The Creators of El Cantante missed an opportunity to do something of relevance for our community. The real story was about Hector fighting the obstacles of a non-supportive industry that took advantage of entertainers with his charisma and talent. Instead they did another movie about two Puerto Rican junkies. The impact of drugs in the entertainment industry is nothing new; look at Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan and Whitney Houston today.
I think Hector deserves the recognition the movie pretended to give him. However, as someone who advised the producers, it's painfully obvious that they didn't understand what made him so important. It was the music. It was his talent. They didn't understand or respect the true importance of our music to people around the world. It's difficult to comprehend how two individuals who are in the music business like Marc and Jennifer are not aware of the damage and the consequences of promoting only the negative side of our Latin music culture.
I was disappointed that there wasn't a minimal effort to correct what I felt were serious chronological and factual errors. This tells me that they expeditiously crafted the simplest cliché script in order to just make a film quickly.
After the premier of El Cantante in Puerto Rico there were several statements of protest by people who had supported and participated in the project until they saw it. Their complaints were not about sour grapes or J-lo and Marc bashing but from a sense of betrayal and disappointment.
We are all invested in the world that this movie represents. For many of us the hope of our story finally being told sank into the horizon with the final version of this film.
Willie Colón
check out www.stuckonsalsa.com for all the DC salsa news
2 comments:
"El Cantante" A vast dissapointement to anyone who is Latin American whom from inception to this world knows anything about Salsa music, La Fania All Star & of course Hector Lavoe. Although I do appreciate Marc & Jennifer as artist and their contributions to my generation, I think the story of Hector's life should of been told a bit differantly than how it was told & portraided in this film. In all honesty, everyone in my world, my circle of life regreats spending the time & money on the film. The world & my circle of family & friends wanted to know more about Hector's mind, body, soul & spirit, that made him into what we know him to "Be" "THE GREATES" "THE SINGER" "EL CANTANTE".......As well as the demonds that tortured his soul and shortened his path in life.....I truley believe, Willie, Johnny, Ismael, Ray, Ruben, La Fania and sooooooo many others could of given a realistic and true meaning of his life....Unfortunaley "El Cantante" focuses on Hector being a Junckie and having a troubled marriage. Not on all the wonders that made him be what he was and what I as a Latin American aprreciate, value and idilize Hector Lavoe as.......
I think the movie was great!!!!! It finally showed his fans what he really was..... a junkie. yea hector was a great singer and his music was aswome but his fans already knew that about him. I dont get why jennifer and marc are getting all this negative feedback becasue i dont see anyone else makeing a movie about hector lavoe!!!! I been dancing slasa on 2 for 9 years in the bronxs as matter of fact a kid i went to dance school had his own solo in the movie. A lot of dancers from young to old have a lot a respect for hector and i know that the movie wont change that. its funny becasue RAY the movie about ray charles was the same thing.It showed his bad side and what did the movie get a DAMN oscar. people need to stop talkin about jennifer and marc and give them a round of appulse for teaching new and old fans the bad of hector casue we all new THE GOOD!!!!!!!!!!
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