La Bamba (1987)

Very traditional Hollywood biopic covering the rise to fame of Ritchie Valens, the Mexican-born rock star whose eight months of success were cut short when he took a fateful plane ride with Buddy Holly in 1959.

La Bamba chronicles Ritchie’s meteoric rise from a life of poverty among California’s Mexican fruit pickers to a privileged seat in the rock and roll hall of fame.

The road was full of potholes. Sick of racial prejudice, tortillas, and hardships, Ritchie’s dream was rock and roll, and his guitar was the key to his escape.

Part Chicano, part Yaqui Indian, he had nothing to start out with in life but his own raw talent and the support of a mother who even paid for his first gig in an American Legion hall with her own rent money.

Ritchie wanted more. He longed to perform the Mexican folk song La Bamba in his own rocking style. The rest is history.

Valens is persuasively played by angelic newcomer Lou Diamond Phillips, but since he is characterised as such a good-hearted innocent it is left to his sinful, delinquent brother to provide the sleazy fun.

A neat package that is content to be breezily superficial, and sneaks in most of Valens’ hits.

Ritchie Valens
Lou Diamond Phillips
Bob Morales
Esai Morales
Connie Valenzuela
Rosanna De Soto
Rosie Morales
Elizabeth Peña
Donna Ludwig
Danielle Von Zerneck
Bob Keane
Joe Pantoliano
Ted Quillin
Rick Dees
Buddy Holly
Marshall Crenshaw
Jackie Wilson
Howard Huntsberry
Eddie Cochran
Brian Setzer
Lelo
Daniel Valdez
Curandero
Felipe Cantu
Chino
Eddie Frias
Mexican Ed
Mike Moroff
Rudy
Geoffrey Rivas
Mr Ludwig
Sam Anderson
Mrs Ludwig
Maggie Gwinn

Director
Luis Valdez