User Reviews

Besides the sones, guarachas and boleros (basic styles of good-old Cuban music), the beauty of this documentary relies on Wim Wenders' magnificent camera use.

It is impossible not to feel the emotion of the crowded Carnegie Hall in the climax scenes, but there are also many other images that carry the viewer to more intimate experiences of La Habana, its music and musicians. Wenders' camera takes us to the Conservatory, where pianist Ruben Gonzalez rehearses surrounded by children; or to the Egrem Recording Studio, where singers Ibrahim Ferrer and Omara Portuondo look at each other's eyes while rendering one of the most beautiful boleros I've heard in my life.

When I rented Buena Vista Social Club I didn't have any appreciation for the type of music played by the Club; I still don't know what it's called. I rented the movie because I'm a Ry Cooder fan, and have seen some Wim Wenders' movies I liked. I wasn't expecting much, but the result is that I've just seen one of the best documentaries in my life. The premise is very simple, it's all about the old musicians and the wonderful music they make. You get to visit their modest homes, hang out in their neighborhoods, and listen to their music. Nothing more than that, but done so well, so effortlessly, you wish you could step through the screen and join them. I would recommend this film to anyone.

Criterion shot an interview with director Wim Wenders in 2016, and if you can find it, I highly recommend watching this BEFORE you watch the film. There's a 2 minute clip on youtube if you search for "Wim Wenders on Buena Vista Social Club's Ibrahim Ferrer".

This interview with Wim prepares you and gives you a deeper appreciation for what you're about to see. You'd still appreciate the film without any prep, but if like me, you're completely unfamiliar with the album, the musicians and the story behind this film, then hearing Wim's insights and anecdotes will really pique your interest.

"Buena Vista Social Club" is a documentary shot in Cuba showing the musicians, the culture and the images of Havana as they record the album of the same name. Interspersed between songs, which are generously shown without too many interruptions, are some charming, entertaining, funny and poetic stories told by the musicians themselves.

The reason I recommend the Wim interview is because he gives us context that is otherwise missing or just vaguely implied in the film. And that is: that these 80-odd-year-old musicians, talented as they are, are nobody. They never found success or wealth of any appreciable kind. As Wim explains in the interview, half the original band was supposed to fly in from Africa, but at the last minute they got detained in Paris. So Ry Cooder set about hastily recruiting the local talent to fill the void. That's when the magic happened, and THAT is the story of the film "Buena Vista Social Club".

Wim also explains one of the film's most noticeable "flaws", and that is the grainy, somewhat worn look that it has. It was shot on DigiBeta and MiniDV (back when these were top of the line) meaning 480p (DVD) quality. So although you may expect Havana to pop out of your screen with crisp vibrant colors that you can smell, what we get instead is a slightly archaic look. But this ended up working brilliantly because Wim is telling us a visual story of a bygone, forgotten, faded era. This is no photoshopped travel brochure. Although the scenes are gorgeous, we see clearly that the city is full of poverty, decay and thin layer of grime.

The first time I watched "Buena Vista Social Club" I was unimpressed because I didn't know who these people were, I didn't know why the story is so special, and I didn't like the worn look of the film. But if I had known beforehand that this is not meant to be a normal polished documentary, that it's a story of a bunch of shoeshine boys who can play the heck out of a song, I would've loved it immediately. The 2nd time I watched it (after seeing the Wim interview) I was hooked.

A NOTE ON THE CONTROVERSIAL APPEARANCE OF RY COODER: If you've read a bunch of reviews, you probably noticed that one of the big criticisms is that there's too much Ry Cooder. Honestly after reading a half dozen of these criticisms, I was expecting to see nothing less than Ry's colonoscopy splayed across the screen to the shrill cacophony of 13 slide guitars played at once in different keys. Haha, I'm happy to report that it's not as bad as that. In fact, maybe if you watch this film *expecting* to see too much Ry, then, like me, you'll be pleasantly surprised that it's not as bad as the warnings. Ry Cooder produced this album, and in musical terms that means he was the "director". The producer of a musical recording is the most powerful and characteristic force, artistically speaking (notice how many bands that are produced by the same person often sound so similar that you can't tell them apart, for example the bands AC/DC and the early work of Def Leppard, both produced by John Mutt Lange). Therefore, it makes artistic sense why Ry would have some decent screen time. Not only did he personally select all the band members, but he was right there at the mixing board putting everything together. So yeah, it may seem odd that this non-Cuban is crashing the guarachar. But just keep in mind that he was the guy who pulled this product together. And what a fantastic product it is.

