La Bamba (1987)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Luis Valdez

Writer:

Luis Valdez (writer)

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 | Mexican American | Cartoonist

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win

Cast

Lou Diamond Phillips	...	Ritchie Valens
Esai Morales	...	Bob Morales
Rosanna DeSoto	...	Connie Valenzuela (as Rosana DeSoto)
Elizabeth Peña	...	Rosie Morales
Danielle von Zerneck	...	Donna Ludwig
Joe Pantoliano	...	Bob Keene
Rick Dees	...	Ted Quillen
Marshall Crenshaw	...	Buddy Holly
Howard Huntsberry	...	Jackie Wilson
Brian Setzer	...	Eddie Cochran
Daniel Valdez	...	Lelo
Felipe Cantú	...	Curandero
Eddie Frias	...	Chino
Mike Moroff	...	Mexican Ed
Geoffrey Rivas	...	Rudy

Also Known As:

Let's Go (USA) (working title)

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) | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Fillmore, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The band playing the traditional folk version of "La Bamba" at the club in Tijuana is, in reality, the band Los Lobos, who performed all of the Ritchie Valens music for the film. The guitar player next to the bass player is David Hidalgo, who provided the singing voice of for Lou Diamond Phillips.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ritchie is showing his mother the new house, the shadows are halfway up the walls. When Bob pulls into the driveway with his two sisters, the shadows are totally gone. And when Ritchie opens the door into the house the shadows are there again.

Quotes:

Ritchie Valens: My mom reckons I'm going to be a star. And stars don't fall from the sky.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Behind the Music: The Day the Music Died (#2.19)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Rip It Up

Esai Morales steals the show

Esai Morales gives the best performance of his career in this 1987 movie about Hall of Fame rock and roller Ritchie Valens, who was tragically killed in a plane crash at the age of 17 with the big bopper and Buddy Holly on February 3, 1959. Morales plays Bob Morales, the half brother of Ritchie. Bob is a drunk who feels as if he is in the shadow of Ritchie due to Ritchie's musical talent and success. In fact if I didn't know better you might think the movie is about Bob. He was in the movie a ton. Lou Diamond Phillips does a good job of portraying Ritchie. I would definitely suggest that you watch this movie. It has a ton of great music and like I said before Morales is awesome in this movie.