Main Cast: Rubén Blades, Shawn Elliott, Tom Signorelli, Elizabeth Peña, Frank Robles
Release Year: 1985
Country: US
Run Time: 86 minutes
Plot
Ruben Blades stars in this low-budget independent salsa musical (filmed in Spanish Harlem at a cost of $600,000), chronicling the rise and fall of a salsa artist who wants to hit the big time. Blades plays Rudy Veloz, a salsa musician who grabs one-night gigs in Latino nightclubs. He idolizes Julio Iglesias and dreams of putting together a band that will incorporate a blend of musical styles so that Rudy can crossover to mainstream commercial success. However, he is warned by his mentor, Cheo Babalu (Virgilio Marti), that his music is garbage and that he should write from the soul. Rudy ignores him, pursuing his passion for middle-of-the-road success. Rudy is noticed at a concert by a record producer, who puts out a successful single of one of Rudy's tunes. The success of the single goes to Rudy's head, and he walks out on his loyal girlfriend Liz (Elizabeth Pena) and drops his long-time manager, Ray (Frank Robles). But Rudy can't match his hit single with another crossover tune and his producer drops him. Without support of the producer or his friends, Rudy falls back into obscurity. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Joel Diamond - Neil Silver; Amanda Barber - Radio D.J.; Coco - Elegua Dancer; Deborra-Lee Furness - Statue of Liberty; John Hammil - Joe, Liz's Husband; Virgilio Marti - Cheo Babalu; Claudia Sherman - Girl in Diner; Art Vasil - Diner Owner; Lorena Velazquez - Latin Club Groupie; Yomo Toro Trio; Ballistic Kisses; Alex Bart - Diner Punk; Keith Berger - Street Mime; Peter Bogyo - Rudy's Rental Agent; Phil Capotosta - Diner Assistant; Cathy Carlin - American Photographer; Lori Carson - Sherry; Eddie Chea - Diner Punk; Miriam Cruz - Liz's Mother; Romeo Da Silva - Diner Punk; Vince Fandollano - Detective; Big Bobby Faust - Party Dancer; Jon Fausty - Studio Engineer; Carolina Mata Garcia - Orlando's Girl; Natalie Gentry - Lawyer; Neil Gold - Makeup Man; Andy Gonzalez; Ofelia Gonzalez - Ruby's Neighbor; Carlos Linares - Store Clerk; Lucille - Photo Assistant; Lou Marina - American Sax Player; Dante Medina - Latin Club MC; Manny Oquenda; Mario Pena - Liz's Father; Jessie Ramirez - Club Bartender; Marco Rizo - Pianist at Funeral; Arlene Roman - Liz's Friend; Ray Romero; Juan "El Capitan" Valdes - Night Club Customer; Javier Vazquez; Izzy Zanabria; Gloria Zelaya - Store Customer
Credit
Richard Karnbach - Art Director, Claudio Chea - Associate Producer, Octavio Soler - Associate Producer, Carl Haber - Associate Producer, Leon Ichaso - Director, Gary Karr - Editor, Susan Rollins - Executive Producer, Mauricio Smith - Composer (Music Score), Octavio Soler - Production Designer, Claudio Chea - Cinematographer, Manuel Arce - Producer, Manuel Arce - Screenwriter, Rubén Blades - Screenwriter, Leon Ichaso - Screenwriter