Maybe with this stuff in mind, you'll also see the magic. "Buena Vista Social Club" isn't so much a documentary as it is a monument to all the great musicians and artists hiding out in all the obscure and decayed alleys in all the world. And for my money, this tells the story of music better than any glossy, overproduced biography of any pop star out there. Buena Vista Social Club is the real deal.

Is this film perfect? By all means, no. In places the camera work waves out of control, and the constant featuring of Ry Cooder grows tedious. Yet despite all of this, there are certain images that this film captures that have refused to leave my mind. I get chills just thinking about Eliada Ochoa tearing up during her rendition of "Silencio" as she is filmed before an audience of thousands in Stockholm. I will never forget Ruben Gonzalez sitting at his piano basking in applause. And, of course, seeing Ibrahim Ferrer walk through the streets of midtown Mannhattan in utter awe is enough to make any man choke up. Though flawed, this picture never fails to stand as moving testament to the triumph of the human spirit. For these beautiful moments alone, I give this poignant film a 10.

So a man who chases an enthusiasm for Cuban music and ends up spending his own resources to record and popularize a bunch of musicians who would have died in obscurity otherwise, takes great pains to present the music in a relatively unaltered state (unlike some such other world music experimenters like Sting and Paul Simon), and even removes much of his own contributions from the recording mix, is a self-aggrandizing cultural imperialist. The proof of the man's real intentions lies on the disc, an understated and moving documentation of a era that got plowed under by the cold war.

As for the film, indeed it's not perfect. It would be nice to have full songs, but they decided not to go with a strict concert film and concentrate on the project and the stories behind it. If you want more, the CD is easily available and highly recommended. When I saw this movie at the Lincoln Plaza cinema in Manhattan, I decided when the movie ended to trek over a few blocks to the local record store to see if they had the Cd in stock, As I walked down the street, I noticed that most of the people who had just seen the film were going the same way, and indeed, appeared to have the same idea I did (it was a packed show, by the way). It is perhaps a weakness of the film that it depends on the album for it's interest and power, but it is a loving document of the process.

This movie was a must for me, not for cinematographic reasons but for the piece of music history it contains. I had heard Ibrahim Ferrer was coming to Romania with Buenos Hermanos Tour. So I tried to find out all about the Buena Vista history. I have found Cuba a far away, resolute place, nevertheless glamorous and melancholic. Popular Cuban music is an absolute jewel that had to be forgotten even in its' own country and then brought back into the limelight by the likes of Cooder and Wenders. Cooder is a scavenger that wanders the exotic musical destinations for the next big hit. The film is centered too much on Cooder, and I find the time allotted to Ibrahim, Omara, Compay, Barbarito, Cachaito and the others (the real musical giants) unsatisfactory. You only get a glimpse and then have to run away for the next character... Yet, Wenders manages to catch the sweetness in the Cuban relaxed lifestyle, beautiful Rembrandt-like sunshine coming through leaves and a touch of history and relaxed musicians in the act of recollecting.

1st watched 3/14/2001 - (Dir-Wim Wenders): Well-done documentary about long forgotten Cuban musicians and American country musician Ry Cooder's adventure into putting together this band. The music is captivating, the musician's come across as greatful wonderful people who just happen to be able to play their particular instrument very well. Tremendous look into Cuba and it's people with many shots of the city Havana. These musicians are very proud of their country and have no intention of difecting as we as Americans feel that they would because of our limited exposure into this culture. Rare opportunity to walk into a land and people that we don't often see.

It's hard to imagine a better set up for a magical documentary: Wim Wenders, Ry Cooder and a group of ancient and brilliant Cuban musicians. This film tells the story of the reassembling of the Buena Vista Social Club, as a sort of composite house-band including several popular Cuban jazz musicians, most of whom had given up their musical careers long ago. Ry Cooder helped get the players together, played with them, adding his respectfully subtle guitar work to the mix, and got their album released to popular and critical success worldwide.

