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Buena Vista Social Club | Year: 1999 Classification: Kategorien - Lernen & Nachschlagen - Wissen nach Themen - Länder & Regionen - Amerika - Kuba Directed: - Wim Wenders Actors/Actresses: - Ibrahim Ferrer Buena Vista Social Club I could have stayed to watch Buena Vista Social Club all day and all night. The film traces master guitarist Ry Cooder's seemingly endless search for more musical legends to play with, as he takes us to Cuba to meet the masters of "Son" music. The result is a warm, beautiful and touching portrait of the aging "Son" masters emerging from a long hiatus to show us they haven't lost their touch. Cooder has long sought out masters of "roots" music to learn from and play with. This time he found his way into a diamond mine, and the resulting three albums, "Buena Vista Social Club", "Afro-Cuban All-Stars" and "Introducing Ruben Gonzales" could all have won the 1998 Grammy award, as the former actually did. The film follows the aging Son musicians around their native Cuba as they prepare for overseas concerts in both Holland and New York City. The city of Havana shows the effects of aging itself, run down and seedy, but, as with the musicians themselves, there is a spirit of unity and inner strength that overrides the worn down facade. That spirit emerges quickly as you see how deeply the Cubans feel their music. You also see a country that preserves the old and makes it work personified in the "antique" automobiles the Cubans use to get around. Several musicians are featured in the film, but two gain the film's focus, jazz pianist Ruben Gonzales and singer Ibrahim Ferrer, the "Cuban Frank Sinatra". Gonzales no longer has a piano and plays one in a gymnasium reserved for Cuban gymnasts. Ferrer feels the public no longer appreciates his music and is shining shoes to supplement a tiny retirement. Ry Cooder and his son Joachim (sp?), a talented drummer, try to stay as far in the background as possible. Cooder's style is to sit at the feet of the masters to learn and participate. I think the director, Wim Wenders, gives him more face time than he would prefer. No matter, as he is a wonderful musician and facilitator, without whom the original project and the film would not have happened. Wenders weaves the music and the life of the musicians in a pattern that draws the audience into the lives of the musicians, especially Ferrer. I was very familiar with the music from the three albums and that made my experience with them almost personal. I was excited as I saw the rehearsals draw the musicians closer and tighter. They became young again as the music started flowing from them. The culmination of the film is the concert at Carnegie Hall. I was fully engaged by then and I had chills when the Son music was playing and when the audience responded with such enthusiasm. I had tears of pleasure as the music flowed over me. I've recommended this film to many of my friends, and they all have gone out of their way to thank me. I don't think I've seen another film in 1999 that I've liked better. I'll paraphrase what Ry Cooder says to his son in the film, "This is the kind of opportunity that comes once in a lifetime". A Landmark Breakthough in Music and a Postcard of Cuba Ry Cooder struck gold when he stumbled upon these Cuban musical legends understandably forgotten by the outside world but somehow forgotten in their own country. With instruments and forms of music virtually unaffected by 40 years of pop culture, these superlative musicians will warm you with their humility and their affection for each other and their culture, and then thrill you will their rich music. Cooder, however, did the musicians a disservice by giving himself and his son such a big role in the project. Cooder's electric guitar doesn't work when it is mixed with thick, natural sound of the Cuban musicians. Director Win Wenders shot a brilliant sequence when legendary pianist Ruben Gonzalez is working magic on his piano and Cooder interjects with his electric guitar. Wenders moves the camera amongst the Cuban musicians while Cooder is playing and they all have perplexed looks on their faces. It is a sound that they obviously are not accustomed to and one that clashes with their natural sounds. It's also painful to watch Cooder's son head and shoulder movements while he plays percussion -- it's something straight out of a Wayans brother movie. I don't want to seem ungrateful. Full credit goes to Cooder for what he has done for these performers and the music world. These performers obviously have deep affection for Cooder. Stepping back and the letting the legends go would have been the right thing to do. Instead, he looks like George Plimpton. Awesome music, awesome movie. Quit grousing, it's fun and great music!! Share discographys I was "introduced" to the Latin music by my Brazilian neighbor, but give Ry Cooder his due folks. Most of these marvelous Cuban musicians would still be only memories of your Grandparents had Cooder and Wender (sp)? not put the recordings and DVD together. Documentary or concert tape? who cares? I loved the music and since I've never been to Havana or Cuba, the video section of Ry and his son putting along on their motorcycle thru the city's streets to the recording studio were wonderful background for me.<BR>Am I going to quit searching for Cuban / Latin music because I "found" Buena Vista Social Club? Hell no... I'm looking for more!! Does Ry Cooder's steel guitar work blend in with the Cuban sounds? Ahhh... Who cares? How much Gerry Garcia / Jimi Hendrix crap did we have to listen to... to get to the meat of their talent?<BR>Give it a rest folks.. Or better yet- share some of the discographys of your favorite Latin players, young and old!!<BR>THAT would be really fun!<BR>But quit whining Buy Buena Vista Social Club at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Buena Vista Social Club Search with the Priority Search Engine on Buena Vista Social Club This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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