Search - La Bamba [Widescreen] on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Violence, Brief Nudity, Adult Situations, Questionable for Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1987 DVD Release: 04/06/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Dual Layered,Restored/Remastered Audio Tracks: English, Spanish Subtitles: English, Korean, Spanish, Thai SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 48 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 1 Genres: Drama, Docudrama, Biopic [feature], Rock Musical

Lou Diamond Phillips plays legendary 1950s rocker Ritchie Valens (born Ricardo Valenzuela), in this musical biography. Before scoring radio and concert success with hits like "La Bamba", "C'mon Let's Go", and "Donna", Valens was a 15-year-old migrant worker who worked with his mother Connie (Rosana De Soto). Valens' half-brother Bob Morales (Esai Morales) is a vitriolic ex-con who roars into the migrant camp on his Harley after his release from jail. Valens' musical talents are encouraged by his family -- though later various members of his family react to his fame with varying degrees of pride and envy -- and he soon earns an audition with legendary record producer and former Artie Shaw clarinet player Bob Keane (Joe Pantoliano). Valens soon appears in an Alan Freed rock n' roll teen exploitation film, lip-synching his blistering recorded version of "Ooh, My Head". When a romance with Donna Ludwig (Danielle von Zerneck) is forbidden by her conservative father, Valens pens the famous ballad that bears her name. Tours follow his chart success until the fatal plane crash that claimed the lives of Valens, The Big Bopper (aka J.P. Richardson), and Buddy Holly on February 3rd, 1959. The supporting cast is excellent with power-pop icon Marshall Crenshaw playing Buddy Holly singing "Crying, Waiting, Hoping". Brian Setzer accurately portrays rocker Eddie Cochran, and Howard Hunstberry plays Jackie Wilson and sings "Lonely Teardrops". Additional music is provided by Los Lobos, a band who traces their musical roots directly to Valens and other Mexican influences. Also making cameo appearances are the real-life Mrs. Connie Valenzuela and Bob Morales. Although not 100% historically accurate, La Bamba is much more accurate than 1978s The Buddy Holly Story. The feature turned a new generation on to the influential Tex-Mex rock that was an inspiration to such later rockers as The Bobby Fuller Four as well as Los Lobos. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

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

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. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide