Product Details

• Actors: Narrated by Edward James Olmos
• Directors: Jon Wilkman
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: PBS (DIRECT)
• DVD Release Date: February 10, 2009
• Run Time: 60 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001MYIPZU
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #43,991 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This documentary tells the story of generations of young Mexican-Americans who proudly expressed their identity through music. The program is filled with intimate first-person storytelling, rare film and photos, and exuberant music from artists such as Lalo Guerrero, the legendary Ritchie Valens, and classic bands such as Cannibal and the Headhunters, Thee Midniters of "Whittier Blvd." fame, El Chicano, Tierra and Los Lobos.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb documentary on little covered area of Rock and Roll, February 8, 2009

By	Steven I. Ramm "Steve Ramm "Anything Phon... (Phila, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

It's great that PBS is making this 2008 hour-long documentary available on home video because it probably didn't get a lot of exposure on PBS TV stations outside of the Los Angeles area. Produced with a grant from the California Council on the Humanities, it wouldn't have been a big "pledge draw" showing in other parts of the country.

But this highly colorful and entertaining film covers an important part of the history of rock and roll music and it's timing couldn't be better with the just-passed 50th anniversary of the plane crash which killed pop idol and Mexican-American Richie Valens. His name is now in the news and this may draw folks to this film.

As narrated by actor Edward James Olmos, the film covers a wider range of Chicano artists than I knew existed. Sure there was Valens and Los Lobos. But I didn't know that Cannibal & The Headhunters - who ruled the airwaves in the 1960s with "Land of 1000 Dances" - or Tierra (with the 1970s smash hit "Together" which sounds a lot like Philly Soul) were from the East L.A. Mexican-American community. And there were even Chicano punk bands!

Producer/Writer/Director/Editor Jon Wilkman found some great archival footage and interviewed nearly every major Chicano artist - except for the late Valens - going back to the first big Chicano superstar, Lalo Guerrero, who started in the 1930s!

If you want to know the FULL history of Rock and Roll, this DVD will add tio your knowledge. Note that there are no supplemental features.

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice insight on East L.A. culture, April 23, 2009

By	CyberTiger (NW Indiana) - See all my reviews

Actually when I bought this I had "The History of Latin Rock" in mind, I didn't know it would only focus on East L.A., at first I was disappointed on what I purchased but after watching the documentary, I was pleasantly surprised. I recommend this for anyone interested in roots rock from the Hispanic view.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb History in Music, April 8, 2009

By	Shirley J. Fredricks "Literature Lover" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This DVD tells the story of the Chicano movement that started in East LA and tells it through the music that evolved into a unique beat and blend of Mexican and American music. The stories are great and told with skill and sweetness. You won't be able to resist dancing with joy and welcoming this music into the U.S. story.

Shirley Fredricks