MOVIEmeter
SEE RANK
Down 133 this week

Selena (1997)

 -  Biography | Drama | Music  -  21 March 1997 (USA)
6.3
Your rating:
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 -/10 X  
Ratings: 6.3/10 from 13,131 users   Metascore: 65/100
Reviews: 147 user | 38 critic | 16 from Metacritic.com

The true story of Selena Quintanilla-Perez, a Texas born tejano singer who rose from cult status to performing at the Astrodome, as well as having chart topping albums on the Latin music charts.

Director:

Writer:

Watch Trailer
0Check in
0Share...

User Lists

Related lists from IMDb users

a list of 43 titles created 19 Aug 2011
 
a list of 189 titles created 6 months ago
 
a list of 10000 titles created 2 months ago
 
a list of 39 titles created 21 May 2012
 
a list of 373 titles created 26 Nov 2011
 

Connect with IMDb


Share this Rating

Title: Selena (1997)

Selena (1997) on IMDb 6.3/10

Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.

Take The Quiz!

Test your knowledge of Selena.
Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 8 wins & 5 nominations. See more awards »

Videos

Photos

Learn more

People who liked this also liked... 

La Bamba (1987)
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.6/10 X  

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

Director: Luis Valdez
Stars: Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.9/10 X  

A film about the singer Tina Turner and how she rose to stardom with her abusive husband Ike Turner and how she gained the courage to break free.

Director: Brian Gibson
Stars: Angela Bassett, Rae'Ven Larrymore Kelly, Virginia Capers
Ray I (2004)
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.7/10 X  

The life and career of the legendary popular music pianist, Ray Charles.

Director: Taylor Hackford
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Regina King
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.3/10 X  

Biography of Loretta Lynn, a country and western singer that came from poverty to fame.

Director: Michael Apted
Stars: Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Levon Helm
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6/10 X  

The story of Jerry Lee Lewis, arguably the greatest and certainly one of the wildest musicians of the 1950s. His arrogance, remarkable talent, and unconventional lifestyle often brought him... See full summary »

Director: Jim McBride
Stars: Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder, John Doe
The Runaways (2010)
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.5/10 X  

A coming-of-age biopic about '70s teenage band The Runaways.

Director: Floria Sigismondi
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon
Notorious (2009)
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.4/10 X  

The life and death story of Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Christopher Wallace), who came straight out of Brooklyn to take the world of rap music by storm.

Director: George Tillman Jr.
Stars: Jamal Woolard, Mohamed Dione, Derek Luke
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5.9/10 X  

In the mid-80s, three women (each with an attorney) arrive at the office of New York entertainment manager, Morris Levy. One is an L.A. singer, formerly of the Platters; one is a petty ... See full summary »

Director: Gregory Nava
Stars: Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox, Lela Rochon
Amadeus (1984)
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8.4/10 X  

The incredible story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, told in flashback by his peer and secret rival Antonio Salieri - now confined to an insane asylum.

Director: Milos Forman
Stars: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.6/10 X  

The life story of singer Édith Piaf.

Director: Olivier Dahan
Stars: Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Pascal Greggory
The Doors (1991)
Biography | Drama | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7.1/10 X  

The story of the famous and influential 1960's rock band and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison.

Director: Oliver Stone
Stars: Val Kilmer, Meg Ryan, Kyle MacLachlan
The Soloist (2009)
Drama | Biography | Music
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.6/10 X  

A Los Angeles journalist befriends a homeless Juilliard-trained musician, while looking for a new article for the paper.

Director: Joe Wright
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener
Edit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
Marcela Quintanilla
...
Sara (as Alexandra Meneses)
...
Chris Perez
...
Abraham Quintanilla
...
Abie Quintanilla
Pete Astudillo ...
Himself - Dinos 1990's
...
Joe Ojeda - Dinos 1990's (as Ruben Gonzalez)
Ricky Vela ...
Himself - Dinos 1990's
Don Shelton ...
Stage Dancer
Richard Emanuelle ...
Concert Reporter (as Richard Emanuele)
Panchito Gómez ...
Young Abraham - Dinos 1961 (as Panchito Gomez)
...
Bobby - Dinos 1961
...
Seff - Dinos 1961
Edit

Storyline

The film tells the story of life of Mexican "Tejano" style singer Selena and the progress of her career resulting in No.1 US album. Written by Anonymous

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

For One Brilliant, Shining Moment...The American Dream Came True. See more »

Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for some mild language and thematic elements | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
Edit

Details

Official Sites:

|

Country:

Language:

|

Release Date:

21 March 1997 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Selena: The Movie  »

Filming Locations:

 »

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$11,615,722 (USA) (21 March 1997)

Gross:

$35,422,828 (USA) (27 June 1997)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

| |

Color:

(Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See  »
Edit

Did You Know?

