Wim Wenders' documentary Buena Vista Social Club is about the adventures of Ry Cooder in Cuba. Cooder, best remembered by film fans for the wailing slide guitar theme of Wenders' Paris, Texas, went to Cuba in 1996 to meet with some legendary 'soneros' musicians of the '30s, '40s and '50s. The result was the album Buena Vista Social Club, recorded with such colorful characters as the 90-year-old singer/guitarist Compay Segundo, guitarist Eliades Ochoa, baritone Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo,
"the Cuban Edith Piaf." The album won a Grammy, and in this refreshing documentary, Wim Wenders shows these exceptional musicians in their hometown, following them into their usual hang-outs -- the cafes, clubs and even living rooms -- as well as to concerts in Amsterdam and New York's Carnegie Hall, capturing their incredible vitality. "In Cuba, music flows like a river," according to Ry Cooder, who adds "Music is like a treasure hunt; you dig and dig and sometimes find something." Pursuing this metaphor, Wenders wanted to make a film that would "just float on this river ... not interfering with it, just drifting along." The result is a film full of vitality and positive energy, which is also an absolute delight to musical ears. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, Rovi
One of the best and most impactful docus of the 1990s, Wim Wenders exhilarating feature is at once a trbute to a pre-Castro generation of musicians as well as a largely bygone genre.
Cooder is obviously enthralled by the music and the musicians, but it's hardly communicated in a clubby film record that's likely to win few fans outside aficionados.
The interesting in this documentary, is not just the great cuban music, but the story of each one that is part of Buena Vista, and see how the songs get better with they experience of living. Terrific photography.
A documentary of the reformation of Cuba's musical legends into the touring Buena Vista Social Club band. Like many American documentaries it can be a bit too sycophantic at times, but it's a lovely insight into the Cuban people behind the music as well as a nice music video of their tour.
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