Topic: "Cadillac Records" -- movie about 1950s Chess Records

[Mr.OMuck]

Also good!

[Rivers]

Wax, you're right. I did say 'full-on expressionism', which is what I like, and to me that means total abstraction. I sometimes see things that might be cows in the paintings I like but they could be also be upside down chickens, or cannons, or more likely nothing that ever lived, was formed, evolved or made. My point is the content of fully abstract art is just that, fully abstract. The best of it is not overtly derivative, unless you're living with a 22 yr old art historian who will find a hundred ways to demonstrate how derivative it actually is, hopefully over a nice bottle of chianti and spaghetti bolognese.

Well that was a pleasant little jaunt... anyone seen the movie yet? 

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I haven't seen the movie yet, but am interested in the prospect of seeing the performance of Jeffrey Wright, as Muddy Waters.  I think Wright is one of the finest young actors out there nowadays.  He was great in "Basquiat", "Ride With The Devil", "Syriana", really everything I've seen him in, and he is one of the rare actors who is quite different in different roles.  Muddy is a pretty tough guy to capture, though, very striking looking and charismatic, to say nothing of his musicianship.  It may be an impossible role, sort of like playing (as opposed to impersonating) Elvis.
All best,
Johnm

[outfidel]

Well that was a pleasant little jaunt... anyone seen the movie yet? 

Er, um...what movie?

 

[doctorpep]

I've seen "Cadillac Records" twice, and would like to offer my opinions. I hope that nobody gets offended. I feel that Wright did a poor job. He didn't bring to the film the charisma and sexuality that the real Muddy Waters possessed. His vocals and his speech also sounded very flat and certainly not masculine enough to resemble those of Muddy. Perhaps I should say that his vocals also were not bass-oriented. (Perhaps I should also state that I know very little about music, and am hoping that Muddy sang in a bass or false bass voice?). I don't want to make a fool of myself!

On the other hand, the actor who played Little Walter was very, very good, and the one who played Wolf was great, though he was barely in the film at all. The original recordings definitely should have been used. There is certainly no excuse for not having the original recordings on the soundtrack! [Please SKIP to the next paragraph if you don't want to read a potential spoiler!!!!!] In my opinion, the ending of the film was idiotic, as it used a two second flashback to Muddy's days in Mississippi to hammer home the point that Muddy had achieved something. Surely, there was a more subtle way of hammering home this point. Also, the inclusion of Rap music at the end of the film (in order to show that Blues is relevant to today's "music") really stuck out like a sore thumb.

As many have stated, I wish that these Blues-related films and documentaries would appeal more to fans and not to the general public. Perhaps an excellent director would be able to create a film about Chess Records, or the history of Blues in general (as in the botched "The Blues" documentary from a few years ago), that appeals to both younger, Pop fans, and all of us Weenies.

I think that Mr. O'Muck makes a lot of sense. I would like to quote him, and then say something in response to the quote.

"The accepted wisdom among renaissance painters, sculptors and architects was that the greatest achievements had happened during antiquity and that their mission was to try to bring contemporary culture back up to that level through close study and emulation of its forms."

2,500 years ago, in ancient China, Confucius also believed in looking back to antiquity in order to understand how human beings could achieve Benevolence/create a benevolent society. There is a four (Chinese) character proverb which I learned in a Korean religions seminar that translates into "To WARM up the OLD, is to KNOW the NEW". I capitalized the letters in those four words because those are the four characters, respectively. (Warm, Old, Know, New).

Anyway, I think that Mr. O'Muck has a good head on his shoulders!

[Stuart]

Has anyone ever seen a film where the performances by the actors were considered superior to those of the individuals they portrayed?

Re: Confucius--this is referred to as the "idealized concept of the past." (Where are Yao and Shun, King Wen and King Wu when we really need 'em?)

[waxwing]

Nixon!-G-

All for now.
John C.

[Mr.OMuck]

Marlon Brando as Marc Anthony
Dereck Jacobi as the Emperor Claudius
Edgar G. Robinson as Paul Erlich
Paul Muni as Louis Pasteur
Anthony Quinn as Quinn the Eskimo
Sohpia Loren as any Roman or Spaniard in a tight bodice
Peter Sellers as a Henry Kissinger, Edward Teller amalgam
George C. Scott as Patton
Jane Fonda as Barbarella (I knew the real Barbarella)
Ed Harris as John Glenn
Boris Karloff as ...anything.
Bela Lugosi as Dracula
and special mention to the damn fine characterizatins Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn turned in as Vincent VanGogh and Paul Gauguin respectivly in John Hustons fine "Lust for Life'
though the originals were too big to top.
Likewise Ed Harris in Pollock.

[Mr.OMuck]

Anyway, I think that Mr. O'Muck has a good head on his shoulders!

I thank you sir.

[Stuart]

I was just referring to singers and/or musicians--and it wasn't a rhetorical question. Anyone come to mind?

[Mr.OMuck]

Then you should have specified musicians. In that case no. Well there was Bruce Lee as Yehudi Menuin but the critics were split on his performance.

[Stuart]

Then you should have specified musicians.

I didn't want to spoil the fun.

[Rivers]

We watched Cadillac Records the other night. I was surprised, actually enjoyed it a lot.

Audiences with a little bit of knowledge of the subject will have to suspend disbelief factually and emotionally. If you can do that you will enjoy it. The film's major accomplishment is conveying the revolutionary nature of Muddy and the early Chicago electric blues scene. If that's not enough you can fixate on the sets and props, more tailfin Cadillacs and vintage mics than you can shake a stick at.

There is some great character acting. Beyonce as Etta James I really enjoyed, nice to see a pop singer doing something worthwhile for a change and, yes, she really can sing. Mos Def as Chuck Berry is superbly droll. The Little Walter and Muddy characters are very good. Leonard Chess, I have no idea what he was like but the actor is believable and absorbing. Willie Dixon, good job.

The guy who played Howlin' Wolf really captured Wolf, though he needed to put on another 50 pounds. The storyline has Muddy and Wolf as big rivals, I think that might have been overdone for dramatic effect, Mud helped Wolf get gigs when he first arrived as I recall.

Go see it. Best heard in DTS-HD 5.1 Master surround sound, rent the Blu-Ray if you have the firepower in your living room.

PS, I forgot to mention, the music is pretty authentic too, within the limitations of a cinema release feature film.

[Mr.OMuck]

I saw it over the summer. Beyonce ...I'll watch her do anything. Good job though. The guy that played Wolf was really extraordinary, he stood out from the rest of the cast. Must be the British dramatic training. I wonder what Chuck Berry thinks of the film? Mos Def certainly projects none of Chuck's suave charisma.

[Rivers]

I don't know much about Chuck's real life persona so wasn't really editing Mos Def for authenticity. It worked for me as a stand alone portrayal of somebody or other. Mos Def is on the ACL Festival bill in a couple of weeks, we're going so I'll be checking him out.