La Bamba (1987)

Director:

Luis Valdez

Writer:

Luis Valdez (written by)

Release Date:

24 July 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Born to poverty. Destined for stardom. He Lived the American Dream.

Plot:

Biographical story of the rise from nowhere of singer Ritchie Valens whose life was cut short by a plane crash.

Plot Keywords:

Singer | Crash | Star | Fistfight | Rock Music

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Lou Diamond Phillips	...	Ritchie Valens
Esai Morales	...	Bob Morales
Rosanna DeSoto	...	Connie Valenzuela (as Rosana De Soto)
Elizabeth Peña	...	Rosie Morales
Danielle von Zerneck	...	Donna Ludwig
Joe Pantoliano	...	Bob Keane
Rick Dees	...	Ted Quillin
Marshall Crenshaw	...	Buddy Holly
Howard Huntsberry	...	Jackie Wilson
Brian Setzer	...	Eddie Cochran
Daniel Valdez	...	Lelo
Felipe Cantu	...	Curandero
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
Lettie Ibarra	...	Vera
Diane Rodriguez	...	Ernestine
Katie Valdez	...	Connie Jr. (as Kati Valdez)
Gloria Balcorta	...	Irma
Ernesto Hernández	...	Garbage Man (as Ernesto Hernandez)
Noble Willingham	...	Howard
Thom Pintello	...	Sound Engineer
Stephen F. Schmidt	...	Tommy Allsup (as Stephen Schmidt)
Rosanna Locke	...	Sharon Sheeley
Kim Sebastian	...	Donna's Girlfriend
Dyana Ortelli	...	Rosalinda
Andy Griggs	...	Mr. House
Art K. Koustik	...	Trucker (as Art Koustik)
Tony Genaro	...	Mr. Caballero
Allison Robinson	...	Girl at Party
Hunter Payne	...	Baseball Announcer
Joe Miller	...	Student
Mary Ann Tanedo	...	Student
Barb Jittner	...	Student
Brian Russell	...	Student
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Aragon	...	Student (uncredited)
Linda Holdahl	...	Featured Dancer (uncredited)
Thomas Rosales Jr.	...	Man at Party (uncredited)
Connie Valenzuela	...	Elderly lady at party (uncredited)

Directed by
Luis Valdez

Writing credits
Luis Valdez		(written by)

Produced by
Stuart Benjamin	....	executive producer
Bill Borden	....	producer
Taylor Hackford	....	producer
Daniel Valdez	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Miles Goodman
Carlos Santana

Cinematography by
Adam Greenberg		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Don Brochu
Sheldon Kahn

Casting by
Junie Lowry-Johnson		(as Junie Lowry)

Production Design by
Vincent M. Cresciman		(as Vince Cresciman)

Set Decoration by
Rosemary Brandenburg

Costume Design by
Sylvia Vega-Vasquez
Yvonne Cervantes		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Richard Arrington	....	makeup artist
Lisa Meyers	....	assistant hair stylist
Bill Myer	....	assistant makeup artist
Peter Tothpal	....	hair stylist
La Bamba	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Adam Christopher	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Alan C. Blomquist	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen J. Fisher	....	first assistant director
Richard Graves	....	first assistant director: second unit
Michael Katleman	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jane Brown	....	lead scenic artist
Eduardo H. Esparza	....	construction supervisor (as Eddie Esparza)
Greta Grigorian	....	stand-by decorator (as Greta Gregorian)
Joni Indursky	....	lead person
Jeff Jones	....	scenic artist
Roger Kelton	....	construction coordinator
Linda Kiffe	....	assistant property master
Randlett King Lawrence	....	construction foreman (as Randlett Lawrence)
Marco López	....	swing gang (as Marc Lopez)
Paul S. Power	....	visual illustrator (as Paul Power)
Pola Shreiber	....	stand-by decorator
Charles Stewart	....	property master
Todd E. Weisman	....	swing gang (as Todd Weisman)
Terry Welden	....	assistant art director
Nancy Booth	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Bill Holmquist	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Daryl 'Dazz' Reynolds	....	swing gang (uncredited)

Sound Department
Albert Aquino	....	cable man
Richard Friedman	....	adr editor (as Dick Friedman)
Mark Gordon	....	sound editor
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound editor (as Warren Hamilton)
Fred Judkins	....	supervising sound editor
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom C. McCarthy	....	supervising sound editor
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joel Shryack	....	boom operator
Susumu Tokunow	....	sound mixer
Bill Voigtlander	....	adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Kevin Pike	....	special effects supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts (as Janet S. Brady)
Steve M. Davison	....	stunt coordinator (as Steve Davison)
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts (as Steve Davison)
Tim A. Davison	....	stunts
Freddie Hice	....	stunts (as Fred Hice)
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (as Ronnie Rondell)
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts (as Thomas Rosales)
Tanya Russell	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts
Matthew R. Anderson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jimmy Ortega	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Perez	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Von Babasin	....	grip
Chuck Colwell	....	director of photography: second unit
Alicia Craft	....	second assistant camera
Andrew Dickerman	....	video playback assist (as Andy Dickerman)
Sam Emerson	....	still photographer
Reuben David Feldthouse	....	electrician (as Ben Feldthouse)
Claude Fullerton	....	grip
Craig Garfield	....	grip
Jono Kouzouyan	....	chief lighting technician
Thomas Luehrsen	....	video playback assist
Merrick Morton	....	special still photographer (as Rick Morton)
Gary Parker	....	key grip
John Pierce	....	electrician
Vance Piper	....	first assistant camera
R.J. Sharp	....	best boy grip
Jack Yanekian	....	best boy electric
Tom Bookout	....	grip (uncredited)
Donald Burghardt	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)
John M. Heller	....	special photographer (uncredited)
George Palmer	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Marcy Carriker	....	casting associate
Robert J. Teitelbaum	....	extras casting (as Robert Teitelbaum)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yvonne Cervantes	....	costumer
Elizabeth C. Grudzinski-Seal	....	costumer (as Liz'Beth Gower)

