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La Bamba Details

1987 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 1017 members

The true story of pop star Ritchie Valens' rise to fame in the late 1950s, and of the tragedy that cut short a brilliant career. Ritchie, a Mexican fruit picker, always had a dream of becoming a rock singer, and a recurring nightmare of being killed in a plane crash. Both came true... Read more

Starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosana De Soto, Elizabeth Pena
Director Luis Valdez
Genres Drama

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La Bamba

The true story of pop star Ritchie Valens' rise to fame in the late 1950s, and of the tragedy that cut short a brilliant career. Ritchie, a Mexican fruit picker, always had a dream of becoming a rock singer, and a recurring nightmare of being killed in a plane crash. Both came true...

Starring Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosana De Soto, Elizabeth Pena, Danielle Von Zerneck, Joe Pantoliano
Director Luis Valdez
Studio SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 44 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Dubbed French, German, Italian, Spanish
Subtitles DVD: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish
Released DVD: 19 Mar 2001
Production year: 1987
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (4) of La Bamba

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    Most pop biopics are tepid affairs, but the same cannot be said for director Luis Valdez's engrossing re-creation of Ritchie Valens's short life. Los Angeles band Los Lobos perform impassioned versions of the young man's songs, and their playing is mirrored by Lou Diamond Phillips's intense performance, which brings the 1950s rock 'n' roll star to life with a lot of vibrant detail while generally avoiding the usual clichés of the genre. As Ritchie's bad-boy half-brother, Esai Morales also contributes to the authenticity.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • "...LA BAMBA is engrossing throughout and boasts numerous fine performances. In Lou Diamond Phillips' sympathetic turn, Valens comes across as a very fine young man..."

    • Variety
    • Posted 11 Mar 2005

  • Most helpful member's review of La Bamba

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  • 1 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Not Bad!

    I found this one very intresting. I know more about 60s rock and roll after this film..

      • A customer from london, england
      • Posted 27 Feb 2004 21:01

  • Most recent members' review of La Bamba

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  • 1 out of 11 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    la brilliant

    what a brilliant film. a very moving and excellent film about ritchie valens and his very tragic and early death. the music is great and the story is very emotional. will have you crying at the end.

      • kim from surrey, england
      • Posted 22 Oct 2004 21:53

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Rating breakdown

1,017 Member ratings
  • 100
148
  • 90
97
  • 80
178
  • 70
191
  • 60
180
  • 50
91
  • 40
49
  • 30
32
  • 20
32
  • 10
19

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      • The true story of pop star Ritchie Valens' rise to fame in the late 1950s, and of the tragedy that cut short a brilliant career. Ritchie, a Mexican fruit picker, always had a dream of becoming a rock ...