Day: February 27, 2015

Flashback Friday- Latino Singers Taken Too Soon- La Bamba (1987) and Selena (1997)

Youth, sometimes can be wasted on the young. Especially when the ones with the most to live for are taken from us.

La Bamba (1987) is the story of Ritchie Valens, one of the early pioneers of modern rock and roll who died in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and the Big Bopper in 1959. Starring Lou Diamond Phillips in the lead role, the movie starts with his life in his early years living in near poverty, and ends with the plane crash that took three of the greatest stars that the music industry has ever seen.

Ten years later, Jennifer Lopez exploded into the public consciousness in Selena, the movie about Selena Quintanilla-Pérez,a popular Tejano singer whose life was tragically cut short when she was killed by an associate.

Both movies are entertaining, but sad, because the audience knows the ending even before the opening credits are complete.

I recommend them both.

 

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Flashback Friday-The Rise Of The Child Stars- Kids Incorporated (1984-1993) & All That (1994-2005)

To be in the movies or on television at a young age is either a blessing or curse.  For every Drew Barrymore who is able to succeed in the industry as an adult, there is a Dana Plato whose career and life we can only speak of in past tense.

Between them, Disney and Nickelodeon has produced multiple generations of child stars.

Kids Incorporated was part of the Disney lineup from 1984-1993. Combining musical performances and short skits, the show is a whose who of child stars whose careers have successfully stretched into adulthood. Fergie, Mario Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Eric Balfour are four of the actors who got their feet wet during their time on Kids Incorporated.

For a kid in the 1980’s and 1990’s, this show was magic. I have very fond memories of watching this program during my younger days.

All That (1994-2005) was Nickelodeon’s answer to Saturday Night Live. Ironically, Kenan Thompson was part of the original All That cast and is presently a cast member of Saturday Night Live.

This show was just plain fun. To the preteen and early teenage audience, this was entertainment at it’s best.

I recommend both.

 

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