What I found most impressive about this film is the humility with which it was approached by Ry Cooder. Mr Cooder has done some great work in the world of music, and this must be counted among his triumphs. However, I would have to agree with Mr Cooder, that the credit for the magic of the Buena Vista Social Club was all in the chemistry and performance of its Cuban stars. To see what I mean by all of this, you should see the movie. Whether you buy the CD or see the movie first matters little. You should do BOTH.

Wim Wenders also, intelligently and appropriately, lets this story tell itself. Only occasionally does his artistry (as potent as it is) flare up - such as the scenes with the pianist (who Wenders clearly adores, and understandably so). All in all, the American / German production team on this film takes a back seat to the music, and the stories behind the musicians. I found this a refreshingly honest documentary approach and I thoroughly enjoyed the film.

My enjoyment rating is 10+. I gave the film an 9 because I am sure some will dislike either the music or the proactive approach toward Cuban/American relations. It's definitely not a film for all people. Don't watch it if Cuba brings up strong negative emotions for you.

The Buena Vista Social Club is filled with great music. It is the music of people's lives, and as they often say during the film, the musicians feel the music as well as play it. The way that others talk and think is the same way they create music. It is natural. The scenes of the musicians in concert are great and exciting.

The problem is that the director, Wim Wenders, chose to focus on things other than the music and the people who make it. His constantly spinning camera, while technically dazzling, serves no real purpose here. Sure, there are some wonderful shots that move long distances, but the story is in one place and needs no amplification. It is almost as though he thought we would be bored with the people and the sounds of the film. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The stories the musicians tell are engaging and funny. Their music is rich and timeless. Since it is a film about Cuba, one would expect some political overtones, but strangely there are not very many. Only at the end, when the musicians reach New York, does Wender's seem to interject his political views. The musicians are all awed by New York and the director allows them to degrade themselves by saying that ugly buildings are lovely. The irony-that if these men had been produced in New York there would never be any music at all-is lost on everyone. Also, the viewer may be left with the sense that they have been forgotten due to Castro and the revolution, but this is not really the case. All over the world and all around the USA artists are forgotten in their old age. Only in a nation that loves and understands art are artists given their proper place of respect. Cuba and the US both fail in this regard. And ultimately the film fails too. It misleads and it misdirects are attention and pulls us away from the enchanting music created by older musicians who rediscover life through expression.

The Buena Vista Social Club executes its premise effectively-- it documents the unearthing of some amazing but somehow forgotten Cuban musicians. Ibrahim Ferrer is especially memorable. This is easily Wim Wenders' best film in a decade. The photography is poetic.

Wim Wenders' documentary seems to have been made as a companion to the best selling CD. Ry Cooder was responsible for resurrecting these old Cuban musicians from oblivion. We saw this film in its debut day at the Angelika and remember the emotional response by many people in the audience as the documentary unfolded. Having seen the DVD recently, it brought back memories about that June day.

Actually, all praise has been directed at Mr. Cooder, who is the man who had the clout to bring this group into the attention of the world, first with the recording, and then with this film. However, no one gives credit to Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, the man responsible for getting all these forgotten musicians together. It's because this man's love for that type of music that one is able to appreciate the men one sees in the film.

The tremendously talented Cuban musicians are finally given the tribute they were due because their contribution to the kind of music that will always be heard because the way it resonates with the listener. As far as the document go, the Cooders, both Ry and Joaquin, are given a special treatment, but then again, without them, who would have even heard of the Buena Vista Social Club?: No one!

Ibrahim Ferrer, Eliades Ochoa, Ruben Gonzalez, Pio Leiva, Guajiro Mirabal, Compay Segundo, Cachaito Lopez, Omara Portuondo, and the rest of the players are shown with great respect by Mr. Wenders, who seems to be enjoying directing these all timers doing what they do best.

One can only cry for what the regime in that unhappy island did to this great musicians for such a long time until the powers that be in Cuba found out how much money they could make by exporting the same people they had chosen to forget.