Trivia

Among the actresses considered to play the title role were Leticia Miller, an unknown who bore a striking resemblance to Selena, and Bibi Gaytán, a Mexican soap opera actress (coincidentally, Selena had guest-starred on a soap opera Gaytán starred in, called "Dos mujeres, un camino"). See more »

Goofs

In the "bidi bidi bom bom" scene, in some of the concert shots, you can see that there are only a few audience members and that behind them it's an empty field See more »

Quotes

[Chris eats pizza with Hot sauce]
Selena Quintanilla: Now you have to try some of mine.
Chris Perez: I don't eat pepperoni, too hot.
See more »

Crazy Credits

The producers wish to thank The Quintanilla Family See more »

Connections

Featured in The 55th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1998) See more »

Soundtracks

"Missing You"
(1983)
Written by Mark Leonard, John Waite and Chaz Sanford
Performed by John Waite
Courtesy of Markmeem Music, WB Music Corp. (ASCAP)
o/b/o Itself and Fallwater Music (ASCAP), Paperwaite Music
c/o Trio Music Co., Inc. and Alley Music Corp. (BMI)
Courtesy of EMI Records
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
Jennifer Lopez is beautiful as Selena. ***1/2 out of ****
16 October 1999 | by (Michigan, USA) – See all my reviews

SELENA (1997) ***1/2

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda, Constance Marie, and Jacob Vargas Written and directed by Gregory Nava 127 minutes Rated PG (for mild language and sensuality)

By Blake French:

I am not a fan of Selena Quintanilla, and I still loved Gregory Nava's "Selena." It was a respectable movie on its own level; the film would have worked even if there never was a professional celebrity singer of the same name. It's filled with inspiring style and lovely glamour. This is one of the better biography movies to come down the road in some time.

The film stars the talented Jennifer Lopez as the famous singer in the title roll. The development of her character is what makes the production so effective. In biographies, we need as much information as possible about the person in focus as possible, and "Selena" starts at her childhood. She is one of the many in the Quintanilla family: the father, Abraham, the mother, Marcela, and the siblings, Abie, Suzette, and of course Selena. Abraham involves the kids with music very early in their lives. After hearing his daughter's voice talents, how could he resist. Some days, the kids did not want to practice their instruments and music abilities, but discipline is what makes things work.

The film begins an emotional journey into the life of the Quintanilla's. Abraham's long awaited dream of opening his independent Spanish restaurant has come true. His children are the entertainment. Although much to his wife's dismay, he soon quits his current occupation to manage his new restaurant full time. Again, a big success, for the first few months, anyway. Before long, however, the restaurant is bankrupt and his family is forced to close it down--leaving them no where to go, except to sell their happy little house and buy a motor home for the family to live in.

Selena's father becomes the antagonist--being forceful, controlling and difficult. He is the one who objects to the family's ideas. Abraham is the man who will never allow his daughter to get married. He is the person who cares so much about his family, that sometimes he thinks that they can't do anything right.

The development of the Quintanilla family is perfect. Selena, although the centerpiece of the plot, is jumbled in the family atmosphere with little significance above the rest of the members in her household. This concept makes the biography believable and heartfelt. The only problem I had with these folks is the old, reused idea of having the strict father as the villain for most of the movie. We have seen this concept so many times before, and while it does, as always, add some tension in the story line, the film never gets anywhere with the theme, and throughout the picture, Abraham has varied in character mood--lacking consistency.

Jennifer Lopez is so much better playing a character like Selena Quintanilla than some of the varied characters she has been in the past. In particular, the dreadful "U-Turn" and "Anaconda" characters did not fit her personality in the least. Selena is the character who she was born to star as, and what a wonderful, inspiring job she does. I cared about these characters, and if not for the performances it may have been another story.

The movie offers a touching romantic subplot--that also happens to be bull-headed and stubborn. The audience doesn't mind this flawed story, however simply because it is propelled by the performances and enchanting romantic chemistry. There are lots of emotions flying around in the film, but even that doesn't hold it back from becoming a clear, accurate-looking piece of work.

"Selena" is a biography worth seeing and then some. Featured are adorable characters, exquisite performances, a believable and historical plot line, and a lot of irresistible idyllic chemistry. However, at the same time, suffers from too many emotional distractions and conventional clichés. The film could have been better...but it didn't necessarily need at be.

Brought to you by Warner Bros.


6 of 9 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
Reality VS Movie tracylynns
How famous was Selena... cielo2001
Jennifer Lopez greek-fan
FANTASTIC FILM - one issue franrom28
Does anyone know the name of the song young Selena sings at the fair? Niqkigurl
My Dad + Yolanda blueinkredpaper
Discuss Selena (1997) on the IMDb message boards »

Contribute to This Page

Create a character page for:
?