Cadillac Records - Official Trailer

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Uploaded by on Dec 12, 2008

Release Date: December 05, 2008
Genre: Drama
Cast: Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Beyoncé Knowles, Gabrielle Union, Columbus Short, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Cedric the Entertainer
Director: Darnell Martin
Producers: Andrew Lack, Sofia Sondervan
Studio: Sony Pictures

Plot:
CADILLAC RECORDS chronicles the rise of Chess Records and its recording artists. In this tale of sex, violence, race and rock and roll in Chicago of the 1950s and 60s, the film follows the exciting but turbulent lives of some of America's greatest musical legends.

The story of how the blues became popular and gave birth to rock and roll begins at a dingy bar on the rough South Side of Chicago in 1947, where an ambitious young Polish émigré, bar owner Leonard Chess (Academy Award-winner ADRIEN BRODY), hires a talented but undisciplined blues combo that includes quiet and thoughtful guitar prodigy Muddy Waters (JEFFREY WRIGHT) and impulsive and colorful harmonica player Little Walter (COLUMBUS SHORT). Fascinated by the sound of the music and eager to cash in on the burgeoning record business, Chess arranges a recording session for Waters. Waters' early recordings start moving up the R&B charts and receiving heavy play.

Chess treats his musicians like family - he buys them a Cadillac when they record their first hit record - although the line between business and personal sometimes causes conflict with his increasingly talented and successful stable of artists. After backing up Muddy on his early recordings, Little Walter becomes a star in his own right, but his quick temper and loud manner often run him afoul of friends and the law. He also finds that the only woman he can talk to is Muddy's girl, Geneva (GABRIELLE UNION), who struggles to remain loyal despite Muddy's poorly concealed affairs. Big Willie Dixon (CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER), a songwriter and bandleader, also is a key member of the Chess Records family, as is Howlin Wolf (EAMONN WALKER), an intense and proud blues singer who develops a musical rivalry with Muddy.

But it's not until 1955 when a Chess artist finally crosses over into the realm of mainstream (white) America - a skinny guy from St. Louis named Chuck Berry (MOS DEF), whose dynamic duck walk and catchy, country-tinged tunes mark the birth of rock-and-roll. When Berry is arrested and jailed at the height of his career, Chess finds another talented performer to cross over - singer Etta James (BEYONCÉ KNOWLES), an emotionally scarred young woman whose vulnerability tempts Chess' loyalty and concern in unexpected ways.

As rock-and-roll grows more popular, the Chess artists find themselves revered by a new generation of musicians, but they have also each earned and lost a small fortune on booze, women and the high life, and their addictions begin to take their toll. Even as tragedy befalls, their music and their spirit remain strong: as the sixties wind down and Leonard Chess gets out of the record business, the blues live on.

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Top Comments

  • Big nose and all I think Adrien Bordy is a sexy guy!

  • looks like a must see film

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All Comments (57)

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  • Chuck Berry!

  • the movie is dope RIP etta james a real tribute to music...beyonce did a lame job in this movie though

  • this movie will forever change your perspective of the music industry :) this movie is where it all began!

  • @GumBeatingTV Its called "My Babe" by Little Walter

  • shit. whats that song at 0:48 ? i cant remember it for the life of me! please someone help!

  • If this is supposed to be story of Chess Records, where's Bo Diddley? Sonny Boy Williamson? And, for that matter, Phil Chess?

  • @bottle2lip I agree! From what I've read, it's not too accurate but I think everyone played theirs parts very well. When the wolf turns up in the movie, it's really something! What an arrival! What a presence! I think that was fairly accurate to how he would have been! The wolf has this look that says 2 things: 1. I know something you don't and 2. I know you're scared of me! haha!

  • @Teddyboy53Rocker It's a ripper! Fantastic movie! Muddy, The Wolf! cheeky Chuck! Rocknroll!

  • @EnchantingNature I thought I was the only one.

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