Cadillac records online11/24/2023 ![]() ![]() Leonard has chutzpah, Muddy has talent, and together they agree to gamble big on post-War prosperity. Driving south through miles of open fields on their first road trip together, Muddy asks: “How come you didn’t stay your ass in Poland?” And Leonard answers: “How come you didn’t stay your ass in Mississippi?” Muddy just laughs. While never denying their differences, her primary goal is to illuminate what they had in common. Writer/director Darnell Martin lays down key events in each life, one after another, creating the parallel rails which kept them on track for 22 years. By the time they meet in Chicago in 1947, Morganfield has created the persona of Bluesman “Muddy Waters” and Czyz has reinvented himself as entrepreneur “Leonard Chess,” but they both know where they’ve come from, and they’re both determined never to fall back. McKinley Morganfield was born in Rolling Fork, Mississippi in 1913 Lejzor Czyz was born in Motal, Poland (now Belarus ) in 1917. The narrative arc of Cadillac Records begins in 1941 with the introduction of its two protagonists. But Cadillac Records won me over completely! ![]() So while I enjoyed all of these films, none of them fully satisfied me. Telling a credible story in approximately two hours while still doing justice to great music is always a challenge. ![]() Think of similar films before, after, or in between, and I’ve likely seen them, too. Since musical bio-pics combine two of my favorite movie genres, I’ve seen all the likely candidates you can name, from The Glenn Miller Story (1954), Lady Sings the Blues (1972), and What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993), to Ray (2004), Walk the Line (2005), and Dreamgirls (2006). Tremendously entertaining, Cadillac Records has powerful resonance it was one of my favorite films of 2008.Ĭadillac Records is a history of Chicago Blues, starring Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess and Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters. Ironically, it didn’t get much buzz when it opened on December 5, and it quickly disappeared from theaters when it failed to receive any major Golden Globe nominations on December 11, but luckily it’s now available to all on DVD. Summary:Cadillac Records is a musical history of Chicago Blues starring Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess and Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters (with Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James, Columbus Short as Little Walter, and a host of other wonderful actors in key supporting roles). For all that, "Cadillac Records" is fun and it makes you want to learn more about an important cultural moment in American history.Principal Actors: Adrien Brody and Jeffrey Wright Some accused him of paternalism curious viewers are advised to pick up Nadine Cohodas' book "Spinning Blues into Gold: The Chess Brothers and the Legendary Chess Records." Also, "Cadillac Records" can't avoid the clichés inherent in music biopics: the innocent character is introduced to drugs for the first time, and is ruined by them the self destructiveness of brilliant people, the exhilarating, brutal, rags-to-riches-to-obscurity trajectory of show biz careers. There is the story that Chess put Muddy Waters to work painting his ceiling. So much more could and should have been said about Chess the man and his motivations, and the complex relationship he had with his singers. Perhaps much backstory was cut out? A shame, because Adrien Brody, a brilliant and compelling actor, is not given enough to do. "Cadillac Records" feels a bit rushed, and not as deep and probing as it could have been. Beyonce Knowles is very beautiful and pays worthy tribute to Etta James, the singer she plays. Walker electrifies the screen with his every morsel of screen time I wish that after they'd finished "Cadillac Records," they had just kept the sets up and kept the cameras running and began a biography of Howlin' Wolf with Walker in the lead. Eamonn Walker is terrific, and appropriately intimidating, as Howlin' Wolf. Mos Def is a charming Chuck Berry he really communicates the charisma that Berry exuded to his adoring female fans. Jeffrey Wright is quietly compelling as Muddy Waters. Flashy glimpses into the glamorous styles of the 1950s and 60s include loving looks at the many Cadillacs Chess gives as gifts to his star performers. Their music is great and is played all but non-stop on the soundtrack, which is a very good thing. These artists' work had huge impact on popular music the Rolling Stones are shown on a pilgrimage to Chess Studio. In the 1950s, Leonard Chess, a Polish-born Jew in Chicago, along with his brother Phil (not seen in this film) produced "race" records by African American blues and rock and roll legends like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Chuck Berry and Etta James. "Cadillac Records" is a fun, fast, flashy introduction to the world of Chess Records.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |