A Tale Of Two Richards (or: How I Learned To Stop Smiling And Love The Revolution)

We have Richard Lester. I loved "Petulia"(1968) and "A Hard Days Night"(1964). He's always got some interesting ideas in the films he makes, even if the film isn't all that great. "Cuba" (1979) is an alright movie. Sean Connery is running around Cuba while the revolution is taking place. Brooke Adams is looking fine, but she's not very Cuban. Neither is Chris Sarandon who plays a hotheaded glory seeking young revolutionary. Fortunately, Sean Connery doesn't have to try and pass off as a Cuban because his character is Scottish. Richard Lester gets a B plus for this picture. It's certainly a hell of a lot better than "Superman 3". Airline announcement upon entering Cuba (less than a freakin' MB)
We also have Richard Fleischer, son of Max Fleischer. He made quite a number of successful big Hollywood pictures like "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea" (1954) and "Soylent Green" (1973). I particularly liked "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970). He's also made some films that have appeal to lovers of "bad" movies. Andy Warhol said that "Mandingo" (1975) was his favorite bad film of the year. I've often thought that "Conan The Destroyer" was one of the worst films of 1984. "Che" (1969)was listed in Harry Medved's "50 Worst Films Of All Time". It stars Omar Sharif as Che Guevara and Jack Palance as Fidel Castro (Believe It.....Or Not.) The soundtrack is by Lalo Schifrin and I have a couple of tracks from that here for you. Emboscada- Lalo Schifrin (4.1 MB) Tiempo Pasado- Lalo Schifrin (3.9MB) Che (Solo Guitar Version) (4.1 MB)
While we're on the subject of revolutions, why not visit Gillo Pontecorvo's "Burn!" (1970), an excellent follow up to the masterpiece "The Battle Of Algiers" (1966). Marlon Brando plays a sort of Colonial Era version of a CIA operative farting around a sugar planation causing trouble. The music was done by Mr. Prolific himself, good ole Ennio Morricone. I do not have the music, but I do have some dialog from the film which I think is worthy. Some dialog from the film "Burn!" (6.4 MB)
To cap it off, I have some Cuban music. It's from a Smithsonian Folkways Recordings CD called "Mantanazas Cuba, ca. 1957: Afro-Cuban Sacred Music From The Countryside". My friend Jon Rogers gave it to me last Christmas. Mo Juba Ocha (I Pay Homage To The Orisha) (2.3 MB) Ibarabo Ago Mo Juba (Song For Eleguá) (3.7 MB) Osain Songs (1.7 MB) Okun Leo, Vamo' Pa' La Loma (1.6 MB) Urú Dadá (3.2 MB) Moforibale Ogún (I Pay Homage To Ogún) (2.1 MB) Yelé - Songs For Iroko (2.8 MB) Olokun (2.5 MB)