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DAMASO PEREZ PRADO'S FILMS & VIDEOS

I have decided to include here only the movies that I have in my private collection. In these movies, Perez Prado makes an appearance and performs with his band. Your eyes will see and listen to who this guy was. There are many other movies where they have included his music in the soundtrack. My opinion is that those movies have no historical value because you can buy Perez Prados records and listen to them at your leisure. Yet, I will comment on some of those movies, so you know what to expect I will include more movies of his master, as I get them from my sources. If you want to comment on any item listed please click here.

1949 EL PECADO DE SER POBRE [Mexico]
This is another Mexican gangster movie. The bad guy as usual played by Tito Juncos and the good guy played by Ramon Armengod. This is a very sad story with sort of a happy ending. You will see a constellation of stars such as; The Dolly Sisters dancing Que Rico el Mambo, Fernando Soto (Mantequilla), Bobby Capo, Pedro Vargas, Perez Prado Orchestra, Guillermina Grin, and Ana Maria Gonzalez. There is a lot of good music in this movie.

194? - POBRE CORAZON [Mexico] This is a love quadrilateral story between two pairs of lovers and their struggle to live a happy life. Perez Prado made the musical arrangements for this movie and his orchestra performed all the mambos, but, you won't see him. Instead you will see Jorge Mistral as the "piano Player." You will see also Pedro Vargas, Tito Junco, Lilia Prado and Guillermina Grin.

1951 - DEL CAN-CAN AL MAMBO [Mexico]
This is one of the best movies of Perez Prado. You will see the performance of the Mexican comedian, Joaquin Pardave, the lady killer Abel Salazar, the Big Band of Pérez Prado and one performance by Pedro Vargas. You will see in this movie Perez Prado's band playing the following mambos; "Que Rico Mambo," "Mambo en Sax," "La Chula Linda," "Mambo Baklan," "Mambo Latino," and "Muchachita."

1949 - PERDIDA [Mexico]
The great composer, Agustin Lara; the beautiful dancer, Ninon Sevilla and the bullfighter, Antonio Velazquez formed a love triangle in this movie. You will notice that Rita Montaner is the singer and Ninon do the mimic. This is known in Mexico as "doblaje." The musical arrangements are by Perez Prado and you will see him playing the piano. The plot of this movie is around the theme of what happen to a country girl when she comes to the big city. I enjoyed watching this movie, because you can watch also the performances of Pedro Vargas and Trio Los Panchos with Hernando Aviles which sing the theme of the movie.

1950 - AL SON DEL MAMBO [Mexico]
This was and continue to be the best of the best. This movie shows Resortes (Adalberto Martinez) showing his best steps in dancing mambos. His style set the pattern in Mexico. He was one of the most famous mambo dancers in Mexico. As a bonus you will see the performances of; Amalia Aguilar, Rita Montaner, the Dolly Sisters, and the best coreography that eyes can see. But, that is not all, you will see also the best mambos of Perez Prado with his Original Mexican Orchestra. I recommend this movie.

1951 - DANCING (SALÓN BAILE)[Mexico]
This movie is another gangster Mexican movie. You will have the opportunity to see the performances of many artists including; Fernando Fernandez singing with the band of Prado and several mambos played by Prado. Also you will see the performances of Gonzalo Curiel's band. [Mexico]

1953 - VICTIMAS DE PECADO [Mexico]
This is another Mexican gangster movie starring actress Ninon Sevilla, Rita Montaner and Perez Prado and his orchestra. in which Prado performed several mambos including "Mambo No. 8." You will see Ninon Sevilla dancing the mambo and Rita Montaner backed by Perez Prado orchestra.

195? - DE RANCHERO A EMPRESARIO [Mexico]
This is a story of a rich Mexican rancher. He left the ranch and went to the capital of Mexico and in the process falls in love with the beautiful vedette. This is a great movie and you will see the following artists at the peak of their careers; Tito Guizar, Emilia Guiu, Chicote, Vitola, Pedro Vargas, Juan Legido, Los Churumbeles de España, Trio Los Aguilillas and other great artists.

