check it out. it stars beyonce knowles and adrian brody. 
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cadillac_records/?name_order=asc
Cadillac Records
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Jump to: navigation, search
Cadillac Records
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Darnell Martin
Produced by Petra Hoebel
Beyoncé Knowles
Andrew Lack
Sofia Sondervan
Written by Darnell Martin
Starring Adrien Brody
Jeffrey Wright
Beyoncé Knowles
Columbus Short
Mos Def
Music by Terence Blanchard
Cinematography Anastas Michos
Editing by Peter C. Frank
Distributed by TriStar Pictures
Release date(s) December 5, 2008
Running time 109 min.
Country United States
Language English
Budget $12,000,000
Gross revenue $7,141,044[1]
Cadillac Records is a 2008 musical biopic written and directed by Darnell Martin. The film explores the musical era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, chronicling the life of the influential Chicago-based record-company executive Leonard Chess, and the singers who recorded for Chess Records.
The film stars Adrien Brody as Chess, Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Columbus Short as Little Walter, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, and Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James. The film has been rated R by the MPAA for "pervasive langauge and some sexuality". The film was released in North America on December 5, 2008.
The movie is nominated for three Razzies, Worst Song, Worst Movie and Worst Actress.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Background
* 2 Cast
* 3 Production
o 3.1 Writing
o 3.2 Casting
o 3.3 Filming
o 3.4 Music
* 4 Release
* 5 Reception
* 6 References
* 7 External links
[edit] Background
Leonard Chess was a record-company executive from Chicago, Illinois, the co-founder of the 1950 American record label Chess Records. He ran the legendary company with his brother, Phil, through the 1950s and '60s.[2] The label started selling albums from the back of Chess' Cadillac,[3] and launched the careers of legendary musical personalities such as blues singers and harmonica and guitar players Little Walter and Howlin' Wolf, blues musician Muddy Waters, soul legend Etta James[4] and guitarist singer-songwriters Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley.[5]
[edit] Cast
* Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess
* Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James
* Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess
* Mos Def as Chuck Berry
* Gabrielle Union as Geneva Waters
* Columbus Short as Little Walter
* Norman Reedus as Chess
* Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters
* Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon
* Tammy Blanchard as Isabelle Allen
* Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf
* Eric Bogosian as Alan Freed
* Shiloh Fernandez as Phil Chess
* Jay O. Sanders as Mr. Feder
[edit] Production
[edit] Writing
The screenplay was written by film director Darnell Martin.[3]
[edit] Casting
Originally, Matt Dillon was slated to play the role of Chess,[5] but the role was ultimately given to Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody due to scheduling conflicts with Dillon.[6] Early announcements of the cast also included Columbus Short as Little Walter , Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters,[2] and Grammy Award winning singer Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James. According to director Martin, she wrote the role of James with Knowles in mind.[7]
As production increased the roster had grown to include Canadian actress Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess, Tammy Blanchard as Isabelle Allen, and comedian Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon.[8][9][3] Final line ups of the cast also grew to include rapper Mos Def as Chuck Berry, and Gabrielle Union in the role of Geneva Wade, Muddy Waters' girlfriend.[10]
[edit] Filming
The filming of Cadillac Records started in February 2008, in Newark, New Jersey and Mississippi, United States.[8] Martin directed the film,[2][4] and shot for Sony BMG Film.[5]
Cadillac Records was produced by Andrew Lack and Sofia Sondervan,[9] and co-executive produced by Beyoncé Knowles.[2]
[edit] Music
American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and music producer Steve Jordan produced the soundtrack to the film.[11] Knowles recorded five songs for the soundtrack, including a cover version of Etta James' "At Last" which was released on December 2, 2008 as its lead single.[12] Mos Def, Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, and Eamonn Walker recorded songs for the soundtrack, and Raphael Saadiq, Knowles' sister Solange, Mary Mary, Nas, Buddy Guy and Elvis Presley also appears on the album. The soundtrack will be released in single- and double-disc editions.[12]
[edit] Release
The film had its world premiere on November 24, 2008 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles.[13] On December 5, 2008, it was released nationally.
[edit] Reception
The film has garnered positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 66% of critics gave positive reviews based on 87 reviews. Its consensus state that "What Cadillac Records may lack in originality, it more than makes up for in strong performances and soul-stirring music." [14] Another review aggretator, Metacritic, gave the film a 64/100 approval rating based on 26 reviews classifying that the film has "generally favorable reviews". [15]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave the film 3 stars and stated in his review that "The film is a fascinating record of the evolution of a black musical style, and the tangled motives of the white men who had an instinct for it." [16] Elizbeth Weitzman of the Daily News awarded the film with 3 stars and wrote in her review, "Writer-director Darnell Martin clearly respects the fact that the history of Chess Records is a worthy subject." [17] Most critics praised the film for its music, but complain about its script. Jim Harrington of the Mercury News praised Knowles' vocal performance and wrote in his review that Beyoncé Knowles captivating voice and the film's other pluses can't outweigh the glaring omissions from the story line for this critic" and "Chess Records deserves, and will hopefully someday get, a better spin than the one delivered by "Cadillac Records." [18]
On its opening weekend, the film opened #9 grossing $3.4 million in 686 theaters with an $5,023 average.[19] As of December 23, the film has grossed $7,141,044, but is considered a box-office flop by industry insiders.
