Product Details

• Actors: Rubén Blades, Seis del Solar, Pete Hamill, Linda Ronstadt
• Directors: Robert Mugge
• Writers: Robert Mugge
• Producers: Robert Mugge
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Winstar
• DVD Release Date: January 12, 1999
• Run Time: 82 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 1572524111
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #104,966 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

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• For more information about "Return of Rubén Blades" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This 1986 documentary by filmmaker Robert Mugge chronicles the life, music, philosophies, and opinions of the singer, bandleader, political activist, and Harvard-trained lawyer Rubén Blades. Mugge captures Blades's intelligence, passion, and charisma in a variety of locales: from the bandstand of New York City's famed club, S.O.B.'s, where Blades and his ensemble, Seis del Solar, performed, to his heartfelt recollections of growing up in United States-dominated Panama City. Whether he's talking about the political history of his country with columnist Peter Hamill of the [New York] Daily News, recording a track with pop superstar Linda Ronstadt, or swinging the son montuno/salsa grooves of "Buscando America," "Tiburon," and his "Mack the Knife" cover, "Pedro Navaja," with his group, Rubén Blades successfully blends art and politics. In the film he promised to return home and run for president--which he eventually did, unsuccessfully, but heroically. --Eugene Holley Jr.

Product Description

Follows the singer to Harvard where he gets his Master’s Degree in International Law, to his old neighborhood in Panama, to California for a recording session with Linda Ronstadt, and to New York for a performance at S.O.B’s.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ruben Blades in perspective., July 12, 2002

By	Norm Cash "for fun" (Ferndale, MI USA) - See all my reviews

Before you buy this, you should know that it is somewhat of a documentary. There aren't full recordings of Ruben Blades music. Rather, there are partial live recordings accompanied by following Blades and interviewing him about his feelings on Salsa and life in general--more specifically, his life. The interview starts at the Harvard Law School commencement exercise, continues on to Panama and back to S.O.B.'s--a famous New York night club. This takes place in the mid-nineteen-eighties.

It is a worthwhile production. If you want to know about Ruben Blades, or have been a fan for years, this is a very good DVD. As long as the price is reasonable, this DVD is a small piece of music history and should be purchased as so. If you're looking for a music DVD to put on at parties, forget it.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Esperaba algo mejor!, June 13, 2000

By	Rodolfo Gil (Barquisimeto, VENEZUELA) - See all my reviews

Bien, compré este DVD con la ilusión de tener (por fin!) un DVD de música latina dentro de mi colección de DVDs de musicales donde la mayoría son de de grupos que cantan en ingles. Resulta ser que al Sr. Ruben Blades se le olvido hacer que le colocararan los subtítulos en espańol a todas las entrevistas de su documental, olvidando que los latinos del mundo somos sus principales seguidores. Todas las entrevistas y diálogos que aparecen en el documental estan en ingles y sin traducción alguna al espańol. Las pocas canciones es que interpreta estan en espańol (sería el colmo que aparecieran en ingles). En general este DVD redujo la imagen personal que tenía del Sr. Ruben Blades ya que se dejó entrevistar de la forma más informal que pudo (en franela, inclusive). Las canciones que se presentan y que interpreta en vivo estan en escenarios de baja calidad de ambiente, producción, etc. Hasta algunos de los músicos de Seis del Solar estan en franela. Creo que el ha perdido la oportunidad de hacer un mejor trabajo (como los que nos tiene acostumbrados) sin dejar de lado a su público latino que siempre lo hemos admirado. [e-mail]

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Obligatorio para todo Bladesómano, July 12, 2001

By	Andres Riano "TurboChips" (Bogota, DC Colombia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Excelente documental. Una autobiografía donde Rubén nos lleva por las rutas de su infancia a travez de relatos y entrevistas en diferentes sitios de Panamá y su apartamento en NY. Alterna con un concierto con Seis del solar, en algún bar, tocando sus mejores temas. La mayoria de ellos con comentario editorial del propio Blades. Excelente edición en "Todos vuelven" donde alternan imágenes de calles Panameńas. Incluye también una especie de "Making of" de "Silencios" con Linda Rodstandt. Fabuloso.

Aunque es ante todo, un documental para explicar a los americanos algo de la cultura latina y su música (Todas las entrevistas son en inglés), nos aporta mucho a quienes queremos tener una historia de Rubén bien contada o mejor, bien cantada.