El cantante (2006)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Leon Ichaso

Writers (WGA):

Leon Ichaso (screenplay) and
David Darmstaeder (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 August 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Based on the true story of the King of Salsa, Hector Lavoe.

Plot:

The life story of Hector Lavoe who started the salsa movement in 1975 and brought it to the United States.

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman | Dance | 1970s | Title Spoken By Character

Cast

Alfredo Suarez	...	Salsa dancer
Vianca Mercedes	...	Bartender
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Danny A. Abeckaser	...	Sound Engineer
Douglas J. Aguirre	...	Multi- Media Producer
Marc Anthony	...	Hector Lavoe
Christopher Becerra	...	Tito
Denise Blasor	...	Voice over artist (voice)
Michael Caputo	...	Salsa Dancer
Ivan Cardona	...	Salsa Dancer
Federico Castelluccio	...	Jerry Masucci
Marcus Collins	...	Photographer
Abraham DeFunes	...	Family Member
Anibal De Gracia	...	Trombonist
Romi Dias	...	Priscilla
Glenda Dopazo	...	Carmen
Brother Eden Douglas	...	Street SaxMan -1987 (as Brother Douglas)
Vaneik Echeverria	...	Bartender 1
Jared Everleth	...	Tito - 4 yrs.old
J. Teddy Garces	...	(voice)
Melissa Gonzalez	...	Fania All Star Groupie
Bernard Hernandez	...	Tito
Vincent Laresca	...	Ralph Mercado
Hector A. Leguillow	...	Pianist for Hector Lavoe Band,1968 Band
Jennifer Lopez	...	Puchi
Deirdre Lorenz	...	Willie's Girl
David Marquez	...	Boogaloo Line Dancer
Chiko Mendez	...	Backup Singer
Jack Mulcahy	...	Doctor
Andrea Navedo	...	Puchi's sister
John Ortiz	...	Willie Colón
Melissa Otero	...	Salsa Dancer
Antone Pagan	...	Papo (Puchi's Brother)
Jerry Perez	...	Salsa Dancer
Manny Perez	...	Eddie
Jorge Pupo	...	Trombonist: Hector Lavoe Band, Willie Colón Band, Fania All Stars Orquestra
Edwin Rivera	...	Marc Anthony's Best Friend
Yan Ruiz	...	Voice Over (voice)
Lou Torres	...	Dayplayer / Piano Player
Nelson Vasquez	...	Johnny Pacheco
Richie Viruet	...	Trumpet player
Tony Devon	...	Record Executive (uncredited)
Wanda Ferreiras	...	Fania All-Star Groupie (uncredited)
Hristo Hristov	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Claudia Lopez	...	Party goer - Puchi's birthday party (uncredited)
Víctor Manuelle	...	Ruben Blades (uncredited)
Gloria Parks	...	Salsa Dancer (uncredited)
J. Santiago	...	E.R. Doctor (uncredited)
Richard Vallejos	...	Roadie (uncredited)

Directed by
Leon Ichaso

Writing credits (WGA)
Leon Ichaso		(screenplay) and
David Darmstaeder		(screenplay) (as David Darmstaedter) &
Todd Bello		(screenplay) (as Todd Antony Bello)
David Darmstaeder		(story) (as David Darmstaedter) &
Todd Bello		(story) (as Todd Antony Bello)

Produced by
Julio Caro	....	producer
Simon Fields	....	producer
Jennifer Lopez	....	producer
David Maldonado	....	producer
Omneya 'Nini' Mazen	....	associate producer (as Nini Mazen)
Margo Myers	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Willie Colón
Andrés Levin

