IMDb > El cantante (2006)
El cantante
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El cantante (2006) More at IMDbPro »

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El cantante (2006) -- The life story of Hector Lavoe who started the salsa movement in 1975 and brought it to the United States.
El cantante (2006) -- Clip: Migente
El cantante (2006) -- Interview: Jennifer Lopez "On the Story"
El cantante (2006) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
4.9/10   2,230 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 6% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Leon Ichaso (screenplay) and
David Darmstaeder (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for El cantante on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 August 2007 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Based on the true story of the King of Salsa, Hector Lavoe. more
Plot:
The life story of Hector Lavoe who started the salsa movement in 1975 and brought it to the United States. full summary | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
Lopez 'worried about forgetting how to act'
 (From digitalspy. 4 June 2009, 7:54 AM, PDT)

Lopez Dumps Her Manager
 (From WENN. 26 September 2006)

User Comments:
I don't want a documentary. more (40 total)

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Alfredo Suarez ... Salsa dancer

Vianca Mercedes ... Bartender
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Danny A. Abeckaser ... Sound Engineer

Douglas J. Aguirre ... Multi- Media Producer

Marc Anthony ... Hector Lavoe
Christopher Becerra ... Tito

Denise Blasor ... Voice over artist (voice)
Michael Caputo ... Salsa Dancer

Ivan Cardona ... Salsa Dancer

Federico Castelluccio ... Jerry Masucci
Marcus Collins ... Photographer
Abraham De Funes ... Family Member

Anibal De Gracia ... Trombonist
Romi Dias ... Priscilla

Glenda Dopazo ... Carmen

Brother Eden Douglas ... Street SaxMan -1987 (as Brother Douglas)
Vaneik Echeverria ... Bartender 1
Jared Everleth ... Tito - 4 yrs.old

J. Teddy Garces ... (voice)

Melissa Gonzalez ... Fania All Star Groupie
Bernard Hernandez ... Tito

Vincent Laresca ... Ralph Mercado

Hector A. Leguillow ... Pianist for Hector Lavoe Band,1968 Band

Jennifer Lopez ... Puchi

Deirdre Lorenz ... Willie's Girl
David Marquez ... Boogaloo Line Dancer
Chiko Mendez ... Backup Singer

Jack Mulcahy ... Doctor

Andrea Navedo ... Puchi's sister
John Ortiz ... Willie Colón
Melissa Otero ... Salsa Dancer

Antone Pagan ... Papo (Puchi's Brother)

Jerry Perez ... Salsa Dancer

Manny Perez ... Eddie

Jorge Pupo ... Trombonist: Hector Lavoe Band, Willie Colón Band, Fania All Stars Orquestra
Edwin Rivera ... Marc Anthony's Best Friend
Yan Ruiz ... Voice Over (voice)
Elmer Tollinchi Ruiz ... La Voe Fan
Lou Torres ... Dayplayer / Piano Player

Nelson Vasquez ... Johnny Pacheco
Richie Viruet ... Trumpet player
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Who Killed Hector Lavoe? (USA) (working title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for drug use, pervasive language and some sexuality.
Runtime:
USA:106 min | Canada:116 min (Toronto International Film Festival)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
During Filming a fire broke out in Jennifer Lopez's trailer though no-one was injured. more
Quotes:
Puchi: Hector always knew he was gonna make it. It was like he was prepared for it. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Sound and the Heat of El Cantante (2007) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Obsession more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
20 out of 35 people found the following comment useful.
I don't want a documentary., 28 July 2007
Author: John DeSando (jdesando@columbus.rr.com) from Columbus, Ohio

Jennifer Lopez can act, Gigli notwithstanding. In El Cantante she narrates the life of 70's Salsa songster Hector Lavoe (Marc Anthony) with some sparks of creative energy. After all, as Puchi, she smoke, drank, and took drugs with him on his way to stardom, inevitable obscurity, and early death. Enabler? Maybe. Witness the Ray Charles, Kurt Cobain arc and you'll know how Hector's life sank so low (no homonym pun intended).

El Cantante is a disappointment because the celebrity couple Lopez and Anthony could have had Oscar flyovers with better script and direction. Many of the scenes are stock musical biopic: low-angle shots of the star strumming and singing, cut to drugs, cut to wife, back to another performance moment, cut to a Fania album cover, all with MTV swift editing and few scenes of depth that are not clichés of the first order.

Clint Eastwood's life of Charlie Bird Parker is a classic of character development; the recent La Vein Rose about chanteuse Edith Piaf depicts the artist sufferer in a mixed bag of time but a straightforward rendition of talent. Cantante shows a druggie who might have been an icon but for his weaknesses. If I have to sit through drug and alcohol addled performers once more, I need better story, regardless of how accurate the film is.

I don't want a documentary—I want an interpretation. Cantante is just a musical like any other, no more.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for El cantante (2006)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
More Song Help jraejack63
Why don't people like J.Lo? latinasweetdulce
There are many other spanish actress why her boyhire21
Escándalo latino_heat44
Was Hector Lavoe Bi? sbowish
another song question lauren-velez
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