Buena Vista Social Club

Rating:
Summary: A MERE SHELL OF THE THEATRICAL VERSION
Review: If you experienced Buena Vista Social Club in the theater and loved it like I did, you saw that this wonderful documentary had a warm and beautifully rustic look throughout. And because its visual palette and texture was so rich, it would surprise many to know that Buena Vista Social Club was actually shot on Digital Betacam Videotape, and then later "effected" to an amazing degree, giving it this gorgeous film-like quality.

So, it was extremely disappointing to find that this version is sorely lacking that post-production treatment. Being merely the raw video, the feeling of timelessness is gone. The camera movement is much more overt. Moments that seemed genuine before suddenly feel staged, the words of band members sounding less natural, almost scripted.

Making it even worse, the theatrical trailer is also featured on this DVD, reminding us of the film look we have been deprived of here. Not sure I've ever seen such a "teaser" of a trailer. You'll see it and agree, its a crime Artisan released it this way.

Now, if you've never seen the theatrical version of Buena Vista Social Club, then you won't know what you're missing, and you're sure to still get some enjoyment out of it. But believe me, it just ain't the same.

Rating:
Summary: Great documentary
Review: This is an outstanding and very enjoyable documentary about a number of elderly Cuban musicians who have been brought together again after having been retired for many years. They show they indeed still have their stuff, and can still give lively performances of their music, despite being 80 or even 91 years old (in the case of the guitar player). The piano player's virtuosity was especially amazing. The movie alternates between musical scenes and interviews with the performers. Although I don't know much about Cuban music, I found this to be a engaging look at a perhaps forgotten era of Cuban music, recreated by some of its greatest performers.

Rating:
Summary: Naturally splendid music and musicians!
Review: All their singing pours out from their wonderful cuban hearts, they're all splendid with no exception. I guess the "Yankees" Cooders should have some creative and financial merit in this compilation but still they seemed to me like being kind of intruders amidst their cuban musician friends. It reminds me a bit the difference that exists between those natural people that can play music instinctively and those others that apply studied techniques that sound unnatural.

Rating:
Summary: Great but................
Review: I think this is a well done documentary, with excellent music of course and full of nostalgia. This was going to be a gift for one of my parents. I thought it was subtiteled, but it was not, so he could not enjoy this great video, sadly I was vey disaponted.

Rating:
Summary: BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB - THE BEST
Review: I realy enjoyed this VHS Buena Vista Social Club. Bring back nice memories when as a child my father used to play these songs.

Rating:
Summary: The inherent trap of the participant-observer
Review: I recommend this DVD very highly. It has heart, great music, wonderful images, faces--a lot of great stuff. Without the energy and commitment of Producer / Director / Everything Cooder this project would never have been realized. Thanks for that--but therein is the rub and therein lies the source of my discomfort. Thanks to "Ry" for the good stuff--the chance to see and hear great players and great music. Good grief the faces, the environment, the humanity of the musicians. They are wonderful. They are there to see. However, you should know that Cooder as the visting "musician" and his son, I believe, "the visiting drummer" have almost hobbled the musicality and uninhibited creative musical sense of the project. Ry Coody is a well-intentioned goody two-shoes folky type with no real sense of time (especially in Latin music)and harmonic sense. He is well-intentioned white bread. The instrument he plays is in and of itself an incumbrance. The slide guitar or whatever the damned thing is called is rarely in good tune to begin with. His lack of sensitivity in phrasing and selection of chord changes and the god-awful horrible generic sound of the instrument itself are almost unforgiveable instrusions. Cooder's son, who plays the set or, the "traps" as I am sure he is hip enough to refer to in insider conversation, is the epitome of the doted-upon son with bar mitzvah drum set. The younger Cooder should have been playing and paying his dues with a Miami Beach "social" two-step rhumba band instead of intruding upon musical outings with the some of the finest, most sound-conscious players (any school, etc.) on the planet. Think of Bird playing with the Monkees (the group). Get the picture? It is uncomfortable yet fascinating, e.g., to watch the great timbales player and the great bass player wince and try to control their on-stage actions when imported drummer and producer, etc. "guitarist" Cooder are playing. Is it any wonder that Cooder and son are playing in close musical and physical proximity during early meetings at sessions and in early studio situations and then end up at the climactical concert in Carnegie Hall on risers conveniently about as out of sight and mind as the real artists can place them. It's a musical embargo! Yikes. So why buy the Buena Vista Social Club? Because it is difficult to get examples of great Cuban music anywhere else. This DVD is definitely worth the price and the space in any collection of fine music. But Mr. Cooder--next time--if there is a next time, please don't play. You're not a good enough a musician to play in fast company--any school, any era, any time--and unfortunately, you and your son, the drummer, defile albeit unintentionally -- that which you wish to honor, immortalize and celebrate. Buy the recording; overlook and put the "musical" contributions of the Cooders out of your consciousness and then the Buena Vista Social Club becomes a must-own. Respectfully, TN

