Out this week on DVD and Blu-ray is the story of Chess Records, a music label based in Chicago that was the first to bring Mississippi blues to mainstream music.
The film 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 during the 1950s and '60s, we're given a window into the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's greatest music legends.
Directed by Darnell Martin, 'Cadillac' features lots of music and good performances. The film received a host of accolades, including an NAACP Image Award for Short's performance as Little Walter and a Golden Globe nomination for Beyonce for her song 'Once in a Lifetime.'
Martin, whose previous films include 'I Like it Like That', 'Prison Song' with Mary J. Blige and 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' with Halle Berry, spoke to Black Voices about the DVD and working on the film.
Some people wondered why the film didn't include the story of Phil Chess and his brother Leonard.
Darnell Martin: Had I done a film on the Chess Brothers, then they would have been the focus. I wanted to tell the story of Muddy Waters and his relationship with Leonard, as well as the stories of Etta James, Chuck Berry and the others. I wanted to tell how these individuals got together on one label and how they worked with each other through the ups and downs. I also wanted to show how their music became popular during the civil rights movement. Besides Phil, Bo Diddley was left out. I realize we couldn't get everyone in and that was tough.
How was working with Beyonce?
DM: She was amazing. She came into the role and embraced it. I thought of her when I wrote the part. Beyonce came in and put a lot of emotion into being Etta James. By the time we started shooting, she was Etta. She challenged herself and it shows in the film.
What should we be looking forward to on the DVD?
DM: Besides deleted scenes from the film, there's also a section where you can go straight to the songs played in the film and the commentary that I did.
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By: Ruth on 3/17/2009 11:31PM
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Ruth
http://systemmemory.info
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By: dawn on 3/18/2009 11:06AM
I originally wanted to see this movie because I am a big Etta fan. My husband was very reluctant because he is an avid blues fan and musician. All promos made this out to be the next big things for "Beyonce." Although I like some of her music, I think too much emphasis was put on her and not the real premise of the movie. Which was wonderful. Adrienne Brody was a great anchor character actor for the movie. I wish they had found someone more true to life as Etta. If you watch any footage or read her book, you can see that her character was portayed by about 10% of the real Etta characteristics. It makes you think the casting was based on a name to draw audience attention. Kuodos to the other actors. They made this film.
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By: Scott on 3/18/2009 1:40PM
Great film!! I know you can't put everybody and everything about Chess in a 2 hour film. What did make it to the final cut was wonderful. Having been to Chess on a blues tour, this film was naturally interesting to me. Glad I found it. I've watched it twice so far and probably will watch it several more times.
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By: RP on 3/19/2009 12:16PM
Loved the movie!!
Beyonce's best acting so far and I'm not really a fan of hers.
Wright did an excellent job portraying Muddy.
For a non A-list cast, this was some really good acting.
Mos was outta sight.
The best point of the movie was to drive home the point of what happens when money/things/careers control you.
Like Wolf also.
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By: Rudy on 4/12/2009 1:33PM
Darnell: What a talented writer and director you are! Of course you had a wonderful content to work with but to bring this to the screen with so much vigor and empathy is a credit to you. And the actors were just wonderful. Beyonce is not only a great singer but a great actor too. Pity it missed out on the Oscar sweepstakes.
Look forward to your next movie..
Rudy
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By: Devi on 4/14/2009 3:14PM
A film isn't anything without a strong script, and Darnell Martin wrote a terrific ensemble script and got powerful performances out of her entire cast, stars and extras like the woman dancing in her slip. Werner Herzog said he tried in his films to create images no one had ever seen in cinema before. Martin left us with the unforgettable scene of Howlin Wolf singing Smokestack -- tell me now, have you ever seen anything that approaches what that performance says, in film? And the story puts The Blues square in the middle of American life, at the heart, and reminds us that we would be a heartless people without those that sing the blues.Go Darnell.
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By: TGlenn on 4/15/2009 9:24PM
I did not understand why Etta James got so upset with Beyonce portraying herself, and now I understand. Etta James has some great hits, but not a ton of them and the songs that she's known for, she made those songs, so in turn the songs made her. I want to invite all of you to search on "All Musicians Beyonce has portrayed" and you'll see that she has left no stone unturned. But what I find probably more interesting than not is that Beyonce doesn't deviate from the actual vocal already established by the musician but what she does it creates a sort of "new arrangement" that will give her signature to do at any time. Yes Beyonce has had a lot of hits, but nothing that is signature defining and with the majority of women all sounding alike it's hard to say who is who. When Etta sang, you KNEW it was Etta. When Tammi Terrell sang, you knew it was Tammi. When Tina Turner sang, you definitely knew it was Tina. And the reason why I've mentioned these three women is because Beyonce has played all these women or done their music at one time or another and done what's called her own arrangement and like I said, giving her carte blanche to sing it at any time and to "OWN IT AS HERS". So NOW I truly understand why Etta James said what she said to Beyonce. Etta has been AROUND a long time and she knows when she's being taken for a ride, and when you hear "At Last" and people listen to the introit and say, "oh, that's the Beyonce version", yes I understand her being mad, and Etta handled it in classic Etta form. Now, I invite you all to put yourself in Etta's place -- she's overcome SO many obstacles, including segregation, drug addiction, weight issues and through it all the songs "Trust In Me", I Don't Wanna Be Blind" and for more pain "At Last" are hers and only hers. To work through all that and to still have something to call your own, and with us not knowing her life and what she faced growing up, to have some girl who has NO CLUE about true struggle or her struggle, has NEVER had a door slammed in her face or told not to sing at a venue or ate in a restaurant when they truly hated you for being black and broke the dishes when you left, or even better, wouldn't even let you in to eat, but would let you in to sing, and wouldn't let you come into the front door, but you have to use the back. I understand her pain! When you see how many women Beyonce has portrayed either on the big screen or in recordings, its scary and I'm sure a lot of the women that were working during those years that were around during Etta's day (Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and others) are probably are in fear of having what made them, what built them stolen away from them. See, when people look at At Last now, they don't see Etta, they see Beyonce and that is a silent and deadly killer. And for her to have met her after the movie was made means she gave no homage to her and making sure the story was about her, not about Beyonce playing her. Lastly, when Etta has made these songs and laid down the character of the song and all Beyonce does is come, take what she did, add a few riffs of her own, creates a new musical score and it becomes hers! THIS IS DANGEROUS because what if this all happened to us and when we're gone, no one remembers a thing we did but yet only remember the lady or man that played you and gave you all the raw talent and all that you need to create "an arrangement". This HAS to stop! I don't hate Beyonce at all, but what I'm saying is the truth. Its another version of the youth thinking they are more important that the legend. How can you play a character that you've never met. She didn't think it was important because she was reinventing herself and not truly celebrating the works of a great musician. Muddy Waters, Little Walter and others were gone, but not Etta. She didn't take the time because she didn't think it was important. And when it was the biggest thing to happen in history and President and Mrs. Obama want "At Last" to dance to, they didnt' call the original singer, they called an imitator. Yes I truly understand. So don't be so hard on Etta James -- but do the search. The truth will make your eyeballs hit the floor.
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By: Jake on 5/18/2009 10:23PM
To the person above two things: rank much? and paragraphs.
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