“Buena Vista Social Club” (1999) is a documentary about recapturing the music of pre-revolutionary Cuba. The driving force behind the film was American guitarist/composer/producer Ry Cooder, and the movie was directed by Wim Wenders (“Wings of Desire”). The Cuban musicians had grown elderly, but they could still make marvelous music. The documentary features intriguing shots of Havana, shows some of the band’s concert in Amsterdam, and follows the Cubans to New York for their 1998 Carnegie Hall concert. The movie cuts the songs short, but they can be heard on the Grammy-winning music album bearing the same name as the film.
DVD Details:
- Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1), Color
- Feature Run Time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes
- MPAA Rating: G
- Spanish (With Some English) Dolby Digital 5.1
- English Subtitles
- English-Language Audio Commentary by Director Wim Wenders
- Additional Scene: “Candela” (Amsterdam Concert)
- Additional Scene: Alberto Korda’s Photographs
- Additional Scene: Interview With Juan de Marcos
- Additional Scene: “Cienfuegos (Tiene Su Guaguanco)” (Studio)
- Trailer
- About the Musicians (text)
- About the Filmmakers (text)
- Production Notes (text)
