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Cadillac Records (2008)

Adrien Brody , Jeffrey Wright , Darnell Martin  |  R |  DVD
4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (175 customer reviews)

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Product Details

  • Actors: Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Beyoncé Knowles, Columbus Short, Mos Def
  • Directors: Darnell Martin
  • Writers: Darnell Martin
  • Producers: Beyoncé Knowles, Andrew Lack, Marc Levin, Petra Hoebel, Scott Cameron
  • Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English
  • Subtitles: French
  • Dubbed: French
  • Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
    PLEASE NOTE:
    Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click .
  • Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: R (Restricted)
  • Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
  • DVD Release Date: March 10, 2009
  • Run Time: 109 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (175 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B001P3SA94
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,419 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • Learn more about "Cadillac Records" on IMDb

Special Features

None.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

An energized and passionate, if selective, telling of the story of Chess Records, Cadillac Records is a worthy entry in the niche genre of movies about rock and roll roots. Adrien Brody plays Leonard Chess, who started Chess Records in Chicago in 1947 and turned the label into an important force for blues, rhythm and blues, gospel and, in time, early rock and roll. Cadillac Records focuses on Chess' relationship with his first significant artist, Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), and the label's rise and expansion with the addition of such talents as Little Walter (Columbus Short), Willie Dixon (Cedric the Entertainer), Howlin' Wolf (Eamonn Walker), Chuck Berry (Mos Def) and Etta James (Beyonce Knowles). Written and directed by Darnell Martin, Cadillac Records captures the scrappy beginnings of an enterprise, and a sound, inventing itself as it goes along. Particularly fun are scenes set in clubs or at Chess' recording facility, where electrified blues never stop pushing the envelope of creative possibility. All the while, danger lurks in shadows or in rivalries between artists; also in the self-destructive streaks of Walter and James, and the sexual fetishes of Berry. But the drama largely centers on the potent connections between all these people, who don't always know where their contribution to a cultural phenomenon is going. One of the film's delights is the way Chess and Waters don't really see rock coming until Berry steps through the door, fusing country music with blues. The film skips over a lot of facts: there's no sign of Leonard Chess' brother, Phil, who co-owned the company, nor is there much hint of Chess' expansion into a lot of other areas of music. None of that is any big deal. But what Cadillac Records is missing is more of a unifying point of view. The story is told as a recollection by Willie Dixon, but in a scattershot way that doesn't tell us who Leonard Chess or Waters really are. Aside from that, the film is well worth seeing. --Tom Keogh



Stills from Cadillac Records (click for larger image)

Product Description

Cadillac Records chronicles the rise of Leonard Chess' (Adrien Brody) Chess Records and its recording artists including Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), Little Walter (Columbus Short), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Willie Dixon (Cedric The Entertainer) and the great Etta James (Beyonce Knowles). In this tale of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in Chicago of the 1950s and 60s, the film follows the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's greatest musical legends.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 36 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars Sex, Guns, Rythmn & Blues, and Payola March 16, 2009
Format:DVD
Cadillac Records is the story of Chess Records opened by Leonard Chess in Chicago in the late 40's, and which quickly became a successful and influential record label (would Rock `n' Roll have existed without Chess?)

The movie is narrated by Willie Dixon (Cedric The Entertainer) and he tells of Chess' (Adrian Brody) beginnings with a bar and a club on the south side of Chicago. The main players in the movies are Muddy Waters (Jeffery Wright) and Little Walter (a standout performance by Columbus Short) who are respectively the best guitar and harp players in Chicago. Chess discovers them when they crash his club and show up the band that is playing. Through the fortuitous burning down of his club Chess opens Chess Records and seeks out Waters, records him, and starts touring him in the south. Chess insures radio airplay with a little payola and Waters career takes off and so does Chess Records. When the money comes rolling in Chess pays Waters with new Cadillac's. New artists join Chess Records, Little Walter, the movie features Columbus Short singing My Babe that is such a standout it would be on MTV as a video if MTV still played videos. Willie Dixon comes on board as a writer/producer for Chess, Howlin' Wolf (Eamonn Walker), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), and Beyonce as Etta James.

The movie is shy about the financial liberties Chess took in paying his artists. Earlier in this review I mentioned that Chess bar burned down and their seems to be the inference that Chess could have done it for the insurance money. Chess' habit also of paying his artists in Cadillac's in lieu of cash, unfortunately he never asked his artists if that's how they would like to be paid. He also kept Waters on a short leash parsing out money to him and keeping him coming back to Chess for money.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Cadillac Records is a very good movie that brings to life the early years of Chess Records, the Blues and Rock and Roll. It takes some artistic license with music history. But it succeeds in creating a compelling story that introduces younger audiences to the lives of music legends like Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Willie Dixon, Chuck Berry and Etta James. Movies based on real events are always a challenge. Problems with timeline continuity may irk those who are already well educated on the music. Yet writer / director Darnell Martin deserves praise for all of the accurate history that this movie succeeds in squeezing into two hours.

For those wondering if they should see this movie, my answer is an unequivocal "yes." Those who are interested in the special features and more details on the history, please read on.

THE STORY

The story of Chess Records hinges on the relationship between two key characters, Len Chess, played by Adrien Brody, and Muddy Waters, played expertly by Jeffrey Wright. When Chess decides to record Waters, the history of music is forever changed and Chess Records is put on the map.

Columbus Short is great as Little Walter, the volatile harmonica player and Blues singer who, at the young age of 17, started playing with Muddy Waters. Even at that age, he was already a master of his instrument having been a street performer before his teens. He first appears on Muddy's recordings but eventually becomes a hit recording artist for Chess Records on his own.

Eamonn Walker also puts in a great performance as legendary blues singer Howlin' Wolf. He clashes with Muddy over women and band members.
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24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars This Cadillac Records ain't the Chess Truth May 1, 2009
By jonas
Format:DVD
As a piece of entertainment this movie may be OK. But why take REAL names of REAL people (some of them fortunately are still living) to tell a story which, for the most part, is completely inaccurate. Other reviewers have rightly pointed out the most blatant inaccuracies that this film carries. But as I have seen and met most of the artists involved in the plot (and for some of them - like Muddy who went dining at my home in Lyon (France) - I've had the fortune to know them personally) what worries me the most is that their personnality are also very inaccurate. For instance, Muddy who had an incredible charisma is portrayed here essentially as a very tepid character who thinks mostly to chase women. And Howlin' Wolf - a tough man certainly but a very bright and articulate one - is here portrayed as the terrorizing Wolf he PLAYED on stage and never out stage. The true story of the Chess saga (and the Chicago blues) is yet to be told properly
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Never would have known October 23, 2009
Format:DVD
I've read the many of the reviews written before this one and I understand that there are many knowledgeable people when it comes to the inaccuracies of this movie. However, the criticisms are made on the acknowledgements of the facts and not on the bases of how well the actors portrayed their characters or how well the director directed this movie. Every documentary/biography is not going to always be completely factual because let's face it, these movies are made in Hollywood. I am a big fan of r&b music and its history. This movie was more than just entertaining to me. After seeing it, it made me want to go out and learn more about each individual person's journey from his/her beginning to his/her end. I never would have known about a Little Walter or a Muddy Waters had it not been for "Cadillac Records." I am a twenty-something year old woman and there are not too many people my age who were even interested in seeing this movie. It's sad that a movie this good and actors like Columbus Short, Jeffrey Wright, and Beyonce' Knowles did not receive the accolades they were due. I hope that in the near future there will be individual movies about Little Walter, Etta James, Chuck Berry, and all the other musicians in the movie because even though this movie was great, I truly believe that their lives were better than any fiction.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Cadillac Records DVD
I bought this DVD for my husband just because he did't have in his archive. It was just the he wanted. Thanks Amazon.
Published 7 days ago by Donna A. Williams
4.0 out of 5 stars Cadillac Records/Blues History
I love how it starts out and to hear the truth how the beach boys took some of their songs along with some other people I love Etta James and it was nice to see that a Jew arron... Read more
Published 13 days ago by Angela C. Spasojevich
4.0 out of 5 stars Good flick for collectors of good movies.
Great historical look at the behind the scene of the record industry, the blues and the artists. I have a whole new genre of music to enjoy. .
Published 13 days ago by Martie
4.0 out of 5 stars Almost a Five Start movie
The only reason I did not rate this a Five Star is because of the factual depictions not being as correct as they should have been. Read more
Published 27 days ago by Gordon K
5.0 out of 5 stars great music + great story = great movie
A great cast creates the story of the greatest record label of Chicago blues and the voices who make it , Muddy Waters, Etta James, etc.
Published 27 days ago by R. Hakas
5.0 out of 5 stars Grrreat
This is sucha killer movie, man. I suggest getting it, because you, or at least I haven't, find a neater look at blues.
Published 28 days ago by Scotta Blanchat
5.0 out of 5 stars At Last!
Another on of my favorites! Good for the DVD collection and to learn about the history of Chess Records and the many artists who recorded for the label.
Published 1 month ago by Danielle Dilworth
5.0 out of 5 stars LOVE THIS SO MUCH
I CHOOSE THIS RATE CASUE I LOVE THIS MOVIE SO MUCH.... I CAN LOOK AT THIS ALL DAY THANKS VERY MUCH!!!!
Published 2 months ago by MiSs JaCqUeLiNe
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
In a few moments I'm going to watch it again, I really love this movie. The first time I watched it I watched it with my ladie and for the first time we watched a movie at home and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Sean M. Parson
4.0 out of 5 stars Cadillac Records
Fine, if fictionalized and compressed, history of the rise and decline of Chess Records. Urban blues of the 40's & 50's, with Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, Little Walter & Etta... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ulysses7245
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