Romano Rating: 84%

Now I understand why these people are known in Cuba as "los superablos" (the super-grandfathers)! The presentation of Ibrahim Ferrer and the other Cuban musicians is accomplished at a wonderfully relaxed pace. The film slowly blossoms before your eyes. In seeing it, I gained a new appreciation for a type of music for which I previously had little exposure or understanding.

Best Part: The insightful observations of the musicians.

This is my first post-WINGS OF DESIRE Wenders movie, and despite all the hype around it at the time, my first experience with the music of the Buena Vista Social Club. The music itself is fantastic, featuring memorable and rich songs with accomplished musicianship and great passion. It was a pleasure to spend time with the players and learn a little bit (unfortunately, not a whole lot) about their lives and careers. However, the cinematography is simply awful. Undoubtedly there are limitations involved with filming in Cuba, but the use of early digital video cameras gives the movie a cheap, amateurish, washed-out look. It's very unpleasant to behold, especially with the shaky camera-work. It feels like it was all done rather haphazardly with little thought. You're probably better off just buying the CD.

People develop knee jerk reactions to celebrity.Say the name "Wenders", and people cannot supress exhalations of admiration.The fact is that Wim, more or less, phoned this one in. We know about WW's longtime collaboration with Ry Cooder on such moving classics as "Paris,Texas," and there's no doubting that their potential collaboration on this erratically conceived and directed documentary, promised great results. You know, their names alone pretty much guarantee accolades. Of course the real glow, energy, and (only potential) pathos of "The Buena Vista Social Club" comes from the musicians, themselves. Fortunately Ferrer, Gonazlez, Ochoa, Segundo, et. al. bring themselves richly and uninhibitedly to the screen. Ry and son Jaochim always appeared self conscious to this viewer. The director rarely shows them interacting directly with the Cuban musicians.

As a fan of this music and its inspired rhythms ( with a healthy respect for Mr. Cooder's intelligence and intuition), I was sorely disappointed at Wenders decision to cut away in the middle of songs. The music, the song, is where the art is, so the abridgement never worked for me.There's no doubt that the decay and ferment of Havanna, deserves our attention, but the relentless circling camera became a technique to actually separate the audience from scenes and characters. The fact is, this film was made as a hurried afterthought. The CD had been in stores for over two years before this film reached the screen.While I was hoping to witness scenes of creative collaboration, I was served (tasty) left overs. The idea to go back to Havanna and recreate the magic just didn't cut it for me, but the passion, artistry, joy and perseverance of the musicians is an inspiration to all of us. As a film maker, Wenders should have taken more inspiration from the music and its makers and looked more carefully at the enigma that is Cuba today.

I just got to see this on video last night. It's a lovely film, and the protagonists are memorable. My one problem, however, is with Ry Cooder. Don't misunderstand my admiration for Cooder's past work. He's an original, often evocative guitarist and composer. I just felt that his additions to these recordings -- both in the studio and in their concert versions -- were intrusive at the least. That wailing slide guitar just about ruined some great songs. I'm surprised the gentlemen and ladies of the band didn't say anything. It was a relief when he sat out of a performance. I really wanted to jump into the film, tap him on the shoulder and ask him to put down his guitar and just sit behind the mixing board!

OK. That's my rant. This is an impressive and lovely film.

If you have a chance, track down 1997's Black Tears (lagrimas Negras).

This is one of the best movies on music that I've ever seen - a great collaborative effort by Wim Wenders, Ry Cooder and, most importantly, the Cuban musicians. The musicians portrayed in this documentary are truly beautiful people - not necessarily beautiful in the Hollywood sense, but beautiful in their hearts and souls.

Wim Wenders takes us through the backstreets of Cuba and intersperses interviews, that show the roots of the music, with recording studio and concert footage. The music and lives of these exquisite musicians are both sad and beautiful. Several of them had all but abandoned music before Ry Cooder assembled this project. Cooder and his son take a back seat to these Cuban veterans who deserve all of the recognition they are finally receiving.

The scenes of two of the older singers looking at the statues of American heroes in a souvenir shop in Manhattan is especially touching. And the music, especially the songs from Carnegie Hall, are stunning.

On both a sociological and musical level, this is a very moving documentary.

