Cadillac Records

Tags

2000's, Adrien Brody, Beyoncé Knowles, Biopic, Cadillac Records, Cedric the Entertainer, Columbus Short, Darnell Martin, Eamonn Walker, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Gabrielle Union, Jeffrey Wright, Mos Def, Musical

Film Title

Cadillac Records

Director

Darnell Martin

Starring

• Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess
• Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters
• Columbus Short as Little Walter
• Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James
• Mos Def as Chuck Berry
• Eamonn Walker as Howlin Wolf
• Gabrielle Union as Geneva Wade
• Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess
• Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon

Charting the history of Chicago based Chess Records in the 1950’s, Cadillac Records is a sometimes uneven but always interesting biopic of the man behind it, Leonard Chess and the roster of stars that signed to the label and created rock n roll and blues sounds that live on today. What it lacks in originality it more than makes up for with soulful music and some great performances.

Narrated by Willie Dixon, we see as Leonard Chess, a Polish immigrant manages to work his way up the ladder of success because of his ear for talent and non-judgemental view of people. He sees the world of blues and rock n roll as a way to make money and treats the singers like a family. He works hard to craft the record label, which got the eponymous nickname because Chess would give his artists a Cadillac when sales increased. Yet his job isn’t easy as he brings talent into the arena as booze, jealousy and drugs emerge just as much as the rock n roll and blues play. Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Etta James and Chuck Berry are just some of the artists whose tales are told in this story of rock n roll and the troubling nature of fame and the influence of Leonard Chess.

Director Darnell Martin has a keen eye for detail which takes us into the fast-moving world of booze, blues and fast cars of the 1950’s. The editing used is effortless in combining old news reels to the events onscreen. Where the film falters is how issues such as racism and the dubious accounts of the label are skated over without much thought. If these issues had been presented rather than being relegated, the film may have flowed better. The passage of time is also out of tune with years passing by without a single notice. On a positive note, the narration by Willie Dixon(portrayed with wise charm and humour by Cedric the Entertainer) makes for intriguing viewing as he dissects the rise and fall of Chess Records from an inside perspective.

Where Cadillac Records really hits its stride is in the music and the performances of the cast. The scenes of artists performing make for immensely great viewing as we watch the construction of so many influential kinds of music that still have power today. The cast performs these classic numbers with clarity, emotion and above all soul. Adrien Brody is compelling as the driven Leonard, whose label soon becomes too much for him to control as music changes and the 60’s ushers in a new sound. Jeffrey Wright emerges as one of the standout players with a robust performance as Muddy Waters. He delves into the mindset of a talented individual, ladies man and immense performer. Columbus Short provides pathos as the talented but ultimately tragic Little Water, who spiralled out of control as a result of drink addiction. Music star Beyoncé Knowles sizzles as the sexy, feisty but vulnerable Etta James. She shows us the wounded women with a stellar voice who is afraid of rejection and whose life is as eventful as a blues number as she falls into drugs and booze. Knowles should be praised for her emotive rendition of ‘At Last’, which she sings with such beautiful emotional strength. Mos Def imbues the role of Chuck Berry with humour and flair that can’t be bettered. In his small role as Howlin Wolf, Eamonn Walker provides danger and an almost combustible talent. Unfortunately, Gabrielle Union and Emmanuelle Chriqui are saddled with underwritten roles as the wives of Chess and Waters.

It might be uneven and sometimes a little distracting, but Cadillac Records soars with its musical numbers, visual style and soulful performances that keep the viewer engaged throughout.

 

Wrong Turn

Tags

2000's, Desmond Harrington, Eliza Dushku, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Horror, Jeremy Sisto, Rob Schmidt, Wrong Turn

Film Title

Wrong Turn

Director

Rob Schmidt

Starring

• Desmond Harrington as Chris Flynn
• Eliza Dushku as Jessie Burlingame
• Emmanuelle Chriqui as Carly
• Jeremy Sisto as Scott
• Kevin Zegers as Evan
• Lindy Booth as Francine
• Julian Richings as Three Finger
• Garry Robbins as Saw Tooth
• Ted Clarke as One Eye

Rob Schmidt harks back to 70’s horror film such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills have Eyes with Wrong Turn, a derivative but effective slasher set in the West Virginia Mountains and woods. If it’s originality you’re looking for, this won’t be for you. If it’s a slasher film with nerve-shredding music, attractive cast and creepy assailants, Wrong Turn may well appeal to you.

Chris Flynn is a young doctor travelling through the West Virginia Mountains to an important meeting. Because of a chemical spill on one of the roads, he decides to take another route to get to his destination quicker. After taking this turn, he collides with a stalled SUV in the middles of the woods. The SUV belongs to six friends; Jessie, Carly, Scott, Francine and Evan. Their vehicle has stopped because someone has placed barbed wire on the road causing their tires to blow. Teaming up with the group, Chris follows them through the woods in search of help, while lovebirds Francine and Evan stay with the damaged vehicles and smoke pot. The rest of the group eventually come across a ramshackle cabin and they decide to enter. Once inside they realise that this is cabin does not exactly belong to the friendliest of people, as body parts, hoards of keys and blooded belongings to campers are discovered. Just as they are about to leave, the occupants arrive. It turns out they are cannibalistic mountain men who are horribly disfigured through generations of inbreeding. They have been turning the woods into a hunting ground and kill anyone who trespasses. Now it is a life or death battle as the group is pursued by the ravenous troika of mountain men. Cue for gory death, chases a plenty and the ambience of a 70’s horror flick as Wrong Turn shifts into fast gear and doesn’t let up until the end.

Whilst low on originality( the film owes more than a debt to Deliverance and Chainsaw Massacre), Wrong Turn still has enough thrills to last it’s 80 minute runtime. Rob Schmidt manages this through unusual camera angles and contrasting lighting. The make up department should be praised for creating menacing villains, we only get a few glances of their faces but the killers are still a startling sight. The trio is all the more scary for their interesting and modern hunting methods, one is a deft archer whilst another has an uncanny gift for smell. The atmospheric and exciting is perfectly attuned to the fast-moving pace of the film.

The two leads, Desmond Harrington and Eliza Dushku, turn in the heroics as the laconic de facto leader and athletic and resourceful babe of the bunch. Jeremy Sisto as the wise-cracking best friend has his moments, but is chronically underused. Emmanuelle Chriqui is also lumbered with an uninteresting character, the screaming girl of the bunch who is basically there to eventually die in some gruesome way. The lack of character development with these two can be distracting, though you probably won’t notice because of the breakneck speed of Wrong Turn.Although it has its fair share of gore( one victim has her mouth torn open with rusted barbed wire), it is the things we don’t see that are most chilling. This is illustrated when the cannibals arrive home and the young group who are hiding, watch in horror as the cannibals eat their daily meal of another unwitting teenager. We don’t really see anything, it is what we hear that makes the blood run cold. Schmidt manages some thrilling, nail-biting sequences such as the group’s discovery of a car and caravan necropolis and their attempt to sneak out of the cabin without becoming the next meal for the trio of mountain men.

So in short, Wrong Turn doesn’t bring anything new to the table. But, it does have two interesting lead characters, some seriously scary killers and a relentless pace that leaves the knuckles white and the blood chilled. Not the best horror film but one that surely packs a punch with gruesome discoveries and eerie surroundings.