He's Baaaaack...Ruben Blades

Remember Ruben Blades? I do, I used to process his checks when I worked in accounting at a talent agency in another life.

Between 1982 and 1984, music filmmaker Robert Mugge produced two feature length music docs for the UK's brand-new fourth TV network, appropriately named Channel 4 Television. Those two films were BLACK WAX with Gil Scott-Heron, now newly re-released on DVD and Blu-ray by MVD Visual, and GOSPEL ACCORDING TO AL GREEN. After both were completed, Andy Park, Channel 4's Commissioning Editor for Music who had funded both films, announced he would soon be leaving the channel. Mugge quickly realized, if he wanted Park to commission another film from him, he would need to act fast.

Therefore, in short order, Mugge proposed a film about the staging of Stephen Sondheim's then forthcoming musical Sunday in the Park with George. But before shooting could begin, the composer grew fearful that cameras could aggravate the stresses of an already challenging collaboration. So, sadly, that proposal was scrubbed.

Next up was a possible portrait of P-Funk mastermind George Clinton. But that proposal, too, was abandoned when the artist's own management noted his tendency not to show up when and where expected. Imagining what could happen to their modest budget if they booked crew, equipment, and supplies for a particular time and place only to have their subject fail to show, Mugge and Park soon abandoned that project as well.

                                                                    Trailer 

Finally, in early 1985, Mugge proposed, and Park approved, a portrait of Panamanian-American singer, songwriter, musician, activist, essayist, lawyer, and politician Ruben Blades, who could rightly have been named "The Most Interesting Man in the World" decades before the tongue-in-cheek Dos Equis commercials dubbed actor Jonathan Goldsmith as such. At the time, Blades was the darling of American rock critics thanks to release of the 1984 Elektra album Buscando América, Blades' most successful attempt yet at "crossing over" into mainstream Anglo acceptance, even as his longtime Latin fans stayed with him. His previous albums on salsa label Fania Records, with and without Nuyorican musician and bandleader Willie Colón, had made him a household name among Spanish-speaking salsa fans worldwide. But Blades was looking for far more, both musically and otherwise, and he seemed on the verge of becoming a multi-hyphenated, bilingual superstar.

The release of Buscando América, with its intricate Latin dance rhythms, its rocklike intensity, and its poetic, Spanish-language reflections on the often turbulent relationship between the U.S. and Latin America, showed Blades to be a major cultural force. But what made him so much more "interesting" as a film subject was that, simultaneously, he was starring in a highly autobiographical independent film titled CROSSOVER DREAMS which he himself had co-written, was earning a Master of Laws degree (LL.M.) in International Law from Harvard Law School, was publishing political essays in both Spanish and English, was splitting his time between the U.S. and his native Panama in anticipation of future political ambitions, was reading scripts for additional acting roles in the hope of improving the image of Latinos in Hollywood films and TV series, was touring internationally with his superb band, and was planning ever new material he hoped would further dissolve barriers between the English-language and Spanish-language music industries. As a documentary filmmaker seeking to capture the life and career of Rubén Blades on film, Mugge saw his own biggest challenge as simply keeping up with this seemingly tireless potential subject.

Happily, Blades, Mugge, and Park did come to terms, after which Mugge and his crew spent the spring and summer of 1985 shooting the following: a concert by Blades and his band Seis del Solar at New York City club S.O.B.'s (Sounds of Brazil); an interview with Blades at his New York City apartment; a conversation between Blades and author Pete Hamill in a New York City park; Blades' graduation from Harvard Law School (including conversations with his mother and his dean); a Spanish-language recording session in Los Angeles featuring Blades and guest vocalist Linda Ronstadt; a joint interview with Blades and Ronstadt (who was then contemplating recording her own albums of Mexican songs she learned at home as a child); and a trip by Blades to his hometown of Panama City. In Panama, Blades was filmed on the balcony of his new high-rise apartment overseeing his city's changing landscape, in front of the bank where he once worked as an attorney, joining his father for a visit to the neighborhood where he grew up, in a courtyard discussing his intention to run for president of Panama one day, and walking along the Panama Canal discussing the sometimes tense relations between his native and adopted countries.

