Cadillac Records (A Review)
(Photo credit: carphotos.com)
Being that my blog is all about music and film, I feel compelled to discuss the upcoming film, Cadillac Records. Set for release December 5, this movie charts the rise and fall of Chicago-based Chess Records as well as its artists.
Oscar winner Adrien Brody (The Pianist, Darjeeling Limited) takes on the role of Leonard Chess, founder of Chess Records. The profound artists under Chess that made such a deep impression for music then and now are Muddy Waters (Played by Jeffrey Wright), Chuck Berry (Played by Mos Def), Colombus Short (Stomp The Yard) playing Little Walter and Beyonce as Etta James. This record label saw very good times as well as terrible times.
Beyonce initially didn’t want to take this role because of the extreme measures she had to go for undertaking the part of Etta James. Once she read the script, it gave her the courage to take some major risks and let people see a new side of her. She says that people will be shocked to see the great lengths she went to be true to the character of James-through the good times and the bad, (better known as her heroine addiction).
Beyonce, Mos Def, Jeffrey Wright and Colombus Short all contribute to the soundtrack. Other artists included on the soundtrack that are not associated with the film are Solange Knowles, Buddy Guy and Raphael Saddiq. The first single for release is Beyonce’s cover of At Last. Both film and soundtrack are being released off Sony.
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003889369
Mandy Potter 