DVD REVIEW: Cadillac Records

Posted by Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania - Maria K Saturday, April 7, 2012 11:07 PM

We’ve all heard the old cliché that blues music created rock ‘n’ roll and became the foundation of modern American music.  But how much do you really know about the personal lives of the early legends who transformed the blues into what we know today? Cadillac Records (2008) is a groundbreaking film that takes you on a dramatic behind-the-scenes perspective of blues musicians in 1950s Chicago, who broke down the racial barriers of segregation and helped bring blues music to the masses.


The feel of the movie is gritty, authentic, and sensual – not a bland documentary, but a thrilling drama that breathes life into the culture and times of the early blues musicians who innovated the music industry.  Cadillac Records is based on a true story and chronicles the early life and career of Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, and Willie Dixon during the heyday of Chicago blues. It follows the life of Leonard Chess, a white producer from the Chicago ghetto who was instrumental in helping “race music” cross over to broader audiences with Chess Records.  The film also vividly depicts the sudden rise and popularity of Chuck Berry and Etta James and their crossover into segregated white radio through blues-based Rock ‘n’ Roll and R&B.


The characters are vibrant and genuine, played by a talented cast of Adrien Brody, Cedric the Entertainer, Mos Def, Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, and Beyonce Knowles.  Cadillac Records is an entertaining and provocative glimpse into the history, glamour, hedonism, and sometimes dangerous world of the early blues legends.


~ Stanley J. Mikolajek