Rating:
Summary: Triumph of human spirit over the socialist state
Review: This terrific movie shows that the poverty of communism does not inevitably lead to poverty of the human spirit. I do not have much to add to previous excellent reviews. Rather, my intent is to urge readers and viewers to consider an excellent companion movie: "For Love or Country: Arturo Sandoval" (a "true" story"). This well made for TV film also has outstanding Cuban vibes plus romance, and drama. More importantly, Arturo Sandoval reveals the bankruptcy of the the Cuban revolution and how it has depreciated the humanity it has subjected its self upon. Worth seeing for the entertainment alone, the political truth is unmistakable and unavoidable.

Rating:
Summary: Flawed but Touching
Review: Is this film perfect? By all means, no. In places the camera work waves out of control, and the constant featuring of Ry Cooder grows tedious. Yet despite all of this, there are certain images that this film captures that have refused to leave my mind. I get chills just thinking about Eliada Ochoa tearing up during her rendition of "Silencio" as she is filmed before an audience of thousands in Stockholm. I will never forget Ruben Gonzalez sitting at his piano basking in applause. And, of course, seeing Ibrahim Ferrer walk through the streets of midtown Mannhattan in utter awe is enough to make any man choke up. Though flawed, this picture never fails to stand as moving testament to the triumph of the human spirit. For these beautiful moments alone, I give this poignant film a 10.

Rating:
Summary: love the music
Review: i own the cd and i love the music. recently i did a project on afro-cuban music and the way castro censors things that could be considered against the revolution. i went to this documentary to see if there was any information on this topic, but there was none. according to agustine blazquez, cuban exile, jounalist, and filmmaker, this documentary as well as other movies and cds and performers that have come to the US through cultural exchanges are people that are loyal to castro therefore they are able to go on tour. those that aren't loyal to the revolution don't get any support from the cuban government. there is nothing in this movie that talks about the restrictions that are placed upon the performers, it makes it seem like everything is ok and wonderful, when that is not the case. i'm not critisizing the music or the musicians, they are all magnifisant and awesome. It's just the way that their lives are portrayed that make me wonder of the accuracy of this movie. also, i was fortunate enough to see the buena vista social club live at the orpheum theater in boston, they blew me away. the music is incredible, if you have the chance to ever see them live, do it. overall, good footage of the recording studio and capture of the artists personalities, accuracy however on life in cuba is a little sketchy.

Rating:
Summary: You should own this DVD
Review: Just as the title commands, buy this DVD now! The Buena Vista Social club is the Cuba Super-Group! It features the greatest musicians of the 60s and 70s together on one stage playing the songs that they themselves made popular. The DVD not only chronicles the music, but the men behind the music and they're lives. Most of it is subtitled... But this sort of thing has to be. A dub would only take away from the beauty of this film. The Magic of these performers take you away to another place.. Ah, its a wonderful film. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in music.