MovieChat Forums > Cadillac Records (2008) Discussion > Am I the only one that was bothered by??...

Am I the only one that was bothered by??? (includes spoiler)

posted 16 years ago by Karunesh
42 replies | jump to latest

Overall, I really liked Cadillac Records. As has already been pointed out by others, it does not get all the facts right, but as a movie, it's enteratining and well made.

However, there was one thing that bugged me. It's when Little Walter and Muddy Waters are driving through the South and come upon the imposter prentending to be Walter. Walter aks which one is "Little Walter", then without abother word pulls a gun and blows the guy away, leaving him for dead (there's no way he could have survied that shot at such close range). What's worse is the reaction in the theater - people were laughing when Walter snuffed this guy point blank and walked away as if nothing had happened.

Well, it's called first degree murder folks, and it's niether hysterically funny or entertaining. Only a cold, ruthless *beep* could have done that to someone, yet we the audience are supposed to find it amusing and sympathize with Little Walter.

Is this how sick our society has gotten? Are we that accepting of murder, and that decensitized violence?

A truly disgusting "sour note" in an otherwise entertaining film.

Karunesh

[–] checker758 16 years ago

I was extremely troubled by this scene also, for a completely different reason: I'm the co-author of an award-winning biography of Little Walter that was published a few years ago (plug time: "Blues With A Feeling - The Little Walter Story", Routledge Publications, available at Amazon.com and most online booksellers), and as far as I can tell, that scene was completely fabricated for this film. There's no documentation, not even a rumor, that this event or anything like it ever occurred. And the fact that it's presented as just a passing event in the film, with no set up or follow up, suggests that it was fabricated simply as a character development device to portray Little Walter as a crazy MF. No argument that he was wild and undisciplined (read the book), but there's never been any suggestion by anyone that he ever killed anyone, prior to his portrayal in this film. But if you knew nothing else about him, you'd see this film and think, well, something that horrific MUST have actually happened, otherwise how could they get away with portraying it in this film? And I honestly don't know how they can get away with it; he does have living family, and if I were them, I'd be extremely distressed by this portrayal.

Scott

[–] atlstl88 16 years ago

Yes, I totally agree. It was cold blooded murder...and then you heard nothing else about it. I understand the film trying to get the point across of him being "crazy." But, after something like that, there would have to be some kind of conversation about what just happened. But, that's my one problem with the movie; they just touched certain things, and kept moving on to somebody else. There wasn't enough development of stories, and the movie was just too short for such a large amount of artists.

[–] claudiarankel 16 years ago

I agree as well - that was disturbing and no follow up was weird. The way I understand it though (and I might be mistaken) that at that time a murder of a black man had no consequences compared to a black man (chuck berry) having sex with (underaged?) white girls... it might be portraying the amount of racism that still existed at that time? Either way - if there's no proof or even a rumor it ever happened, it's quite upsetting they would portray him like that...

[–] Bussssss69 16 years ago

first off I thought the dude didnt die it was hit with a 22 but remember robert Kennedy was hit with a 22.... back then in the south probably the cops werent even called... black on black crime werent even reported.... I felt it was just to show how crazy and on the edge he was.

[–] thatgyrl2004 16 years ago

I Little Walter really did this, but you have to remember what time period they were in. If he had of shot a white person then yeah it would have eventually caught up with him. But being that he shot another black person that's a different story. That's just one less black person the authorities had to worry about. I am not racist or anything but I have seen enough movies based in slavery times and that's how people thought back then.

[–] cruzcontroll 16 years ago

Another post said that this in fact never happened in real life. However, I have to say that it was perhaps not considered a big deal in the South for a black man to kill another black man.

[–] katcm99 16 years ago

I can see why something that fabricated would bother you, knowing how much you have researched to write your book.

[–] MusiqChild305 16 years ago

LMAO!!! I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at the homicide because there's nothing hysterical about death; but the response from the theater was classic. The scene was so random. But the way he just got back in the car and drove off like nothing happened was thuggish and downright crazy. I'm not sure how true that was but I took it as Walter becoming (violently) arrogant and/or insecure of his success.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] MusiqChild305 16 years ago

^^^I agree with you. I didn't dwell on the scene either. But you must admit it was random. LOL. And there was no kind of explanation for it either, like someone had stated. However only when Little Walter was beat up and eventually died was when I took it as a "karma" type situation. I mean, there can be many things.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] joy2dai 16 years ago

BASED ON A TRUE STORY ... hopefully it will spark interest to read up on Little Walter.

