As we approach Academy Awards weekend, I turn my 'mid-century modern mambo spotlight' on two of my favorite examples of the use of mambo in Hollywood films: the rock & roll cult-classic 'Rock Around the Clock' (Columbia, 1956), and it's mostly forgotten (and until recently, unavailable) companion film, the Mambo-centric "Cha Cha Cha BOOM!".
Most people forget that Mambo played a critical role in "Rock Around the Clock," as did pioneering actor and west coast bandleader Tony Martinez. Far from being derided, Mambo is presented by the talent scouts in the film as a popular genre enjoyed by young folks that is already 'established'. Mambo isn't dismissed as 'old folks music' in Tony Martinez' scenes. Conversely, the 'kids' on the dance floor all know and love the mambo. During one critical scene, Martinez is paid by the promoter to have his band play all boleros and ballads, so that the rock and roll band sounds 'hotter'. Then, after Bill Haley and his Comets play their number, Martinez tells his band to turn on the heat, and the kids jump right up and mambo like mad.
What's even more telling is that Columbia made a companion musical film called "Cha Cha Cha BOOM!". Using the same leading lady (Alix Talton), and even the plot of a talent scout seeking to find the next big craze, "...BOOM!" featured Mexican bandleader Luis Arcaraz, West coast charanga pioneer Manny Lopez, and Latin music superstar Perez Prado! Watching the clip below, you'll even see some of the same sets! The very fact that the film was even made is a testament to the impact of the Mambo craze in the early 1950's. The film was produced shortly after Prado had scored one of the biggest hits of the first half of the 1950's with 'Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White" (which held the #1 spot on the pop charts for 10 straight weeks). "Cha Cha Cha BOOM!" is a great demonstration of the fact that - in mid-1955 - for a film studio to ignore Mambo was leaving potential money on the table. The original posters proudly proclaim "Made by the producers of 'Rock Around the Clock'!"
However, it soon became clear that the 'easy-money' was following the rock & roll trend. "Rock Around the Clock" was a huge hit, and soon inspired innumerable knock-offs by producer Fred F. Sears and others. Meanwhile, despite decent reviews (especially for dancers Dante De Paulo and Sylvia Lewis), "Cha Cha Cha BOOM!" was all but dumped onto the market and soon forgotten. In fact, it was mysteriously unavailable for years after a brief clip turned up in the PBS documentary "Routes of Rhythm." in the early 1990's, only to suddenly reappear a couple of years ago, much to the delight of fans of Latin music.
Neither of these movies could possibly be considered examples of great film making. But as historical documents, both contain other layers of information much deeper than one would expect. Tony Martinez' band in Rock Around the Clock features rare footage of some of the pillars of the west coast Latin-jazz scene: Freddie Aguirre on timbales; Carlos Mejia on bongo; Rafael Vazquez on bass; and the legendary pianist Eddie Cano! One of the first Latinos with a regular role on a prime time series (the popular 'The Real McCoys'), Tony Martinez originated the role of 'Sancho Panza' in the Broadway hit Man of La Mancha, and appeared in touring productions into the 1980's). In addition to a rare Hollywood film appearance by Perez Prado, "Cha Cha Cha BOOM!" also features Mexican bandleader Luis Arcaraz, and a rare film appearance by west coast charanga pioneer Manny Lopez, to whom your blogger had the great pleasure of giving a copy of the film to watch for the first time in 52 years.
Because of the way art and culture are packaged and sold in the U.S., Latin music fans often miss out on some great screen moments of authentic mambo music. Often, great examples are hidden in plain sight.
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