IMDb > Buena Vista Social Club (1999)
Buena Vista Social Club
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Buena Vista Social Club (1999) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 10 NEW)
Buena Vista Social Club (1999) -- Legends of Cuban music perform with Ry Cooder in this lively documentary. Combining fabulous performance footage with intimate profiles, this rollicking, music-filled film is essential for world beat fans.
Buena Vista Social Club (1999) -- Aging Cuban musicians whose talents had been virtually forgotten following Castro's takeover of Cuba, are brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder, who travelled to Havana in order to bring the musicians together, resulting in triumphant performances of ext
Buena Vista Social Club (1999) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)
Buena Vista Social Club (1999) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)
Buena Vista Social Club (1999) -- MyMovies.Net - Trailer (WM9 -

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   6,569 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Wim Wenders
Writer:
Wim Wenders (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Buena Vista Social Club on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
4 June 1999 (USA) more
Tagline:
Cubas Poesie Cubas Musik, Cubas Menschen, Cubas Poesie [The music of Cuba, the people of Cuba, the poetry of Cuba]
Plot:
Aging Cuban musicians whose talents had been virtually forgotten following Castro's takeover of Cuba, are brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder, who travelled to Havana in order to bring the musicians together, resulting in triumphant performances of extraordinary music, and resurrecting the musicians' careers. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 18 wins & 8 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(7 articles)
Turturro Embraces The Sounds Of Naples
 (From WENN. 27 March 2009, 9:05 AM, PDT)

Orlando "Cachaito" López dies at 76
 (From digitalspy. 11 February 2009, 1:58 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Spirit Defined more (74 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Compay Segundo ... Himself
Eliades Ochoa ... Himself
Ry Cooder ... Himself
Joachim Cooder ... Himself
Ibrahim Ferrer ... Himself
Omara Portuondo ... Herself
Rubén González ... Himself
Orlando 'Cachaíto' López ... Himself
Amadito Valdés ... Himself
Manuel 'Guajiro' Mirabal ... Himself
Barbarito Torres ... Himself
Pío Leyva ... Himself
Manuel 'Puntillita' Licea ... Himself
Juan de Marcos González ... Himself
Octavio Calderon ... Himself - Musician
more

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Buena Vista Social Club (France)
Havana Rhapsody (USA) (working title)
Ry Cooder & the Buena Vista Social Club (USA) (working title)
more
Runtime:
105 min
Country:
Germany | USA | UK | France | Cuba
Language:
English | Spanish
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The Buena Vista Social Club album was put together by guitarist Ry Cooder in 1997 as a means of recapturing the "lost" music of pre-revolutionary Havana. The story was later made into this movie. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Depois Daquele Baile (2005) more
Soundtrack:
Cienfuegos (Tiene su Guaguanco) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
14 out of 17 people found the following comment useful.
Spirit Defined, 30 June 1999
Author: dveale from San Francisco, CA

Loving Wim as I do, I was intrigued to see what he could achieve with this group of stellar musicians.

In a word, Greatness.

Having this group of warm, vital and oh so talented people sure helped him out. What is captured, for me, is the incredible staying power of true, heart felt music. These people sing, play and dance with a sense of worship. Having seen many hard times and passed through trials and tribulations (that we in the US have little understanding for) these people through faith and belief, persevered and continue to shine like diamonds.

Wim also conveys an old world beauty in a place run over by westernization. The surf smacking the coast line and spraying the ol' 50's cars racing down the road. The streets at night dimly lit, allowing the colors to permeate your senses. You feel like you can taste the blues and touch the pinks. The bright afternoon sun, sparkling among the ruin of buildings long forgotten to some but revered still by others. A magical yet very real place is given to us to explore in this film. I, along with many others, have an overwhelming urge to go to Cuba now and experience for myself.

If you have a chance to see any of these musicians live, DO SO! You will not be disappointed. If you do not, see this movie and get yourself a taste that will leave you breathless for more.

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