In the three decades since this film was made, Blades has accomplished much of what he set out to do, including (1) becoming a respected actor in Hollywood and independent films and television series; (2) continuing to serve as an effective political essayist and activist; and (3) continuing to record and perform powerful world music with both Spanish and English lyrics, and winning eight Grammy Awards and five Latin Grammy Awards along the way. Among his other awards and honors are a 2005 honorary degree from the Berklee College of Music and a 2011 Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award presented by ASCAP and partner Why Hunger for his international charity work. Just a few of the many films and TV programs in which he has starred or appeared are THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR, MO' BETTER BLUES, THE TWO JAKES, PREDATOR 2, THE JOSEPHINE BAKER STORY, CRAZY FROM THE HEART, THE SUPER, X-FILES, CRADLE WILL ROCK, COLOR OF NIGHT, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO, and FEAR THE WALKING DEAD. In 1997, Blades also headed the cast of The Capeman, Paul Simon's first Broadway musical. Although his run for the Panamanian presidency in 1994 was unsuccessful, he served as Panama's minister of tourism from 2004 through 2009 and, reportedly, is considering another run for the presidency in 2019. For more career highlights, please explore Blades' Spanish-language website and his English-language Wikipedia page. Blades has been married to singer LubaMason since August 4, 2006.

Songs performed in the THE RETURN OF RUBÉN BLADES are "Todos Vuelven," "Buscando América," "Tiburon," "Muévete," "Silencios," and "Pedro Navajo" (with "Mack the Knife"). Here is Blades introducing and then performing "Buscando América" in the film https://vimeo.com/156288935

The Blu-ray can be pre-ordered at the MVD Shop or on Amazon.  

Historical: The Films of Robert Mugge

Robert Mugge

MVD Entertertainment Group to release the films of Robert Mugge

"Films of the documentarian Robert Mugge are cultural reference books... Documents of a flourishing below-the-radar culture... They are archival records as well as entertainments." 

- Stephen Holden, The New York Times 

Bob Hope - Entertaining The Troops DVD (street: 06/09/15) 

Deep Sea Blues BLU-RAY (street: 07/07/15) 

Giving Up The Ghosts: Closing Time At Doc's Music Hall BLU-RAY (street: 09/29/15) 

Souvenirs Of Bucovina: A Romanian Survival Guide DVD (street: 09/29/15)

Check out these markers of time & place, by filmmaker Robert Mugge

Since 1973, Robert Mugge has made more than 30 films, the majority of which have focused on music and musicians. According to Mugge, "In my films, music frequently serves as a leaping-off point for discussions of social issues, cultural issues, political issues, even religious issues. In fact, I tend to see music as a metaphor for the human spirit."

For example, in Bob Hope - Entertaining The Troops(coming to DVD on June 9th), Mugge pays tribute to hundreds of American performers who assisted the military in World War II. Included are rare period performances by the likes of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Jack Benny, Dorothy Lamour, Frances Langford, the Andrews Sisters, Danny Kaye, Lena Horne, and Mel Blanc, as well as a 1988 reunion of Bob Hope's WWII troupe of performers.

Mugge has made documentaries about bluegrass, reggae, and Hawaiian music and has done films centered on Rubén Blades, Sonny Rollins, Robert Johnson, and Gil Scott-Heron. He's done several movies on the blues including Deep Sea Blues (on Blu-ray July 15th), a rocking portrait of the 2007 Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise to the Caribbean. As a bonus, this two hour film also includes Mugge's 96-minute All Jams On Deck, shot on the October 2010 Pacific cruise.

Another blues film, Last of the Mississippi Jukes (coming to DVD later this year) is full of high-powered performances by Alvin Youngblood Hart, Chris Thomas King, Vasti Jackson, Bobby Rush, and Patrice Moncell. However, it's ultimately a sad film. It starts off with a brand-new club in Clarksdale, Miss., Ground Zero Blues Club, which is co-owned by actor Morgan Freeman and Clarksdale Mayor Bill Luckett and which intentionally evokes the style and spirit of traditional jukes. But it ends at the Subway Lounge in Jackson, Miss., shortly before that legendary club closed. At the end of the film there's hope that the Subway would be renovated and revived. However, due to structural problems, the building was eventually demolished.

