Biographical story of the rise from nowhere of early rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens who died at age 17 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper.Biographical story of the rise from nowhere of early rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens who died at age 17 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper.Biographical story of the rise from nowhere of early rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens who died at age 17 in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 3 nominations
Rosanna DeSoto
- Connie Valenzuela
- (as Rosana De Soto)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to Lou Diamond Phillips in the VH1 documentary Behind the Music The Day the Music Died (1999), Ritchie Valens' sister was on the set the day they shot the "coin toss" scene, in which Ritchie wins the chance to fly on the plane with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. Ritchie's sister began to weep uncontrollably during shooting. When Phillips tried to console her, she hugged him and sobbed "Why Ritchie? Why did you get on the plane?"
- GoofsWhile the scene is true about the coin toss between Ritchie and a member of Buddy's band, Ritchie Valens was not sick as seen in the movie. The Big Bopper was. He begged Holly's band mate (and future country music star) Waylon Jennings for the chance to ride on the plane because he was coming down with the flu. The coin toss took place between Ritchie Valens and Tommy Allsup.
- Quotes
Ritchie Valens: My mom reckons I'm going to be a star. And stars don't fall from the sky.
- Crazy creditsCaption starting off the music credits: "We greatfully acknowledge the help and support of the Valenzuela family".
- ConnectionsEdited into Quantum Leap: All-Americans - November 6, 1962 (1990)
- SoundtracksRip It Up
Words & Music by John Marascalco & Robert 'Bumps' Blackwell (as Robert A. Blackwell)
Performed by Los Lobos
Courtesy of Slash Records
Produced by Steve Berlin
Featured review
I am not a fan of music biography movies. They are probably my least favorite genre. Sure the music is different but the story is always the same. They all included the scene where the artist does it "his own way". Yawn. "La Bamba", however, is one that I like. I liked it when I saw it in the theater (MovieWorld, Douglaston, NY) and I really enjoyed today. The cast is excellent. They all do a terrific job. The story movie fast. Its payoff leaves not a dry eye in the house. "La Bamba" is one of the few music biographies that I enjoy revisiting.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $6,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $54,215,416
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,651,990
- Jul 26, 1987
- Gross worldwide
- $54,218,591
- Runtime1 hour 48 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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