Salsa: Latin Pop Music in the Cities

Normally, a music-related film produced 21 years ago would be little more than a dated curiosity, but given the increasing popularity of Latin music in the U.S.--a development predicted by commentator Felipe Luciano in the midst of this film--Jeremy Marre's 1979 documentary offers a pretty interesting look at titans Tito Puente, Ruben Blades and Celia Cruz in action. Although the music on this DVD is outstanding, Marre tends toward the political--an approach that might be suitable for a look at the apartheid government of South Africa banning kwela music, but doesn't work here, except when Ruben Blades criticizes salsa labels and artists for being too gutless to address social issues in their music. Optional. Aud: H, C, P. (P. Van Vleck)