A long time fan of Ry Cooder, this was to me another of his explorations into music that is on the verge of being "lost". Music in pre-Castro Cuba was very influential throughout the world; Dizzy Gillespie, the brilliant trumpet player, writer, and innovator drew extensively from these Afro-Cuba rhythms; also other seminal writers such as Gil Evans, Saxophonist Sonny Rollins...Ellington was influenced by his Cuban percussionist Juan Tizol...one could go on for days citing examples of how this Cuban music became part of the progressive North American musicians' lexicon. Even "I Love Lucy" exposed us to Cuban big band rhythms by way of her husband. Bottom line is this-if you are anything of an aficionado of music, this film is a must. If you are an aspiring musician it is indispensable to witness the musical interactions of excellent older musicians that really know what they are about, and that obviously love to play. Now we are seeing a new generation of great Cuban jazz musicians, such as Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Claudio Roditi, Paquito D'Rivera, Pancho Sanchez...the list is almost endless. This movie allows us to see what must have been very influential musical roots. A must see, heck. I own it!

This `musicmentary' documents the artists who perform on the companion album. The film is shot very nicely in Cuba and cuts to concert footage in Amsterdam and New York. Any music lover will find it more than worth watching. Sound (and music) are excellent.

When this documentary was being filmed in 1998, the CD which was issued in 1997 had just been released and went on to win a Grammy. It had been the result of American guitarist Roy Cooder's determination to bring the musical sounds of Cuban music to the public. Now he had with him the German movie director, Wim Wenders, who created this unique film about the music, the people and Cuba itself.

The musicians are elderly, their musical skills developed from childhood and are living memorials to the music they love. Once renowned in Cuba in the 40's and 50's, these men have lived through upheaval and changes in their country, and yet approach life with joy and freshness. The camera picks up the wrinkles, but it also picks up the twinkle in the eye of 91 year old guitarist/singer Compay Segundo who playfully talks about fathering another child to add to his family, or lead singer 70 year-old Ibraham Ferrer's affection for this wife, the 80-year old pianist Ruben Gonzolez who finds it hard to walk, but has no trouble making his fingers fly over the keyboard. And Omera Portuando, the female adds an ageless feminine presence to the group.

This is not just a movie about the music. The movie IS the music. And there are long musical sequences which will delight anyone with a serious musical interest. The movie is also about the individual people, whose interviews against the backdrop of a crumbling, but lively Cuba are testaments to the human spirit. Before they were rediscovered for this film, one of the men was shining shoes; another was working in a cigar factory. Politics are never mentioned, but the 1940s and 50s American cars and the disintegrating buildings is evidence of politics gone haywire four decades ago.

The movie culminates with a concert in Carnegie Hall and the musicians' first trip to New York. Their sense of wonder in viewing the skyscrapers, looking at store windows and visiting the Empire State Building is a sharp contrast to the confines of their restricted world in Cuba, which is nevertheless rich with the spirits of this indomitable individuals.

The movie does lack dramatic tension, and drags in places, but I still don't hesitate to recommend it. It spite of poverty and a humble economy, the movie captures the beauty and joy of the people. And it surrounds you with music.

The two names Wim Wenders and Ry Cooder caught my eyes. I remember the two German names since their initial collaboration on "Paris, Texas" 1984 -- it was truly impressive!

This BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB is a superlative documentary. Yet merely a documentary it is not. It captures the heart and soul of the lively Cuban Jazz sounds. It follows Ry Cooder and his son Joachim in search of the veteran Cuban musicians of the Buena Vista Social Club of the '50s -- now in their senior years, some 70's or 80's (Ruben Gonzalez, a terrific energetic pianist in spite of age), and one 92 year old (Compay Segundo, who does not look 90 at all and such a darn good guitarist he is). The subsequent reunion on musical recordings and concerts of this group of musicians after four decades emanates sheer joy nonpareil. It is sight and sound and a sense of humanity all rolled into one.