Cinematography by
Claudio Chea

Film Editing by
David Tedeschi

Casting by
Ellyn Long Marshall
Maria E. Nelson

Production Design by
Sharon Lomofsky

Art Direction by
Nicholas Lundy

Set Decoration by
Jennifer Greenberg

Costume Design by
Sandra Hernandez

Makeup Department
Scott Barnes	....	personal makeup artist: Jennifer Lopez
Scott Barnes	....	makeup artist: Jennifer Lopez
Annemarie Bradley	....	second hair stylist
Diane Da Silva	....	assistant makeup artist: Jennifer Lopez
Robin Day	....	hair stylist
Robin Day	....	wig doctor
Robin Day	....	wig stylist
Suzanne DeSimone	....	makeup artist
Donna Marie Fischetto	....	key hair stylist
Sandra Hakim	....	assistant makeup artist
Persefone Karakosta	....	assistant makeup artist
Mandy Lyons	....	personal hair stylist: Jennifer Lopez
Sanna Riley	....	additional makeup artist
Nuria Sitja	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Kathy Ciric	....	production supervisor: Puerto Rico
Kelley Cribben	....	post-production supervisor
Ines Mongil-Echandi	....	production supervisor
Andrew Saxe	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Luis Rosario Albert	....	second second assistant director
David 'Wex' Wechsler	....	first assistant director
Adam T. Weisinger	....	second second assistant director
Eric Yellin	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Julia G. Hickman	....	art department coordinator
Juan Guallini Indij	....	set dresser
Dierdre Kane	....	props
Derrick Kardos	....	additional graphic designer
Victor Littlejohn	....	set dresser
Francisco 'Panchi' López-Franco	....	lead man
Lianir Lopez	....	art department intern
Christina Madry	....	additional wardrobe assistant
Alejandra Martinez	....	charge scenic
Ann Miller	....	property master
Georgie Miranda	....	carpenter
Allan Norico	....	illustrator
Elizabeth Schlitten	....	props
Steven Shellooe	....	camera scenic
Ginny Walsh	....	property assistant
James Whelan	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Antonio L. Arroyo	....	playback operator: ProTools
Sandy Berman	....	sound designer
Sandy Berman	....	sound supervisor
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Stuart Deutsch	....	boom operator
Matthew T. Duncan	....	sound recordist
Brian Dunlop	....	adr recordist
Brian Dunlop	....	assistant sound editor
David Esparza	....	supervising sound editor
Jeremy J. Gordon	....	adr supervisor
Bobby Johanson	....	adr mixer
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Scott Kramer	....	sound editor
Laura Macias	....	foley artist
Travis MacKay	....	adr recordist
John Marquis	....	sound editor
Francois Nasté	....	sound effects
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
Jeff Pullman	....	sound mixer
Keith Robinson	....	sound designer
Terry Rodman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	sound editor
Geordy Sincavage	....	foley mixer
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Lisa Varetakis	....	supervising dialogue editor
Mandell Winter	....	foley editor
Mandell Winter	....	sound effects editor
James Wright	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby Stereo

Special Effects by
Charlie Bonilla	....	special effects: Puerto Rico
Conrad V. Brink Jr.	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Mandy Arnold	....	digital compositor/paint
David Cole	....	digital colourist
Donnie Creighton	....	digital intermediate producer
Brian Finney	....	digital effects artist
Lori Freitag-Hild	....	roto artist
Chris Kairalla	....	digital effects artist
Bruce Mann	....	digital compositor
Brennan Prevatt	....	digital compositor
Mark Robben	....	digital compositor
Rob Roth	....	visual effects designer
Matt Sell	....	dustbuster
Mai Suzuki	....	digital compositor/paint
Tai Uhlmann	....	visual effects producer
Linda Williams	....	digital intermediate editor
Diane Wright	....	digital asset manager: Laser Pacific
Steve Wright	....	digital scene salvage of light leaks: Steve Wright Digital FX
Keith Yurevitz	....	visual effects
Vincent Lavares	....	data manager (uncredited)

Stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Almeida	....	rigging gaffer
Sebastián Almeida	....	assistant camera
Michael Appel	....	lighting designer: night club sequences
Kelly Beaton	....	rigging best boy
Anne Carson	....	camera loader
Edgar Colón	....	Steadicam operator: Puerto Rico
Alfonso Diaz	....	additional second assistant camera: Puerto Rico
Chris Drechsler	....	electrician
Emilio Guede Jr.	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Gary Hildebrand	....	generator operator
Tom Kenny	....	lighting designer
Eric Liebowitz	....	still photographer
William MacGhee	....	electrician
Abner Medina	....	first assistant camera
Raymond Orraca	....	electrician
Angel Pastrana	....	rigging key grip
Billy Patsos	....	key rigging grip
George Patsos	....	key grip
Kabkeo Phothivongsa	....	lamp operator
Marcos Rodríguez-Quijano	....	additional camera loader
Ryan Rodriguez	....	lamp operator
Francisco Román	....	dolly grip
Peter Russell	....	lamp operator
Darrin Smith	....	best boy
Jonathan Stern	....	additional electrician
David J. Thompson	....	Steadicam operator
John Velez	....	gaffer
J. Dan Wright	....	light balloon technician
Carlos Zayas	....	second assistant camera
Ernest Yurich	....	grip (uncredited)
Ernest Yurich	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lee Genick	....	extras casting
Karen Torres-Cox	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Stephanie Biear	....	head seamstress
Sandi Figueroa	....	costume supervisor
Marta Font	....	set costumer
Careen Fowles	....	costumer
Carola Gonzalez	....	set costumer
Kater Gordon	....	additional set costumer
Rhonney Greene	....	set costumer
Mitzi Haralson	....	costumer: Ms. Lopez
Katalina Iturralde	....	set costumer
Debbie Lucas	....	seamstress
Christina Madry	....	wardrobe
Carmia Marshall	....	wardrobe supervisor
Monica Ruiz-Ziegler	....	costumer
Gladyris Silva	....	assistant costume designer
Thomas M. Smalley	....	additional wardrobe assistant
Crystal Thompson	....	seamstress
David F. Zambrana	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Kyle DeVriendt	....	digital film recordist
Joe Fineman	....	post-production consultant
Ryan Helsley	....	digital intermediate producer
Raúl Marchand Sánchez	....	additional editor
Francis Power	....	post-production coordinator
Anthony Ripoli	....	first assistant editor
Robert Vertrees	....	post-production coordinator
Leslie Webb	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Matt Havron	....	music coordinator
Steven Evanne Heinstein	....	music assistant
Michael Jay	....	music editor
Hector A. Leguillow	....	musicians coordinator
Tracy McKnight	....	music supervisor
Alysia Oakley	....	music coordinator
Keith Robinson	....	music editor
Michael Carey Schneider	....	music assistant
Carl Thiel	....	score recordist
Ken Weiss	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Luis A. Jurado	....	transportation captain
Josiuan Rojas	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Dennis Buckley	....	location production assistant
Adam Butera	....	production assistant
Anthony S. Calypso	....	researcher
Paola Cambo	....	assistant location manager
Jonathan P. Caro	....	production secretary
Gracie Cirinna	....	first assistant production accountant
Gracie Cirinna	....	payroll accountant
Kate Coe	....	footage researcher (2006)
Carl Deal	....	archival research and clearances
Kat Donahue	....	location coordinator
Nathan Fields	....	production assistant
Rey Figueroa	....	location assistant
Erica Fishman	....	additional production assistant
Lowell Freedman	....	set production assistant
Rosa Garces	....	accounting clerk
Jennifer Gaston-Gates	....	second assistant production accountant
Bianca Giancoli	....	production assistant
Michael Hartel	....	assistant location manager
Robert 'B.O.B.' Izzard	....	security head
Vivien N. Killilea	....	assistant: producer
Harry Lapham	....	production assistant
Amy Lo	....	assistant production coordinator
Robert Lopez	....	production assistant
M.J. Magbanua	....	production coordinator
Matthew Mason	....	set production assistant
Gil McKinney	....	set production assistant
Kellie Morrison	....	location manager
Stuart Nicolai	....	assistant location manager
Jason Nordlund	....	office production assistant
Maria Torres O'Connor	....	choreographer
Angel Oquendo	....	voice-over artist
Jedrek Oquendo	....	production assistant
Kevin Pazmino	....	set production assistant
Raquel Medina Rampolla	....	production coordinator
Irwin M. Rappaport	....	production attorney
Giancarlo Rebella	....	location assistant
Vivian Rebella	....	assistant location manager
Lisa Rhoden	....	creative associate
Matt Robertson	....	production executive
Brad Robinson	....	production assistant
Jesus A. Del Rosario Jr.	....	stand-in
Justin Rosini	....	location assistant
Mariano Ros	....	assistant: Mr. Champion
Jonathan Roumie	....	location scout
Coraly Santaliz	....	script supervisor
Aaron Speiser	....	acting coach: Jennifer Lopez
Yorgo Stathopoulos	....	location assistant
Josias Tapia	....	location manager: Puerto Rico
Josias Tapia	....	location scout
José R. Varona	....	set medic
Brendan Walsh	....	production assistant
Zachary Conner Williams	....	assistant: Nini Mazen
Jonathan Wolf	....	production accountant
Krystle Sosa	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Daniel Villagomez	....	credits administrator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Nuyorican Productions
• R-Caro Productions

Distributors

• Art Port (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Picturehouse Entertainment (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Evolution Entertainment (2009) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Paradise Group (2007) (Russia) (all media)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2008) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Marcella C. Public Relations  DVD publicity
• Orbit Digital  HD services
• Soundtrack  ADR Facility
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting
• Wilshire Stages, The  ADR recording facility
• Wilshire Stages, The  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Who Killed Hector Lavoe? (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for drug use, pervasive language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

USA:106 min | Canada:116 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

Spanish | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Japan:R-15

Filming Locations:

New York, USA

Company:

Nuyorican Productions

Trivia:

According to the DVD commentary, the film was shot in only 33 days.

Quotes:

Puchi: Hector always knew he was gonna make it. It was like he was prepared for it.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: The Making of 'El Cantante' (#14.18)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Obsession

A music movie that is not perfect, but a must for music fans

Sure, this movie is not perfect. But the fact that it is a snap shot of the glorious high point of SALSA, makes it something special. The story is sad and clichéd, but the excitement of seeing Mark Anthony on the screen is real. Jennifer adds pathos, and really does quite well as the framer of the plot. But the movie wouldn't have been made with Mark Anthony as the center of the film. Then it would have been a concert movie, not a dramatic work. He is a stunning and unbelievable musical talent, and the form of the film is a classic one, where a great singer gets to make a movie. If you compare it to all the other films where this was done (think Elvis), this film far surpasses all of them. But the whole point of the movie is Mr. Anthony's dream,,,to show how a wonderful moment in musical history unfolded and sadly came to an end. This is a story beyond the life of Hector, and one that is classic in illustrating the rise and fall of popular music and culture. The great artists in our pop culture only have a short life before they are destroyed by a society and media that eats its young. If you love music, Latin culture, and reliving the 70's and 80's, this is a movie you will not soon forget. Viva!