La Bamba
|
List Price: Our Price: $4.89 You Save: $10.06 (67%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $3.70 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of La Bamba
Movie Review: My favorite movie of all time
Summary: 5 Stars
La Bamba is my favorite movie of all time hands down. Of all the films I have seen not many reached me the way La Bamba did. I first saw this movie back in the summer of 96 when I was 17-years old and I fell in love with this movie and also became a big fan of Ritchie Valens. No joke I would watch this movie every single day it was on. La Bamba was a staple part of HBO's line up and even if it was on twice a day I would watch it. For me, each time I saw the movie it felt like the first time. I would drive my friends crazy with having to watch it even after I recorded the movie they figured I wouldn't watch it as much, but I still did.
At the time I was actually learning the guitar and I never really played at all and this movie inspired me to actually practice and not only that, but it also inspired me on wanting to be a filmmaker. I really can't think of any other movie that reached me on this deep of a level. Like I said in the opening of my review La Bamba is hands down my favorite movie of all time. For starters it has some truly great music; La Bamba is about having a dream and not letting anyone stop you from reaching that dream. It's about love and family.
The screenplay by Luis Valdez was excellent; the characters are great and each of the main players all add to the movie. None of the characters are just there. Each character plays a crucial part of the movie. While yes the story does revolve around Ritchie played amazingly by Lou Diamond Phillips, but in many ways movie is actually Bob's story played by Esai Morales who pretty much steals the show. There is a bond between the 2 brothers, but there is also tension. Bob is always in Ritchie's shadow despite being older and I was really able to relate more to Bob in many ways than Ritchie. Ritchie was sort of the Golden Boy, while Bob was sort of the outsider.
I think at some point in our lives we have felt like we were in someone's shadow, either it be a friend, family member or co-worker. The more Ritchie finds success the more Bob falls into this despair as all the attention goes to Ritchie and he's sort of forgotten about. The movie may revolve around Ritchie, but it's very much Bob's story. And Esai Morales gives a terrific performance. La Bamba is about going for your dreams and not letting anyone stop you from reaching them. We all have dreams in life and most of us are too afraid to try and make them come true. Ritchie had a dream in life and wouldn't let anything keep him from that and I hold that close. La Bamba gave me and still gives me the courage to go after my own filmmaking dreams.
As director Luis Valdez creates some truly touching scenes and some truly inspiring moments. When making a Bio-picture normally certain parts are played up more for dramatic effect and Valdez does that here, but it works well. A lot of the scenes with tension between Bob and Ritchie comes from real life and comes from the own personal experience between Luis Valdez and his own brother. The love story between Ritchie and Donna played by Danielle von Zerneck are possibly the strongest scenes of the movie and shows a time of innocence.
Prior to this movie I knew who Ritchie Valens was and I knew his music, but I wouldn't be able to place the music with the artist. All the music in the movie that Ritchie sings is performed by Los Lobos who did justice to the original music, but I sought out the original versions by Ritchie and loved it. On my guitar I used to play Donna, Come on Let's Go and La Bamba non-stop. Nothing can top the opening lick in La Bamba.
Lou Diamond Phillips made his screen debut, but if not mistaken he actually shot Stand and Deliver first, but this one came out first. Lou Diamond gives a performance of a lifetime. His performance is so real and inspiring. I would rate this performance as one of my all time favorites. By the time I saw La Bamba I was already a fan of Lou Diamond, but this movie made him one of my very favorite actors of all time. Esai Morales though pretty much steals the show like I stated before. Rosanna DeSoto as Connie, Ritchie's mother is excellent and Joey Pantoliano as Ritchie's manager is excellent, but Joey Pants always delivers. Elizabeth Pena also gives a good performance as Ritchie's ex-girlfriend who is now with Bob, which creates some uneasy tension.
I'll be the first to admit the final act always gets me teary-eyed. The death of Ritchie and Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper was so tragic. Buddy Holly is one of my all time favorite musicians. When Ritchie's family and friends hear the news over the radio it's just so tragic. Sleepwalk, played by Santo & Johnny is so hauntingly beautiful and really adds to the scene; Bob walking across a wooded bridge and stops and screams Ritchie's name never fails to give me the chills.
La Bamba is truly a great and uplifting movie that is really tragic, but again very uplifting. Ritchie was only 17-years old when he died and I remember being freaked out since I was that very age when I first saw the movie. At that age death isn't something we think about and it was quite creepy. This may be clichéd, but Ritchie may be gone, but his music and impact will never be forgotten. His life inspired this movie and this movie inspired me.
Without a doubt La Bamba is my very favorite movie nothing for me comes close. I can watch this movie everyday and never once get tired of it. Each time I see the movie it feels like the first time.