It is toe tapping all right -- you want to dance, sing, and sway with them to the rhythm! Such a heart-warming experience as each of the musicians talk about how they got started in their childhood and becoming passionate in their musical pursuit. The settings are easy, casual, touching, pulling our heartstrings. There are recounts of the times they had jammed with their bands and friends, of how they weathered and survived the years in between, revisits of the places they have been to, and impromptu throw out gems of their views on life! They are seemingly ordinary people. No Hollywood glamour yet lots of love and passion and exuberant joy in making music together -- again! Besides the revival of Cuban Jazz sounds, this film is also a celebration of life, affirming dreams can come true.

If you like music, if you love life, if you're a true movie fan, this is a MUST-SEE. A rewarding experience guaranteed!

Great music, interesting musicians and a fascinating project by Ry Cooder.

Hand it to Cooder for getting these guys together. But Wenders should have followed Cooder's search in more detail. And for that matter, he might've shown how these great musicians fell into obscurity. Was it some sort of Maoist "Cultural Revolution" that purged Cuban society of supposed classist vestiges? Was it simply that their musical styles were lost in the more recent currents of Cuban music? Most of the storytelling in the film was about the musicians' early years and how they got into music. That was pretty interesting, though not altogether unique. It seems like lots of great musicians have humble beginnings.

Did Castro's regime control what Wenders was able to film? If so, the project might have worked better as a book with accompanying music CD.

The music is the film's high point. The jam sessions and solo reveries were great, even though virtually all the other music and more is on the CD soundtrack BVSC.

Beyond the music of this film, of which there is a treasure trove of, there is an undercurrent of the hope beyond hope.

We see Cuba, torn apart after years of senseless revolution and senseless retaliation, filled with some amazing individuals who still strive for the brass ring of beauty. They are all older, having been thru the pre and post- revolutionary facets of their mother land, who where either quietly retired of slowly fading into the night. This film shows them revitalized, renewed and as vibrant as ever. Against the bleak backdrop of the spent and tattered Cuba they shine even more brightly.

The scenes in New York are perhaps most telling for me. Having been a new yorker for some 30 years now removed from there for the last two, I can see in thier eyes the wonder of a person seeing it for the first time. More amazing still is to see them come to grips with how far the world has come outside of their stifling motherland's revolution.

This is a must see for anyone who treasures music, beauty, and the hope that infuses both.

When I watched this movie, I always had the feeling, that I'd seen it before. Then I remembered that I had seen "Lágrimas negras" by Sonia Herman Dolz (1997) a few years earlier. It has the same concept, the same story, I think it even is the same band in Lágrimas negras as in Buena Vista Social club (I'm not 100% sure, you can correct me with that).

Anyway, it is a nice movie, because of the music, the pictures of Havana and the interviews with the old, smiling musicians, but the original is better. Wim Wenders proved that he has no own ideas as a filmmaker anymore. I give the movie a 7+, but this is not for the director, but mainly for the music which is very touching. It really gives you a Cuban feeling (Ry Cooder does a good job to abstain from dominating the Cuban musicians).

I had heard many good things about this movie, and finally found a rep house playing it at a time I could catch it. Boy, was I disappointed. Sure, the music is wonderful, and the musicians are interesting people. But what did Wim Wenders (who has not made a good movie in nearly 15 years) do to make this a good movie? Where was the insight into the old "Buena Vista Social Club"? why didn't he take us back to it, so we could get a feel for what it was like? Why didn't we hear more about the past, about the difficulties the musicians faced? About Cuba and being a musician in Cuba? Instead we get a 2-hour commercial to sell Cuban CDs. Not that they don't deserve that, but I have seen many documentaries where the heart and soul of the story is told in a moving way. Here, there was a story to be told about people who have a lot of heart and soul, but the opportunity was completely wasted by Wenders, who instead just told the much less interesting story about a handful of older Cuban musicians who got together to put on some new concerts and record some new albums. His style of just going through each musician one-by-one with a brief interview lacked any originality whatsoever.

Good music, bad movie, and almost no insight into Cuba the country (aside from a few nice visual shots of the streets of Havana). For a good documentary, see "Hoop Dreams" or "35 Up" or "Children of Fate". For a good film about Cuba see "Strawberries and Chocolate". And for good Cuban music, buy the CDs or go to the concerts, if any of the musicians make it to your hometown. The only thing redeeming about this movie are the musicians and the music, which is what makes it better than "Million Dollar Hotel" which was awful.