American Me
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- For the album, see American Me (album).
| American Me | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical Poster |
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| Directed by | Edward James Olmos |
| Produced by | Executive Producers: Lou Adler Floyd Mutrux Irwin Young Producers: Edward James Olmos Robert M. Young Sean Daniel |
| Written by | Screenplay: Floyd Mutrux Desmond Nakano Story: Floyd Mutrux |
| Starring | Edward James Olmos William Forsythe Pepe Serna |
| Music by | Claude Gaudette Dennis Lambert |
| Cinematography | Reynaldo Villalobos |
| Editing by | Richard Candib Arthur Coburn |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | March 13, 1992 (USA) |
| Running time | 125 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
American Me is a 1992 film directed by Edward James Olmos (his first film as director) and written by Floyd Mutrux and Desmond Nakano. Olmos, also stars as the movie's main character.[1]
The motion picture was executive produced by Lou Adler, a well known record producer in America.
The film covers the life of Santana (Edward James Olmos), a Chicano youth who breaks the law and becomes part of the "legalistic machine" that includes the horrors of serving jail time at Folsom Prison for many years.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
The film tells of most of Santana's life and how the "system," in toto, works against him, in and out of jail. When Santana is released from prison the question becomes: is there an escape?
As important, the film introduces audiences to California gang life, both on the street and in jail.
[edit] Background
[edit] Basis of film
The film is based on a young gang member who ends up serving a long time in jail. He graduates as the toughest convict in the block. Santana joins the "Mexican Mafia," known as "La Eme," a prison-based gang that controls drug sales in many cities. Joining the Mexican Mafia is as big as it gets in gang-life: in prison and out of it. New members are recruited in jail when young street thugs take their first trip to jail and choose the lifestyle of "La Eme" for the protection it offers.[2]
[edit] Controversy
The prison-based gang known as "La Eme" was so offended by American Me that it extorted money from Olmos, the director of the film. A gang member-turned-informant raised the possibility of killing him. Court documents show that he was a victim in one extortion count contained in a 33-count federal indictment. Furthermore, a federal indictment accused "La Eme" of arranging the 1992 murder of Ana Lizarraga, an East Los Angeles gang counselor who worked as a technical adviser on American Me.[3]
In addition, according to 60 Minutes, two consultants on the film were later murdered due to the depiction of the homosexual rape scene. It offended the Mexican Mafia's sense of machismo.[4]
Because of the danger, Olmos was issued a gun permit by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) to carry a concealed weapon due to the death threats he received; pre and post production.
[edit] Casting
Edward James Olmos, in neo-realist fashion, used actual prisoners as extras and bit players when he filmed at Folsom Prison.
[edit] Filming locations
Filming locations include: Folsom Prison, Represa, California; and East Los Angeles, California.
[edit] Exhibition
Tagline: In prison they are the law. On the streets they are the power.
The film opened in wide release on March 13, 1992 (830 screens).
The first weeks gross was a disappointing $3,378,100 and the total receipts for the run were $11,318,100. The film was in wide release for three weeks (seventeen days). In its widest release the film was featured in 830 theatres across the country.[5]
[edit] Critical reception
Film critics viewed the film favorably. Chicago Sun-Times' Roger Ebert liked the reality that came through in the film and that it rang true. He wrote in a review, "What I felt watching American Me, however, is that it is based on a true situation - on the reality that street gangs and prison, mixed with the drug sales that finance the process, work together to create a professional criminal class."[6]
Yet, as violent as the film is at times critic Janet Maslin did not buy off. She writes in The New York Times, "But Mr. Olmos's direction...is dark, slow and solemn, so much so that it diverts energy from the film's fundamental frankness. Violent as it is, American Me is seldom dramatic enough to bring its material to life."[7]
Marjorie Baumgarten, a film critic for The Austin Chronicle thinks the movie at times has a choppy feel that it keeps coming at you without centering on the important aspect of the film; yet she writes, "American Me is crafted with heart and conviction and intelligence. It demands no less of its audience. It insists that there are no quick fixes, but that solutions are of the utmost urgency."[8]
[edit] Cast and ratings
| Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Argentina: | 13 |
| Australia: | M |
| Finland: | K-16 |
| Iceland: | 16 |
| Singapore: | M18 |
| Spain: | 18 |
| United Kingdom: | 18 |
| United States: | R |
- Edward James Olmos as Montoya Santana
- William Forsythe as J.D.
- Pepe Serna as Mundo
- Daniel A. Haro as Huero
- Sal Lopez as Pedro Santana
- Vira Montes as Esperanza Santana
- Roberto Martín Márquez as Acha
- Dyana Ortelli as Yolanda
- Evelina Fernández as Julie
- Joe Aubel as Tattoo Artist
- Rob Garrett as Zoot Riot Bystander
- Lance August as Young Sailor
- Eric Close as Juvie Hall Attacker
- Christian Klemash as Blond Kid in Yard
- Brian Holechek as Juvie Officer
- Rigoberto Jimenez as Big Happy
- Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as El Japo
- Robby Robinson as Drug Thief
[edit] Soundtrack
Being that the film deals with a Latino sub-culture, the music included in the soundtrack was Latino oriented; late 1970s urban sounds and oldies from the 1950s.
The original music soundtrack was released on April 28, 1992 by Virgin Records.
The CD has ten tracks and includes songs performed by various artists including: Los Lobos, Santana, Ike & Tina Turner, Bobby Day, Kid Frost, War, and other performers.
[edit] Quotes
- Montoya Santana: You know, a long time ago, two best homeboys were thrown into juvie. They were scared, so they thought they had to do something to prove themselves. And they did what they had to do. They thought they were doing it to gain respect for their people, to show the world that no one could take their class from them. No one had to take it from us, ese. Whatever we had...we gave it away...Take care of yourself, carnal.
- Julie: You're like two people. One is like a kid. Doesn't know how to dance, doesn't know how to make love. That's the one I cared about. But the other one, the other one I hate. The one who knows, the one who has this rap down, who knows how to run drugs, who kills people!
- Montoya Santana: I don't have to listen to this shit, alright? If you were a man, I'd...
- Julie: You'd kill me! Oh no. No, you'd fuck me in the ass, right? Right!? You know when I met you, I was impressed. Yeah, you talked about La Raza and education and the revolution, but you know what man? You really don't care about any revolution, do you? You're nothing but a fucking dope dealer.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ American Me at the Internet Movie Database.
- ^ Duff, Audry. Texas Monthly, October 1994.
- ^ Associated Press, October 24, 1996.
- ^ Lombardi, John. New York Magazine, "Scenes from a Bad Movie Marriage," January 12, 1998.
- ^ The Numbers box office data.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. Chicago Sun-Times, film review, March 13, 1992.
- ^ Maslin, Janet. The New York Times, film review, March 13, 1992.
- ^ Baumgarten, Marjorie. The Austin Chronicle, film review, March 20, 1992.