Beyoncé Knowles received a Satellite Award nomination for her portrayal of Etta James.[20] Knowles also earned a Golden Globe nomination for "Best Original Song" for "Once in a Lifetime".[21]
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cadillac_records/?name_order=asc
Cadillac Records
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Cadillac Records
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Darnell Martin
Produced by Petra Hoebel
Beyoncé Knowles
Andrew Lack
Sofia Sondervan
Written by Darnell Martin
Starring Adrien Brody
Jeffrey Wright
Beyoncé Knowles
Columbus Short
Mos Def
Music by Terence Blanchard
Cinematography Anastas Michos
Editing by Peter C. Frank
Distributed by TriStar Pictures
Release date(s) December 5, 2008
Running time 109 min.
Country United States
Language English
Budget $12,000,000
Gross revenue $7,141,044[1]
Cadillac Records is a 2008 musical biopic written and directed by Darnell Martin. The film explores the musical era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, chronicling the life of the influential Chicago-based record-company executive Leonard Chess, and the singers who recorded for Chess Records.
The film stars Adrien Brody as Chess, Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon, Mos Def as Chuck Berry, Columbus Short as Little Walter, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, and Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James. The film has been rated R by the MPAA for "pervasive langauge and some sexuality". The film was released in North America on December 5, 2008.
The movie is nominated for three Razzies, Worst Song, Worst Movie and Worst Actress.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Background
* 2 Cast
* 3 Production
o 3.1 Writing
o 3.2 Casting
o 3.3 Filming
o 3.4 Music
* 4 Release
* 5 Reception
* 6 References
* 7 External links
[edit] Background
Leonard Chess was a record-company executive from Chicago, Illinois, the co-founder of the 1950 American record label Chess Records. He ran the legendary company with his brother, Phil, through the 1950s and '60s.[2] The label started selling albums from the back of Chess' Cadillac,[3] and launched the careers of legendary musical personalities such as blues singers and harmonica and guitar players Little Walter and Howlin' Wolf, blues musician Muddy Waters, soul legend Etta James[4] and guitarist singer-songwriters Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley.[5]
[edit] Cast
* Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess
* Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James
* Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess
* Mos Def as Chuck Berry
* Gabrielle Union as Geneva Waters
* Columbus Short as Little Walter
* Norman Reedus as Chess
* Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters
* Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon
* Tammy Blanchard as Isabelle Allen
* Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf
* Eric Bogosian as Alan Freed
* Shiloh Fernandez as Phil Chess
* Jay O. Sanders as Mr. Feder
[edit] Production
[edit] Writing
The screenplay was written by film director Darnell Martin.[3]
[edit] Casting
Originally, Matt Dillon was slated to play the role of Chess,[5] but the role was ultimately given to Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody due to scheduling conflicts with Dillon.[6] Early announcements of the cast also included Columbus Short as Little Walter , Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters,[2] and Grammy Award winning singer Beyoncé Knowles as Etta James. According to director Martin, she wrote the role of James with Knowles in mind.[7]
As production increased the roster had grown to include Canadian actress Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess, Tammy Blanchard as Isabelle Allen, and comedian Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon.[8][9][3] Final line ups of the cast also grew to include rapper Mos Def as Chuck Berry, and Gabrielle Union in the role of Geneva Wade, Muddy Waters' girlfriend.[10]
[edit] Filming
The filming of Cadillac Records started in February 2008, in Newark, New Jersey and Mississippi, United States.[8] Martin directed the film,[2][4] and shot for Sony BMG Film.[5]
Cadillac Records was produced by Andrew Lack and Sofia Sondervan,[9] and co-executive produced by Beyoncé Knowles.[2]
[edit] Music
American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and music producer Steve Jordan produced the soundtrack to the film.[11] Knowles recorded five songs for the soundtrack, including a cover version of Etta James' "At Last" which was released on December 2, 2008 as its lead single.[12] Mos Def, Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, and Eamonn Walker recorded songs for the soundtrack, and Raphael Saadiq, Knowles' sister Solange, Mary Mary, Nas, Buddy Guy and Elvis Presley also appears on the album. The soundtrack will be released in single- and double-disc editions.[12]
[edit] Release
The film had its world premiere on November 24, 2008 at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles.[13] On December 5, 2008, it was released nationally.
[edit] Reception
The film has garnered positive reviews. Rotten Tomatoes reported that 66% of critics gave positive reviews based on 87 reviews. Its consensus state that "What Cadillac Records may lack in originality, it more than makes up for in strong performances and soul-stirring music." [14] Another review aggretator, Metacritic, gave the film a 64/100 approval rating based on 26 reviews classifying that the film has "generally favorable reviews". [15]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave the film 3 stars and stated in his review that "The film is a fascinating record of the evolution of a black musical style, and the tangled motives of the white men who had an instinct for it." [16] Elizbeth Weitzman of the Daily News awarded the film with 3 stars and wrote in her review, "Writer-director Darnell Martin clearly respects the fact that the history of Chess Records is a worthy subject." [17] Most critics praised the film for its music, but complain about its script. Jim Harrington of the Mercury News praised Knowles' vocal performance and wrote in his review that Beyoncé Knowles captivating voice and the film's other pluses can't outweigh the glaring omissions from the story line for this critic" and "Chess Records deserves, and will hopefully someday get, a better spin than the one delivered by "Cadillac Records." [18]
On its opening weekend, the film opened #9 grossing $3.4 million in 686 theaters with an $5,023 average.[19] As of December 23, the film has grossed $7,141,044, but is considered a box-office flop by industry insiders.
Beyoncé Knowles received a Satellite Award nomination for her portrayal of Etta James.[20] Knowles also earned a Golden Globe nomination for "Best Original Song" for "Once in a Lifetime".[21]
