Ive been meaning to get to this for some time now, but stuff always seems to get in the way.
Back in June I posted two entries – The List and The Movie List – where I asked you all to help me list all TV shows, music and movies where Cuba is mentioned in one way or another. Id like to continue to concentrate on Movies for now, but feel free to add anything form any genre or category.
Im trying to gauge just how intricately woven our cultures – the US and Cuba’s – have been in modern times, specifically via popular entertainment.
The following is what we have so far in titles only, I will be ammending the list as time allows to describe the instance where Cuba or something Cuban is mentioned or referred to in each:
MOVIES
The Godfather, Part II
Cuba
Havana
The Break Up
Clear and Present Danger
We were Strangers
A Message to Garcia
Our Man in Havana
Scarface
Mambo Kings
Meet the Fockers
Affair in Havana
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Weekend in Havana
Moscow on the Hudson
Smoke
The Ghost Breakers
The Inlaws
Guys and Dolls
Red Dawn
Original Sin
Bananas
Red Zone Cuba
Dance with Me
Fast and Furious
The Postman Always Rings Twice
Blazing Saddles
Bad Boys II
Heartbreak Ridge
Hunt for Red October
Popi
The Perez Family
A Few Good Men
Big Fish
JFK
Thirteen Days
The Wild Geese
Before Night Falls
Key Largo
All the President’s Men
Goldeneye
Die Another Day
Rumor Has It
The Crew
Along Came Polly
Plunder Of The Sun
Runaway Jury
Goldfinger
Topaz
The Lost City
Miami Vice
for TV, there is a law and order criminal intent episode, loosely based on bobby fischer.. the episode deals with a chess champion who played a tournament in cuba, in violation of trade sanctions and had to remain overseas.. in the course of the episode he slips back in, kills a girl on his flight.. blablabla, typical l&o episode.. but it mentions cuba..
For what its worth, the screen name JackW comes from Redford’s character Jack Weil in Havana.
Not to be obsessive here but for my birthday in July I got the book “Waiting for Snow in Havana” and am asking “Santa” for the DVD of “The Lost City.”
I must agree that Godfather II scene at midnight is great.
Also a Bogart fan and Key Largo is a great choice as well.
As to the competing blogger yesterday Val, I come here and do not always agree with all the sentiments expressed here. But I passionately believe in a free Cuba, and enjoy the give and take and have tremendous respect for you, George and the posters.
I read the “Palmetto” link yesterday and agree whole heartedly with your assessment of it.
One thing you can tell your adversary is something that might be told to someone in my old neighborhood near Philly:
“Hey genius, I got your palmetto right here.”
I feel so much better.
Thanks Val.
what was the 007 movie that “starts” in cuba, its not mentioned by name, but its a island nation with a bearded, military fatigue wearing, cigar smoking leader.. i think roger moore was 007 at the time, i think he steals a jet or something.. and the movie gladiators, the one about the underground boxing clubs, brian denehey, is in it, i think cuba gooding too, theres a boxer of cuban decent in the movie.. henry, the guy that played falzone on HLOTS plays the cuban…
Simpsons in “Socialist Paradise of Cuba”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnSXzCRG1mI
I wish you well 🙂 Melek
“The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance – it is the illusion of knowledge.”~ DJB
Daniel the 007 movie that mentions Cuba is Die Another Day and Val already put it up, thanks anyways : )
I think there is one with Andy Garcia about Arturo Sandoval’s exit from Cuba. I think it’s called For Love and Country.
A little off topic guys but Alejandro Sanz has a song about Havana, it’s called “Labana”, I think you guys might like it, especially since he says “cuenta cuatro que se va fidel”
Here are the links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiSzMOWHfXw
and the live concert
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ1oriEVK0g
As far as I can remember, there was at least one occasion when “Sydney” went to Havana in the show Alias.
The scene in The Godfather Part II where Michael Corleone saw through Hyman Roth trying to sucker the various crime families into buying his hotels before Castro took over was one of the most brilliant movie scenes I ever saw.
Michael Corleone: I saw a strange thing today. Some rebels were being arrested. One of them pulled the pin on a grenade. He took himself and the captain of the command with him. Now, soldiers are paid to fight; the rebels aren’t.
Hyman Roth: What does that tell you?
Michael Corleone: It means they could win.
The scene where Fredo asks Michael how you say Banana Daquri in Spanish was great too! LOL!!
That film was a masterpiece from beginning to end.
it was an older one, but “cuba” is never really mentioned by name.. they had world leaders who looked like fidel, kadaffi, arafat, guys like that.. i remember the scene where the hanger doors are closing and 007 has to tilt the plane so he passes just as they are closing..
The “Miami Vice” movie and the movie “A few good men”.
re: “Red Dawn” (apart from it being one of the silliest moves I’ve ever seen)I recall that the Cuban general speaks Spanish with a Puerto Rican accent.
I just thought of another movie “Just the ticket” with Andy Garcia. At the end of the movie he is reading the newspaper and it reads that the Pope is visiting Cuba and he thinks that maybe he can scalp tickets for the event!
The movie ‘Matinee’ with John Goodman
I just remembered one I saw in spanish it’s called Escorpion Rojo, and it mentions Cuban involvement in the war in Angola along with Soviet invasions.
People, people, you all have forgotten one of the funniest movies ever, “The Out-Of-Towners with Jack Lemon, that great scene in front of the Cuban Embasy and the Cuban-American protestors jumping on the diplomatic car, holding the signs saying “11 Years of Torture”, something like that. What about the end of the movie when they are flying back to Chicago and the plane gets hijacked by a commie Cuban. Come on people, how could you miss that flick, well it happens. Thank You, Jose Reyes
The 1997 film “Mousehunt,” with Nathan Lane and Christopher Walken.
They are trying to get rid of a mouse and as an act of desperation they mail it to fc in Cuba.
You probably have to have kids to know this one.
In “Mrs. Doubtfire” when Robin Williams is trying to become a woman he has long red fingernails and says, “Oh jes, well, I’m seeing this BEAUTIFUL Cuban . . .”