Calle 54 (Widescreen)

List Price : CDN$ 23.98

Amazon Marketplace : CDN$ 11.43

Usually ships in 1-2 business days.

Product Details

Director : Fernando Trueba
Actor : Eliane Elias, Tito Puente, Gato Barbieri, Michel Camilo, Chano Dominguez
Format : NTSC
Aspect Ratio : 1.85:1
Binding : DVD
EAN : 9780788828478
Product Group : DVD
Release Date : 2004-07-06
Studio : Miramax
UPC : 786936153675

ASIN : B00005OSLN

Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.com

In Calle 54, Madrid-based filmmaker Fernando Trueba explores the wide and wonderful world of Latin jazz: a hybrid genre that fuses the clave, samba, flamenco, merengue, and other rhythms from Africa, the Iberian peninsula, and the Americas. The film's Spanish title takes its name from Sony Music Studios located on 54th Street in Manhattan, where a who's who of musicians were filmed and recorded. They range from Brazilian bombshell keyboardist Eliane Elias and enigmatic Argentine tenor saxophonist Gato Barbieri, to the fiery rumba group Puntilla y Nueva Generacion. The music and musicians of Cuba and Puerto Rico dominate this documentary, and the most touching scene is the emotional father-and-son reunion of Cuban pianists Bebo and Chucho Valdés, who were separated by Fidel Castro's revolution. Sadly, the film features the last onscreen appearances by the late composer-arranger Chico O'Farrill and the legendary timbales master Tito Puente. Simply put, Calle 54 is a documentary that dances. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Additional features

The DVD features audio commentary from the film's associate producer and Latin jazz expert Nat Chediak. There's also an hourlong documentary on the history of Latin jazz, featuring in-depth interviews as well as discographies and biographies of the featured artists and a photo gallery. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Customer Reviews

Incredible! (2004-05-06)

This is an incredible film. The music is fantastic. Do yourself a favor and get the DVD and not the VHS, or you will miss all the bonus stuff.As a cuban musician brought up on this music, I highly recommend it!

Awesome - Simply awesome! (2004-02-12)

Wow. I heard about this when it was released for a short time in New York City, but never got a chance to see it. Now, I'm not the type that normally goes for "Artsy/Documentary films", but Tito Puente was in it, so when it was released on Pay-per-view shortly after my son was born, I figured I'd watch it while feeding my 4 day old son at Oh-dark-thirty in the morning. ;)

Wow. I was glued to the screen. I considered myself a fan of Latin Jazz and latin music in general, but I've never been treated to a dazzling display of talent such as the one that I saw and heard before my eyes. From the wonderful (And my all-time favorite song) Latin Jazz song 'From Within' performed by Michel Camilo, to the tour-de-force by Bebo Valdés, everything was awesome.

Of course, there are problems that I noticed right off the bat. It seems as if the songs were recorded seperately from the actual performances, so you see the artists perform a few things that you don't hear reflected in the sound (Look at Hilton Ruiz using his elbow on the piano that isn't heard in the music during Tito Puente's 'New Arrival' for example), which takes off a star from my rating.

As long as you come in as a music lover, you'll treasure this. If you're looking for a performance DVD, go elsewhere. Plain and simple. =)

This is for Latin JAZZ Lovers. Not for LATIN MUSIC FANS (2003-12-11)

I liked the DVD but I can't say I'll watch it again, ever!It's too slow paced, too much narration. (Bein from the Caribean I didn't care for the spaniard's accent). It just lacked Heat! I honestly fell asleep watching it. Some parts I just pressed fastforward because it was just toooooo boooring!!!! Does not come close to Buena Vista's excitement. But if you like Latin JAZZ, then this is for you. The best part was seing the places where the performers grew up, going from streets in NY to Havana.Maybe I'll watch it again when I'm 50 and suffering from a bad case of insomnia.

Worthy of six stars (2003-11-14)

Simply put, this is a brilliant DVD. A very important documentary . . . my favorite DVD (music or otherwise), period. Worthy of multible viewings, especially the bonus chapter on the history of Afro-Cuban Jazz. A "must have".

Video is Christal Clear. Music's unbelievable. BUY THIS. (2003-07-11)

My title says it all. ANYONE that loves latin jazz MUST have this DVD. That's it.

Look for similar items by category