Editorial Department
Jeffrey James Bell	....	assistant editor (as Jeffrey Bell)
Alana Caudillo	....	post-production coordinator (as Alana Ackley)
Howard Davis	....	apprentice editor
Priscila Giraldo	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
David Hidalgo	....	singing voice: Lou Diamond Phillips
John E. Oliver	....	sideline musician supervisor
Joel Sill	....	executive music producer
Curt Sobel	....	supervising music editor
George Doering	....	musician (uncredited)
Robert Schaper	....	music engineer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Todd Adair	....	driver
Bob Bailey	....	driver
Thomas P. Donovan	....	driver (as Tom Donovan)
Jerry Gordon	....	driver
Darwin Joston	....	transportation captain
Joe Lanzl	....	driver (as Joel Lanzl)
Gary Littlefield	....	transportation coordinator
Wayne Nelson	....	driver
Craig Scott	....	driver
Danny L. Swanson	....	driver (as Dan Swanson)
Mark Wescott	....	driver
Don Skow	....	picture cars (uncredited)

Other crew
Andrea Asimow	....	executive in charge of development: New Visions
Steve Beckham	....	craft service
Michael Bodnarczuk	....	production assistant
Allen Burry	....	publicist: PMX
Misty Carey	....	production coordinator
Alana Caudillo	....	assistant: Mr. Borden (as Alana Ackley)
Jeff Conroy	....	production assistant (as Jeffrey Conroy)
Richard Davis Jr.	....	location manager (as Richard Davis)
Miguel Delgado	....	choreographer
David Diehl	....	production assistant
Marylou Eales	....	assistant: Mr. Sill
Lori L. Eschler	....	production assistant (as Lori Eschler)
Phil Esparza	....	production associate
Jim Fox	....	guitar instructor
Priscila Giraldo	....	project manager
Darryl Harmon	....	location projectionist: Penthouse Screening
Shannon Kane	....	assistant auditor
Sheldon Katz	....	production auditor (as Sheldon M. Katz)
Josh King	....	location manager
Jerri Lauridsen	....	assistant: Mr. Hackford
Marisa Leal	....	production assistant
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor (as Lyn McKissick)
Olga Perez	....	production assistant
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Jim Picciolo	....	animal handler
Jane E. Russell	....	production secretary
Carrie Stein	....	researcher
P.R. Tooke	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Patricia Tooke)
Steve Clayton	....	security officer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• New Visions Pictures

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1987) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1990) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2000) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Esselte Video (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• LK-TEL (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2004) (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1997) (USA) (laserdisc)
• TV3 (1991) (Finland) (TV)
• Video Trade (????) (Finland) (VHS)

Other Companies

• On Tour Productions  transportation services
• The David Forbes Company  marketing consultant
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Argentina:Atp | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (#28389) | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Cowboy Palace Saloon - 21635 Devonshire St, Chatsworth, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Many family members from the production team, and Luis Valdez's and the Valenzuela family, appear in this film.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Bob finds drawings of Woody Woodpecker in a trash bin on the Columbia Pictures studio lot. The Woody cartoons were produced at Walter Lantz's studio at Universal.

Quotes:

Bob Morales:Look it's Woody Woodpecker and Buzz Buzzard, Man they make cartoons here.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Psych: Game, Set... Muuurder? (#1.13)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Abuelitos Cortos

My Favorite Movie

One Summer afternoon back in 1996 i was 17 years old, I had a guitar but never played as much as i should have.

With nothing to do i was watching TV, and La Bamba came on and for whatever reason i decided to watch it.

I have heard of Ritchie Valens but knew nothing of him, i knew a few of his hit songs but never knew that was him singing till i watched the movie.

That summer day i watched La Bamba changed my life. The movie just reached out and touched something in my soul. I am a Rocker and love all kinds of Rock music. And that's one of the things i loved about La Bamba the great music.

I watched La Bamba everyday it would come on cable even bought the movie, even after that i would still watch it when ever it came on.

Every time i see it i fall in-love with the movie all over again.

And because of this film i play my guitar, and because of this film i have a dream of working in film as a Writer/Director.

The story is all about Ritchie Valens who is 17 years old and dreams of being a rock star. But there is so much more to it then that.

It's a story about family as well, and young love.

Lou Diamond Phillips who is a Fav actor of mine is amazing in La Bamba he shows how talented he is.

Esai Morales plays Ritchie's older brother Bob.

Esai Morales plays the troubled Bob with perfection.

The Casting is great Rosanna Desoto plays Connie Ritchie's Mother, Elizabeth Pena as Rosie Bob's wife.

Danielle Von Zerneck as Donna Ritchie's Girlfriend and the great Joe Pantoliano as Bob Keene who discovers Ritchie Valens and is his Producer/Manager.

Like i said there is more to the story then just Ritchie's dreams,What La Bamba comes down to is a story about Brothers.

In some ways i relate to Ritchie but at the same time i know how Bob feels being second best.

Writer/Director Luis Valdez does an amazing job. Thank you Mr.Valdez for the wonderful job.

Los Lobos perform most of the sound-track and perform all of Ritchie Valens songs.

Lou Diamond Phillips is amazing but Esai Morales is the stand-out with his performance.

I just wanna thank the cast and crew for the inspiration they have given me.

And of course the man himself Ritchie Valens R.I.P

La Bamba shows you that Dreams can in fact come true.

I give La Bamba 10/10