MovieChat Forums > La Bamba (1987) Discussion > Brian Setzer stole the show!

Brian Setzer stole the show!

posted 15 years ago by juan6966
11 replies | jump to latest

Not to take anything away from Los Lobos who did a great job with Valens's music or LDP's portrayal but I think the scenes with Eddie Cochran as played by Brian Setzer really blew the Ritchie Valens scenes away. To be fair Setzer really is a rock star and performed his scenes as opposed to Phillip's lip synching job. Marshal Crenshaw as Buddy Holly was also cool. Actually i prefer the scene with Los Lobos doing the traditional La Bamba version more than the rocked up one.

[–] movieguru2010 15 years ago

lol you re adorable.... but I'm afraid I'm going to have to give you a big fat NO on that one. While Brian did a fair job, all the rest of the performers were far better. The gentleman who did Jackie Wilson was amazing.

I actually found Brian is be strangely miscast. perhaps because he is musician. I know he does the "Rockabilly" music but he has never come off believable any decade.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] WeloveBrian1 (1) 2 years ago

Um, what

Brian was the perfect part for the role of Eddie Cochran. He has had a passion for the 50s style music and culture since he was a teenager and Eddie Cochran has been one of his biggest inspirations throughout his music career. He has been one of the most influential roles in bringing back rockabilly and 50s music through his work with the Stray Cats and the Brian Setzer Orchestra and in my opinion his background as a musician has only further helped him in the role. He is an excellent musician and performer which shines through in this scene.

[–] savagesteve13 14 years ago

I think he did a great job as Buddy Holly, and he did his few lines with the authority of a seasoned actor. He also happens to look a LOT like Buddy Holly, except maybe for not being as skinny, but Holly was extremely skinny and could barely fill out a suit.

[–] magic8ball2112 14 years ago

Well Brian is a huge fan of Eddie & has done his music from time to time with the Stray Cats. So it shouldn't surprise that he carried off performing an Eddie Cochran song on film well!

But I can't disregard Lou's performance, esp. since he wasn't a guitar player. In the past, actors who didn't know how to play but had to do a biopic were told to simply mime doing it, the movie makers figuring the audience wouldn't know any better. However, the guys from Los Lobos stated that they were actually impressed that not only did Phillips learn how to play guitar, he could actually play the style required REALLY well. And, as a guitarist, I could tell he wasn't just blindly hitting the instrument & fretting chords & phrases.

So when you put up a guy who normally plays up against a guy who doesn't, & the guy who doesn't can pull it off convincingly, I'll give more props to the newbie!

[–] badponymedicine 14 years ago

Did he learn guitar for the film, or did he already know how? I know he plays with a band called the Pipefitters...a play on the Native American pipe (he does have Native American blood, as well), and played on the soundtrack to "Sioux City", I believe. But the lip synching in La Bamba was HORRIBLE!

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] jefgg 11 years ago

Brian Setzer was awesome as Eddie Cochrane. When I was in high school I was a big fan of his band The Stray Cats. His solo work is also excellent.

[–] sage2112 10 years ago

He was really great.

[–] GolfnGuitars (3113) 2 years ago

Brian Setzer is a great guitar player. I really loved his cover of "Jump, Jive, and Wail" that he came out with in the late 1990s.

[–] ImAComputer (331) a year ago

ahem...I believe it's spelled Brian Seltzer.