Movie Review: Excellent
Summary: 5 Stars
If you've heard tunes from La Bamba, you'll want to watch the movie. If you've never heard the soundtrack, check out an MP3 here on Amazon sometime of "Donna" and "La Bamba". The music by this teenager really makes this movie.
The story of a boy who became a rock n roll star at 17, La Bamba is a good see not just for an historical account of the life of Ritchie Ricardo Valenzuela (Valens), but for the music and the feeling behind that music.
The movie rocks from the get go, with tunes like ''Rip it Up'', "Ooh! My Head", "We Belong Together", "Come on Let's Go", "Donna", "La Bamba" and more.
Superb performances by the riveting Lou Diamond Phillips (who plays Ritchie Valens), the brooding and angry brother played by Esai Morales, and Rosana DeSoto who plays Ritchie's mom.
I got the dvd a month back and have seen it 6 times already, mostly using scene selections for the later views. Be sure to watch the special features including interviews with Ritchie's real mom as well as the real Donna. See if you can spot a cameo by Ritchie's mom in the movie.
A fun movie, very well produced, great full screen video quality, great music. I'm the kind of guy that loves musicals from Jesus Christ Superstar to Singing in the Rain, from My Fair Lady to Swing Time.. La Bamba, for me, is about the music by a kid who was born to sing.
Along with Ritchie's compositions (performed by Los Lobos), my biggest take away from the movie is this: music touches hearts the same way for everyone.
Movie Review: Ritchie Forever!
Summary: 5 Stars
The day the music died was indeed a tragic day in the world of Rock 'n Roll and for any youngster who followed the music. Gone forever were three stars who just tasted success and were bound for only more.
But good for all of us we have Hollywood and the radio to remind us how good it was. In the golden age of rock, a 17 year old with a beat up amp and guitar took the country by storm with three hit songs. From humble beginnings, to finding love, then being discovered, up until his unfortunate departure...the life of Ritchie Valens was short but memorable.
Lou Diamond Phillips shines as young Ritchie with dreams of "Pure Rock 'n Roll". Like Ritchie, Phillips shines in his first major role. Esai Morales displays his talents as the unstable Bob; a true character that Morales passionately brings to life. Morales and especially Rosanna DeSoto should receive special claim. For playing Connie Valenzuela, DeSoto had to become the rock that held the Valenzuela family together. Wonderful acting all around by the supporting cast brings this period to life.
This special edition of La Bamba features a special commentary option with the Director of the movie, Mr. Luis Valdez, Phillips, and Morales. Together they went back memory lane to discuss the details of this movie and also the effect of Ritchie and his family.
The music still lives!
Movie Review: One of the best rock biopics ever.
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw La Bamba the other night for the first time in many years, and was delighted to see how well it had held up. Of the many tragedies in the history of rock, there are few more bitterly poignant than that of Ritchie Valens, and director Luis Valdez makes us feel the full force of the tragedy. He makes us love not only Ritchie (Lou Diamond Phillips) but also his supportive mother Connie (Rosana De Soto) and his troubled brother Bob (Esai Morales), then ends the film as he should, on a note of raw, unmitigated grief. On the way to the tragic end, however, we also get marvelous recreations of vintage rock songs by Los Lobos, Brian Setzer, Marshall Crenshaw, Howard Huntsberry and others. Seeing La Bamba again brings up a smaller tragedy: why Phillips, Morales and De Soto didn't become bigger stars, as they clearly deserved to become from their performances in this movie. Only Phillips came at all close to stardom, and for every step forward he took--his change-of-pace villainous role in Courage Under Fire, his Broadway triumph in the revival of The King and I--he took two steps back with some straight-to-video flick. But in any case you can still see them in La Bamba, and laugh, cry, and applaud.Movie Review: Ole!
Summary: 5 Stars
La Bamba is one of my top 25 favorite films. Lou Diamond Phillips comes across for real. I was surprised when I saw a picture of the real Ritchie Valens. I had forgotten what he looked like (when I was a teenager). Lou doesn't look like him, but who cares? This is a great suspension of disbelief.Esai Morales doing a great job as the troubled brother Bob. it is easy to feel his pain. And it is almost impossible to tell the difference between Los Lobos' rendition of the title song and the original Ritchie version. The hint is in those couple of seconds of silence that Los Lobos does near the end. And then there are those excellent imitations of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, Jackie Wilson and others.
The DVD has two feature-length commentaries that are worth listening to. Beyond this, I have also turned on the Spanish-language track and watched the film a few times that way. If you have some understanding of both languages, it helps to show how they get the nuances across it slightly different ways.