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Licensor Information
HanWay Films
Directed by: Wim Wenders
Traveling from the streets of Havana to the stage of Carnegie Hall, this revelatory documentary captures a forgotten generation of Cuba’s brightest musical talents as they enjoy an unexpected brush with world fame. The veteran vocalists and instrumentalists collaborated with American guitarist and roots-music champion Ry Cooder to form the Buena Vista Social Club, playing a jazz-inflected mix of cha-cha, mambo, bolero, and other traditional Latin American styles, and recording an album that won a Grammy and made them an international phenomenon. In the wake of this success, director Wim Wenders filmed the ensemble’s members—including golden-voiced Ibrahim Ferrer and piano virtuoso Rubén González—in a series of illuminating interviews and live performances. The result is one of the most beloved music documentaries of the 1990s, and an infectious ode to a neglected corner of Cuba’s prerevolutionary heritage.
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Technical Specifications
Format:
Blu-ray
Disc:
BD-50 (1 Disc)
Total: 1 Disc
Regions:
A (Blu-ray)
Aspect Ratio:
1.77:1
Audio Options:
Spanish DTS-HD MA Surround 5.1
Resolution:
1080p/24
Subtitles:
English
Supplements
Types of Supplements Included: Audio Commentary, Interview, Outtakes, Audio Interview, Deleted Scenes, Theatrical Trailer, Insert
- Audio commentary from 1999 featuring director Wim Wenders
- New interview with Wim Wenders
- We Believe in Dreams, a new piece featuring never-before-seen outtakes from the rehearsals for the Buena Vista Social Club’s Amsterdam concerts
- Interview from 1998 with musician Compay Segundo on his career and the Cuban music scene
- Radio interviews from 2000 featuring musicians Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, Eliades Ochoa, Omara Portuondo, and others
- Additional scenes
- Trailer
- An essay by author and geographer Joshua Jelly-Schapiro
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Film
Picture
Audio
Supplements
Artwork
Release Credits
Producer: Jason Altman
Artwork: Jon Contino
Release Notes on Restoration
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club was filmed using Digital Betacam (three-chip) and MiniDV (one-chip) camcorders, which at the time offered flexibility, mobility, and the least intrusiveness as possible. The image was recorded in the 625 widescreen PAL format, which scans slightly more horizontal lines then NTSC and whose frame rate is close to the cinematic standard. Nonlinear editing and conforming were also done in PAL, while color grading and mastering were carried out in NTSC. The original D2 NTSC master tape, which was used to produce a 35mm negative at the time of the film’s theatrical release, was the source for the high-definition remastering presented in this Blu-ray and DVD release. The film is presented in the director’s preferred aspect ratio of 1.78:1. On standard 4:3 televisions, the image will appear letterboxed. On widescreen televisions, the image should fit the screen.
This film features a fully digital soundtrack. The 5.1 surround audio for this release was mastered from the original digital master files using Pro Tools HD.
This film features a fully digital soundtrack. The 5.1 surround audio for this release was mastered from the original digital master files using Pro Tools HD.