CADILLAC RECORDS
US, 2008, 109 minutes, Colour.
Adrienne Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Gabrielle Union, Columbus Short, Cedric the Entertainer, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Eamonn Walker, Moss Def, Beyonce Knowles, Tammy Blanchard, Eric Bogosian, Jay O. Sanders, Norman Reddus.
Directed by Darnell Martin.
You would need to be a devotee of old style rock and roll to be interested in this film and enjoy it. It is the story of the Chess label, established by Leonard Chess and in the 1940s but coming into its own in the 1950s and the managers' ability to search out and pick out the talented artists. They were at the centre of the black rock and roll talent of the times, especially with Chuck Berry.
Having said that, I wish the film was more interesting than it is. It is rather piecemeal and relies a lot on the audience's knowledge and patience. It is more like a collection of snapshots than a dramatic narrative. Adrien Brody is Leonard Chess, a young man who built himself up from menial jobs to club manager to entrepreneur. Jeffrey Wright is co-founder, Muddy Waters, who started in the cotton fields of Mississippi. Mos Def does a fine impersonation of Chuck Berry and Byonce Knowles is Etta James singing her song, At Last, (which Beyonce also sang at President Obama's Inauguration Ball.
Otherwise the film is the same old, same old: aspiring artists with some talent, hard times, opportunities, bickering, drugs, womanising, collapse and, sometimes, starting again. This is all punctuated with the music and songs themselves.
1.The 20th century American music history, the industry? Phases, innovations, changes and perspectives?
2.Chess Records’ history, Leonard Chess and Muddy Waters? Audience knowledge of the personalities, of the artists, music and songs, rock ‘n roll? These characters inducted into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame?
3.The period from the 40s to the 60s? The World War Two era and the prologue in Chicago, the Chess family and the junkyard? The sharecroppers in Mississippi? The transition to the 50s and 60s with clubs, studios, wealth, records, performance? The rock ‘n roll era?
4.Leonard Chess and his family, Polish- Jewish, the junkyard, his girlfriend’s parents, his wanting to prove himself, obtaining the club and prospering?
5.Alan Lomax, the music archives, going to Mississippi, Muddy Waters as a sharecropper, singing for the recording?
6.Muddy Waters going to Chicago, meeting Leonard Chess? With Little Walter? His playing the harmonica? The build-up of the studio, contracts, the studio itself? Recordings? Walter as a success?
7.Willie Dixon, his contribution to the music, his songs, providing the voice-over commentary? Helping Muddy Waters with his image, with women?
8.The personality of Howlin’ Wolf, his performance, his voice register, the confrontations, his demands, success?
9.Geneva, in herself, as Muddy Waters’ wife, living with his reputation, the groupie and the baby, the pressure on her? Her response?
10.Issues of temperament, talent, ability? Little Walter, the police bashing, separating from Chess, going out on his own?
11.Chuck Berry, his idiosyncratic style, talent, performances, dances, on the charts? Audience excitement, mixed-race response to his concerts? The presence of the police? The audience dancing on the stage? The issue of the Beach Boys plagiarising his song? Sexual difficulties, minors, spending time in jail?
12.Etta James and Beyonce taking the role? Her appearance, talent, her singing, the impact on Chess, their relationship, her background, her prostitute mother, her drug dependence, her needing to be rescued? Her songs?
13.Chess and the passing of the years, his work, eye for talent, success, the charts, the difficulties for his family, his wife, the relationship with Etta? His reputation, the decline of the studios? The visit of the Rolling Stones?
14.Decline, Etta and her overdose, Leonard and his infatuation, the racist attack? Etta’s song, the recording, his anger, the destruction of the studio?
15.The aftermath, Willie Dixon taking Muddy Waters to London?
16.The final information, the role of these personalities and their contribution to 20th century American music?
