La Bamba

Director: Luis Valdez Luis Valdez

Overview

La Bamba, Luis Valdez's biopic of rock pioneer Ritchie Valens, comes to DVD with a widescreen transfer that preserves the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1. A closed-captioned English soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital 5.1, while a Spanish soundtrack has been recorded in Dolby Digital Stereo. English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Thai subtitles are accessible. Supplemental features include a biography of the cast and filmmakers and a theatrical trailer. The sound on the disc captures the rock & roll songs beautifully, making this disc interesting viewing for any fan of rock films.

Product Details

Release Date:	04/06/1999
UPC:	0043396085497
Original Release:	1987
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	Sony Pictures
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround]
Time:	1:48:00
Sales rank:	4,406

Special Features

Director, Producer and Cast Audio Commentary; Taylor Hackford and Daniel Valdez Audio Commentary; La Bamba music video (Los Lobos); Lonely Teardrops music video (Howard Huntsberry); Remembering Richie featurette; Theatrical Trailer; Bios and Filmographies; Languages: English (2-Channel Surround and 5.1), Spanish 4-Channel; Subtitles: English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Thai; Widescreen Format

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Lou Diamond Phillips	Ritchie Valens
Esai Morales	Bob Morales
Rosanna de Soto	Connie Valenzuela
Elizabeth Peña	Rosie Morales
Danielle von Zerneck	Donna Ludwig
Joe Pantoliano	Bob Keene
Marshall Crenshaw	Buddy Holly
Rick Dees	Ted Quillin
Howard Huntsberry	Jackie WIlson
Brian Setzer	Eddie Cochran
Daniel Valdez	Lelo
Connie Alvarez	Farm Worker
Junie Lowry-Johnson	Actor
Bob Morales	Actor
Irma Valcorta	Farm Worker
Mrs. Connie Valenzuela	Actor
Eddie Frias	Chino
Mike Moroff	Mexican Ed
Geoffrey Rivas	Rudy
Sam Anderson	Mr. Ludwig
Maggie Gwinn	Mrs. Ludwig
Jeffrey Alan Chandler	Alan Freed
Stephen Lee	Big Bopper
John Quade	Bartender
Diane Rodriguez	Ernestine
Ernesto Hernandez	Garbage Man
Noble Willingham	Howard
Kim Sebastian	Donna's Girlfriend
Dyana Ortelli	Donna's Girlfriend
Tony Genaro	Mr. Caballero
Allison Robinson	Girl at Party

Technical Credits

Luis Valdez

Luis Valdez	Director,Screenwriter
Adam Greenberg	Cinematographer
Stuart Benjamin	Executive Producer
Alan C. Blomquist	Production Designer
Bill Borden	Producer
Rosemary Brandenberg	Set Decoration/Design
Don Brochu	Editor
Vince Cresciman	Production Designer
Miles Goodman	Score Composer
Taylor Hackford	Producer
Warren Hamilton	Sound Editor
Sheldon Kahn	Editor
Lobos	Score Composer
Carlos Santana	Score Composer,Songwriter
Curt Sobel	Score Composer
Susumu Tokunow	Sound/Sound Designer
Daniel Valdez	Associate Producer
Sylvia Vega-Vasquez	Costumes/Costume Designer

Scene Index

Side #1
0. Scene Selections
1. Start [2:19]
2. Opening credits [1:42]
3. The Venezuela family [1:16]
4. Richie & Rob [2:46]
5. Bob & Rosie [5:08]
6. Donna [2:20]
7. "Rip It Up" [8:41]
8. Garage party [4:44]
9. Cowboy Palace [7:01]
10. "Ooh! My Head" [1:42]
11. "Framed" [2:41]
12. A drive with Donna [2:32]
13. Bob Keene [2:36]
14. "This I Swear" [2:25]
15. Telling his dream [3:15]
16. "Come On, Let's Go" [2:27]
17. Richie Valens [11:09]
18. "La Bamba" (traditional) [6:06]
19. "Donna" [3:41]
20. Dream Car [2:50]
21. American Bandstand [5:16]
22. "Summertime Blues" [1:50]
23. "Lonely Teardrops" [2:21]
24. "La Bamba" [8:44]
25. "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" [3:28]
26. Buddy Holly Airlines [1:39]
27. The day the music died [3:35]
28. End credits [4:00]

Menu

Side #1
   Play Movie
   Languages & Audio Set-Up
      English 2-Channel Surround
      English 5.1-Channel Surround
      Spanish 4-Channel/Español
   Subtitles
      English
      Spanish/Español
      Portuguese/Português
      Chinese
      Korean
      Thai
   Special Features
      Director, Producer & Cast Audio Commentary
      Taylor Hackford & Daniel Valdez Audio Commentary
      "La Bamba" music video (La Bamba)
      "Lonely Teardrops" music video (Howard Huntsberry)
      "Remembering Richie" featurette
      Theatrical Trailer
      Bios & Filmographies
         Lou Diamond Phillips
         Esai Morales
         Elizabeth Peña
         Joe Pantoliano

Editorial Reviews

A somewhat syrupy rendering of real-life rags-to-riches rock and roller Ritchie Valens, La Bamba is both heartwarming and tragic. Lou Diamond-Phillips gives an energetic performance as the Mexican-American Valens; his acclaimed work in the film ultimately proved a double-edged sword, as the actor was largely unable to eclipse this performance in subsequent films. La Bamba's script extrapolates freely from the actual life and events surrounding Valens, but the end result is a pretty sound story that makes for a solid film. The music, provided primarily by Mexican-American rockers Los Lobos, helped their re-make of "La Bamba" chart on Billboard thirty-odd years after its initial release. Supporting performances by Marshall Crenshaw as Buddy Holly and Brian Setzer as Eddie Cochran lend the film even greater rock and roll credibility. The story that ended tragically in a plane crash claiming the lives of Valens, the Big Bopper and Buddy Holly informed a new generation of their legacy and was a hit at the box office.

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