I hate when they do this to movies, but we know they do, so guard your heart.

Murder is wrong but it is promoted in our society. Check it, the suicide rate is twice as much as the murder rate but you don't hear anything about it. Our society is not about healing people.

[–] Tom_Cruises_Testicles 16 years ago

I didn't laugh when he shot him, it was more shocking to me at first. But when he got back in the car and said something(I forget what) it made me laugh.

[–] Chris_Stokes 16 years ago

is this thread serious?
Gotdamn you sound like a bunch of 4 year olds.
It's a movie, man up.

Let Me Touch You

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Chris_Stokes 16 years ago

have you ever set a foot outside your house?
im sorry but this thread and everybody in it are absolutely ridiculous.
Who said it promotes anything?
Have you ever seen an action movie?
A horror film?
Have you ever played a video game?

It's not that serious......get over it
Let Me Touch You

[–] Ronbo11 16 years ago

I agree. Sadly there was laughter in the theater I attended as well. Since this is not a true event, I'm sure it was put in just to show you how bad-ass crazy Little Walter was. I think too many violent movies, TV shows and especially video games have made random killing like this acceptable in "entertainment."

[–] atlstl88 16 years ago

Even though people laughed, I think it was the uneasy, "wtf, did that just happen" laugh. I don't think people were laughing because it was funny, just that it was shocking. Most people had their mouths open in shock.

[–] ShutTheFunkUpFogell 16 years ago

Laughter is not just used for something that is funny.

Sometimes people laugh because something is unexpected and catches them off guard.

Also the scene was setup to where it was hard to be taken seriously. Who would have thought he was going to talk smack to him turn away and then point blank shoot him. There was no dramatic tension or anything. Therefore it was awkward and funny.

I think your issue was that you didn't expect this kind of violence which you more or less frown upon in any film.

How many people laughed when the cops were pummeling Walter, I wonder?

Chicanery will always make you happy

[–] courtney_williams1 16 years ago

yeah. i just saw the movie tonight and we laughed at that scene b/c up to that point, little walter was a funny guy. the shooting incident was quick, unexpected, and yes, a little comical, b/c we pretty much expected nothin less from his character. i'm sure if any other character did that it wouldn't have been as "funny".

[–] atlstl88 16 years ago

I sure didn't laugh at the cop beating Walter, because that was pretty effed up. I laughed (once again, the uneasy, what are you doing laugh) when he was talking back to the cop, because you knew it was all down hill after that moment.

[–] hodie 15 years ago

Sometimes people laugh because something is unexpected and catches them off guard.

I saw it at home and my first reaction was a surprised "did he just DO that?"laugh. But then I got that they were just trying to establish how crazy Walter was. Since the film didn't pursue the incident I just saw it as sort of apocryphal at best and just dismissed it.

Honour thy parents. They were hip to the groove too once you know.

[–] dldutton 16 years ago

It is interesting to me that people are questioning the authenticity of this scene and wondering about the resulting nervous laughter in the audience, but nobody is doubting that the white cops beat the crap out of Little Walter while spewing racial epithets, and nobody in the audience I saw it with laughed at that part. Are we sure THAT happened, or have we all just been conditioned to assume that it did?

By the way, I loved this film. I think Jeffrey Wright deserves the Oscar for this performance, and Beyonce should get a nomination.

[–] jim-broughton 16 years ago

Yes Walter was beaten by police - several times. He never shot anyone.

[–] hawk_man72000 16 years ago

I'm not sure if the cop scene really happened, but check out Little Walter's biography on Wikipedia. A picture of him shows him having a nice cut above his eye like in the movie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Walter

Maybe they are just giving us their own explanation of the cut without really knowing themselves

[–] cyrano4 16 years ago

Mr. Karunesh, rest in peace and banish all those thoughts from your mind. The incident showing Little Walter was complete fiction, such a cowardly murder was never committed by Little Walter. I have followed his life and career for almost thirty years and never have I come upon such a charge, nor indeed a rumor of such a foul deed. I wonder what numbskull in Hollywood came up with the idea to insert such a black-hearted lie into the movie.

[–] 16 years ago

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