1955 - UNDERWATER [US]
This film was produced by Howard Hughes and stars Jane Russell and Gilbert Roland. Prado appears with a small combo and plays "Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White" and "Maria Elena."

1964 - DESNUDARSE Y MORIR [Mexico].
In this movie Perez Prado plays the role of a gangster. In this movie you will see his band at the time and the most beautiful girls. This is the story of a serial killer and the vengeance of one of the victims sister to catch the killer. The serial killer forced his victims to undress before killing them. They played a lot of mambos in the soundtrack. The movie was distributed by Columbia Picture.

1965 - EL DENGUE DEL AMOR [Mexico]
This is the last Mexican Color movie of Perez Prado. A musical comedy with Chachita and Resortes. In this movie Perez Prado introduces the Dengue, Prado's latest dance, and stars Prado himself along with Rogelio Guerra, Julisa, Pompín Iglesias and Chavelo. It includes a version of "Patricia" with lyrics added. This is a color movie with the best performance of Resortes and his master. This is one of the best Prado's movie that I have ever seen.

196? THE GREAT AMERICAN BANDS [USA]
This video is one of the best US video I have ever seen. In this video you will see the real Prado's Mexican Orchestra. Prado's introduces himself all the numbers in his broken English for which he apologized at one point in the program.

1991 - DUEL OF SPIKE JONES & PEREZ PRADO [USA]
This is a recording of the program where Perez Prado made his appearance with his Mexican Orchestra. Prado and his orchestra play two mambos, including one in which Jones challenges him to a battle of the bands. This is a very funny video that will make you laugh and you will listen to Prado's broken English.

1967 - PEREZ PRADO EN EL RECUERDO(La Hora Azul)
(VHS NTSC Video also was available on Laserdisc) [Black & White, Mono/Stereo] [Japan] A compilation of appearances from the 1960's on the Mexican television show called La Hora Azul (The Blue Hour). Features Prado performing "Cerezo Rosa," "Mambo No. 8," "Que Rico Mambo," "La Virgen de la Macarena," and more. Available from JPR RECORD CLUB. Click here to order one copy while supply last.

1977 - A FUEGO LENTO [MEXICO]
This is another gangster movie in Technicolor, imitating Federico Fellinis movie style like LA DOLCE VITA. You will see the performance of the following artists; Maria Safont lead actress, writer and singer Oscar Chavez, Maria Victoria, Resortes, Perez Prado, Chamin Correa, Maria Luisa Landin, Las Dolly Sisters and many others. The following mambos are included in the movie score; Mambo a la Kenton, Silbando mambo, El Ruletero, Caballo Negro, Norma la de Guadalajara, La Chula Linda, La Nina Popof, Lupita. This seems to be the last movie made by Resortes and Perez Prado.

If you have a movie that is not listed here please send me an e-mail by clicking here.

MOVIES WHERE THEY USE MAMBOS ON THE SOUND TRACK

Note: I don't like to call it movie score, because a movie score is a composition written specifically as an accompaniment to a motion picture or any dramatic presentantion.

1971 - MURMUR OF THE HEART [FRANCE]
A French film by Louis Malle. This film chronicles the pains and pleasure of adolescence. The focus is on the love for jazz of a 14 year old boy and his admiration for his free spirited mother and her infidelity to her husband. Mother and son crossed the borderline one night in a love sex frenzy. The film includes several jazz numbers and Perez Prado's MAMBO EN SAX.

1948 -SIMBAD EL MAREADO [Mexico]
You won't see Perez Prado personal appearance in this film. The musical arrangements for this movie were made by Perez Prado. This movie was filmed in Acapulco, Mexico. The title translation is "Simbad The Dizzy Sailor." In this movie you will see Mexican Comedian, Tin Tan dancing the mambo Gateando. You will see the Dolly Sisters dancing the mambos; A Gozar El Mambo and Mambo Diva. As a bonus you will see a constellation of stars like; Marcelo, El Enano Tun Tun, Vitola and pianist, Juan Bruno Tarraza, and many beautiful girls and a spectacular choreography. This is a good movie to watch, but, you must understand Spanish (no English sub-titles).