Giving Up The Ghosts: Closing Time At Doc's Music Hall (on Blu-ray September 29th), is a feature-length music documentary exploring the twin careers of respected physician and musician Dr. John Peterson and the music and arts venue he owned and helped operate in downtown Muncie, Indiana from 1992 to 2012. The film alternates a final performance at his Doc's Music Hall with assorted interviews and related activities, including a ceremony to "free" the building's ghosts.

Mugge's films have earned him high praise from publications including The Village Voice and The New York Times, with Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter writing, "Mugge has, during the past 25 years, established himself as the cinema's foremost music documentarian ..."

"I tend to pick subjects that interest me and about which I'd like to know more" he continued. "Making a particular film becomes an adventure in which I get to learn more about a chosen subject, while simultaneously sharing with others much of what I've experienced." This quest for knowledge has drawn him to make films about reggae, zydeco, gospel music, jazz improvisation and, most recently, the historically rich region of Bucovina in northern Romania and southern Ukraine." Says Mugge. "That was certainly something I knew nothing about," he said of the Eastern European region, to which he ventured with a film crew that included Diana Zelman, now his wife, a filmmaker in her own right who has helped to produce all of his films since 2005. The result, Souvenirs of Bucovina: A Romanian Survival Guide, is coming to DVD on September 29th.

Mugge, takes pride in never having had to make a film that he did not want to make. "I never stop working," he proclaimed.

"It is an honor to be working with Robert Mugge," said Ed Seaman, COO of MVD. "Most of us have been fans of his work for a long time and recognize the integrity in not only the filmmaking and recording, but of the subject matter. We feel it is a perfect match, considering our connection with music and the arts in film."

Mugge states:

"Over the past few decades, my documentaries have been released by a variety of companies. Now, I am thrilled that a majority will be released worldwide by a single distributor, and that that distributor will be MVD Entertainment which has a unique interest in, and understanding of, music-related films. From some of my more highly regarded portrait films (SUN RA: A JOYFUL NOISE, THE RETURN OF RUBEN BLADES, and BLACK WAX with Gil Scott-Heron), to films on important American music scenes (THE KINGDOM OF ZYDECO, LAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI JUKES, PRIDE AND JOY: THE STORY OF ALLIGATOR RECORDS, HAWAIIAN RAINBOW, DEEP SEA BLUES, and RHYTHM 'N' BAYOUS: A ROAD MAP TO LOUISIANA MUSIC), to some of my most recent and more eclectic docs (SOUVENIRS OF BUCOVINA: A ROMANIAN SURVIVAL GUIDE, GIVING UP THE GHOSTS: CLOSING TIME AT DOC'S MUSIC HALL, and the forthcoming ZYDECO CROSSROADS: A TALE OF TWO CITIES), I could not be happier that much of my work is receiving impressive new presentations, complete with beautiful packaging and, wherever possible, generous bonus materials.

Kicking off this new relationship is one of my favorite of my own films, ENTERTAINING THE TROOPS, which recounts all the ways in which American entertainers supported Allied efforts in World War II. Perhaps the most satisfying part of this profect for me was becoming friends with the late singer, actor, and humanitarian Frances Langford. It was she who pulled together the reunion of Bob Hope's World War II troupe of traveling performers which forms the centerpiece and climax of the film. At the time we filmed that reunion at Bob Hope's North Hollywood home with Bob Hope, Frances Langford, dancer Patty Thomas, and guitarist Tony Romano (comedian Jerry Colonna having already passed), Ms. Thomas was 65, Ms. Langford was 75, and Mr. Hope was 85. There was something quite magical about these aging yet still warm and witty stars reminiscing about the idealistic exploits of their youth; especially about their repeated visits to the European, North African, and South Pacific fronts where they risked their lives to remind war-weary soldiers, sailors, nurses, and more how much people back home missed them and appreciated their sacrifices. Conducting such interviews, and spending a year and a half locating and editing together relevant footage from that extraordinary period in American and world history, was a rare experience for me, and I am extremely pleased that MVD is once again making the film available along with 25 minutes of powerful out-takes from the Bob Hope troupe reunion."