The promotional literature advertises this 1964 documentary as one that offers insight into “the genesis of the music from the Buena Vista Social Club,” but if your only exposure to Cuban music is the 1999 Wim Wenders film featuring Ry Cooder and a group of local musicians, then We Are the Music! will be a revelation. Time has not been kind to writer-director Rogelio Paris' film: the b&w footage is grainy, while the soundtrack has more snap, crackle, and pop than your average breakfast cereal. But, ah, the music! Employing a basic fly-on-the-wall approach (with no narration, no formal interviews, or any of the other typical documentary trappings), Paris captures an extraordinarily wide range of non-classical Cuban sounds. Pianist Bola de Nieve (literally “Snowball”) sounds like a cross between Fats Waller and Franz Liszt, while singer Elena Burke brings to mind American divas such as Ella Fitzgerald and Barbra Streisand. Ana Gloria, another vocalist, is accompanied solely by four percussionists while showing off some eye-popping dancing, and a couple known only as Silvio and Ada perform a gorgeous pas de deux by the seaside (presumably in Havana). The African strain in Afro-Cuban music is strong, as is the jazz influence (dig the nightclub bit here featuring some hep cats in shades), and the film serves up plenty of it, including a festive carnival sequence. DVD extras include a short film about the Social Club's Omara Portuondo. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (S. Graham)
We Are the Music!
(1964) 66 min. In Spanish w/English subtitles. DVD: $24.95. First Run Features (avail. from most distributors). Volume 23, Issue 5
We Are the Music!
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: