and Etta that is portrayed in the movie. She stands by the story that Chess did ensure that Etta was returned the deed to her home upon his death. She also seems to play on the fact that Len resisted Etta's affections because of race. One other interesting fact: she reiterates it was likely that Minnesota Fats was Etta's father.
The conflict that arose between Wolf and Muddy over guitarist Hubert Sumlin was indeed based upon real events. Muddy did take Hubert for his own band, and Wolf did threaten Muddy over it. Hubert Sumlin was an extra in the movie and vouched for the scene where Wolf stands up to Len.
Also of note is the story that Little Walter killed his impersonator, which according to the commentary was based on Sonny Boy Williamson's account. Sonny played with Walter and knew him well.
CONTINUITY PROBLEMS
There are several issues with chronology in the movie. Some changes add drama to the story. Yet even giving the director the creative benefit of the doubt, it is very difficult to tell what year it is as the movie wears on. Some facts seem to suggest it's 1957, then people from 1964 show up and suddenly we are back in 1960. While the significant timeline errors don't make this a less enjoyable movie, they do ensure that anybody who studies the history of this music will either be incredibly annoyed by the inconsistencies or feel the need to study the movie to find them all.
It seems strange that Chuck Berry discusses the Beach Boy's copying his hit "Sweet Little Sixteen" before he is arrested. It's a significant continuity issue since he eventually served 5 years under that conviction, and in the movie there is barely a mention of the time that elapses before he re-appears.
There are similar chronological changes made to introduce Muddy Waters and the Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones did actually record at Chess Studios during their 1964 US tour, though I am not sure if they met during that original recording session. The Stones didn't yet have a hit in the US. Muddy toured in the UK and Europe in the late 50s, but here they imply the Stones set up his first UK tour in the late 60s. It also seems strange that introduce them before Elivs Prestley.
CONCLUSION
No flaw takes anything away from the great performances by the cast, the very good direction by Darnell Martin and the wonderful music that has been recreated so well for this movie. I definitely recommend this film to all fans of music history. And if you are a Blues fan, I would guess you likely have already seen the movie. Don't let a critical eye prevent you from enjoying this movie for what it is. This is a film that is well designed to introduce the music of the Blues and early Rock and Roll to a wider audience than ever before. And that is something that I definitely think deserves praise.
Enjoy.
Movie Review: The Music That Defined a Generation
Summary: 4 Stars
As unfamiliar as I am with the music of 1950s artists like Muddy Waters, Etta James, Chuck Barry, and Howlin' Wolf, I was intrigued by "Cadillac Records," a film that dramatizes their story along with that of Chicago's Chess Records. "Dramatizes" is, of course, a fancy term for "historically inaccurate." Consider the fact that Chess Records was founded by brothers Leonard and Phil Chess; not only does the film depict Leonard as the sole founder, it doesn't even acknowledge that Phil existed. This isn't to say that the film doesn't get the job done; even if liberties were taken with history, it still manages to be both compelling and entertaining, telling the story of people who had little going for them other than their love of music. On one side, there are the black artists struggling to find success in a segregated world. On the other side, there are the white men--in this case, Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody)--who wanted to bring that black sound to the airwaves. Most of the time, such men could only rely on independently run radio stations known for playing race music, and even then, bribes were sometimes necessary.
The film begins by showing the humble beginnings of both Chess and Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright). The former was a down-on-his-luck club owner from Chicago while the latter was a plantation worker from Mississippi. After his goal of opening his own club literally goes up in flames, Chess becomes aware of Waters' music and essentially makes him a creative partner. They then begin visiting race music radio stations in the Deep South, Chess armed with a vinyl record and a bit of extra money to encourage the DJs. The airplay created a demand for blues music, which allowed Chess to start a new record label and open a studio in the middle of Chicago. As an extra incentive, Chess buys his musicians brand new Cadillacs; it's a nice gesture, although there is a definite sense of desperation in what he's doing, not helped by the fact that he often relies on royalties to make payments.
I can't say much about the real Leonard Chess, but the film version is such a fascinating character, able to recognize good music yet lacking a lot of financial and social know-how. His marriage to a young woman of Polish descent named Revetta (Emmanuelle Chriqui) is often troubled, mostly because a balance between business and family is never really maintained. There also comes a point when he meets Etta James (Beyoncé Knowles) and begins falling in love with her. She's also a fascinating character, and not just because of her incredible singing voice--assertive, opinionated, and bold, she's not someone to be messed with. Part of it comes from self-esteem issues, believing she's no better than her mother, a prostitute who had an affair with her father, Minnesota Fats. She often flirts with Chess, but she never quite lets him in, not until that pivotal moment when Chess says, "I'm not your father, and you're not your mother."
The film also explores the relationship between Waters and his wife, Geneva Wade (Gabrielle Union), who tries her hardest to look past Waters' numerous extramarital affairs. Their story is intertwined with that of Little Walter (Columbus Short), who lives with Waters as they both sing exclusively for Chess. Walter, young and impetuous, soon stumbles his way into alcoholism, and while this made for good drama, his inner demons are never really examined. Granted, "Cadillac Records" is loaded with characters; if all of them were fully developed, the film would be hours long. Still, Walter deserved a bit more than he was given.
Minor subplots featuring Howlin' Wolf (Eamonn Walker) and Chuck Berry (Mos Def) are effective, if a little condensed. Wolf, with his quiet, raspy voice and tremendous height (6'4"), is quite intimidating. He doesn't get along too well with Waters, who he feels is just one of Chess' business pawns. Unlike Waters, Wolf keeps his money well guarded, even going so far as to pay for the health benefits of his band. And as for Berry, who blended blues with country, he doesn't appreciate the fact that white musicians are getting all the credit for inventing rock `n' roll (incidentally, Mos Def has been just as vocal on the subject).
The film is narrated by Willie Dixon (Cedric the Entertainer), the singer/songwriter known for "You Shook Me," "I Ain't Superstitious," and "Little Red Rooster." Whether or not this was a necessary addition to the screenplay, I'm not sure; turning him into a storyteller is an interesting idea, yet he doesn't add all that much to the story besides some exposition. Still, Cedric the Entertainer is well cast, as is everyone else in this movie. Knowles is the most convincing as Etta James, an independent yet vulnerable woman. But as I said at the start of this review, this movie is more focused on music than it is on historical fact; my praise for Knowles is more of a testament to the skills of writer/director Darnell Martin than it is to the real Etta James. In spite of this, and in spite of the fact that my knowledge of 1950s music is limited, "Cadillac Records" is an engaging, entertaining movie.