1947 - TIN TAN EN LA HABANA[Mexico]
Tin Tan, Marcelo, Rosita Fornes, Rosa de Castilla are the principal in this extravagant movie filmed in Mexico and Habana, Cuba. You will see how Habana looked in the late 1940's. You will see the Carnaval and the Comparsas. You will see the Tropicana in its hey days, with beautiful tempting girls. They played Gulliver and Piel Canela. As a bonus you will see how the danced the mambo at that time. It seems that Perez Prado was in charge of the musical arrangements, but, I think that the orchestra that plays is Orquesta Casino de la Playa, which Prado was a member.

1954 - MAMBO [Italy]
You won't see Perez Prado personal appearance in this film. Mambos and Brazilian music is played in the soundtrack. You will see the beautiful Silvana Mangano playing the role of a dancer. Shelley Winters plays the role of the troupe manager. Katherine Durham provides the choreography. Michael Rennie and Vittorio Gassman play the role of Silvana Mangano love triangle. This is a good film. I enjoy watching it. This film was shot in Venice, Italy.

1989 -SANTA SANGRE [Mexico/Italy]
This is a very bloody movie of bad taste. It could be interpreted as a horror movie a la mejicana. They include several mambos in the soundtrack, especially they play twice "Caballo Negro". But, by the same token they play other Cuban and Mexican music as well. I don't recommend this movie.

1961- LA DOLCE VITA [Italy]
Directed by Federico Fellini with Marcello Mastroianni, Anita Exberg, Anous Aimee & Lex Barker. In this movie you will hear a few Prados mambos, most notable "Patricia". This movie is one of Fellini's masterwork where he criticized modern Rome's rich elite society. In this movie you will see plenty of music and the problem of Papparasis. Fellini pointed out the Papparasi problem many years before Princess Diana's death! This is a good movie.

1994 -ED WOOD [US] During filming the whole performance of Perez Prado was filmed. As with Ed Wood's films (the worst director that has passed throught Hollywood) the Perez Prado's part was left out during editing. The video version suffered more. Don't bother searching for this movie. What is left is not worth watching.

1995 - THE PEREZ FAMILY [US] In this film you will listen to mambos and other Cuban music genres played in the soundtrack. They played Benny More Mata Siguaraya and other big hits of the mambo era. No personal appearance of his master. This is a good movie based on the Mariel boatlift fiasco where Fidel Castro emptied his jails and sent what he called the "LA BASURA" and Jimmy Carter "open hands" policy that cost his reelection. Alfredo Molina, Chazz Palminteri, Angelica Huston and Celia Cruz played the important roles. This is a good movie about the Cuban struggle in Miami. The so call melting pot theory. I enjoyed watching this movie.

1993 - THE LATIN BEAT [USA]
This is a short history of Caribbean, Cuban and Latin American Popular Music in the United States. I have not reviewed this movie, but, I understand that this was a symposium conducted by musicologist Henry Medina as part of the Americas Film Festival in Washington, DC, and Santa Monica, CA. According to Joseph Levy, a respected music collector from New York, this film includes rare footage of Perez Prado. If any one out there knows how to get a copy of this movie please send me an e-mail.

198? ROOTS OF RHYTHMS [USA] by Harry Belafonte [USA]
This is the most comprehensive tour of the origins of the Afro-Cuban Rhythms. Harry Belafonte backed up by rich American Corporations spent a large amount of money compiling this encyclopedia-like of the origins of our Latin music. He went to Africa, Spain and Cuba to gather all the footage of this 3 volume masterpiece. If you love Latin music you must see this masterwork. This rare compilation is now available in VHS from JPR RECORD CLUB.

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