{"product_id":"la-bamba-a-visual-history-by-merrick-morton","title":"La Bamba: A Visual History by Merrick Morton","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePhotographs by Merrick Morton\u003cbr\u003eFeaturing interviews with the filmmakers and cast\u003cbr\u003eWith essays by Carlos Aguilar and RJ Smith on the making of the movie and the legacy of Ritchie Valens\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the 1987 box office hit \u003ci\u003eLa Bamba\u003c\/i\u003e, director Luis Valdez, considered the father of Chicano cinema, tells the story of Ritchie Valens, the first Latino rock ’n’ roll idol, whose short but influential life changed the face of music history forever. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn his breakthrough role, Lou Diamond Phillips captures the passion and drive of the 1950s teenager, who rises above his farmworker roots to achieve his dream, aided by his hardworking single mother Connie, played by Rosana DeSoto, and his volatile older half-brother Bob, played by Esai Morales. The film became a touchstone of that era in cinema. Propelled by a hit movie soundtrack, featuring tracks by Los Lobos, Bo Diddley and Brian Setzer, \u003ci\u003eLa Bamba \u003c\/i\u003epulled off a Hollywood hat trick the summer it was released, becoming the #1 film at the box office, #1 album in the country, and #1 song on the radio. The film remains a multi-generational favorite today.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the Spring of 2025, Hat \u0026amp; Beard Press will release \u003ci\u003eLa Bamba: A Visual History,\u003c\/i\u003e a limited-edition book revisiting this classic 1987 film through the camera lens of Los Angeles-based photographer Merrick Morton. Hired by producer Taylor Hackford to shoot special stills (unrelated to the work of the studio’s publicity photographer), Merrick brought his experience as a documentary street photographer to the production. \u003ci\u003eLa Bamba\u003c\/i\u003e was his first film; he has since earned over 90 screen credits.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWorking closely with Merrick, we have dug deep into his archives and original contact sheets, which contain over 2,500 images, to tease out a selection of intimate, never-before-seen photos, illustrating why this heartfelt exploration of family and culture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eremains so beloved nearly 40 years after its release.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarlos Aguilar, a freelance film writer and critic for the \u003ci\u003eLA Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNY Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDeadline\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eIndieWire,\u003c\/i\u003e contributes an essay on the making of the film, featuring interviews with the filmmakers and cast, including director Luis Valdez, producer Taylor Hackford, and stars Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, and Rosana DeSoto. Meanwhile, biographer and music curator RJ Smith writes the book’s introduction, framing Ritchie Valens’ personal story in the context of the rock ’n’ roll canon: past, present and future. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis will be the fourth book in Hat \u0026amp;Beard’s ongoing series of deep dives into singular films with outsized cultural impacts. Book promotion programming will follow upon the book’s early release in late April 2025. Stay tuned for screening and book-signing announcements. \u003ci\u003eLa Bamba: A Visual History\u003c\/i\u003e will be limited to 3,000 copies. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardcover, 224 pages\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e10 in. x 11 in. | 25.4 cm. x 27.94 cm.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural \u0026 Bookstore","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42422004088893,"sku":"","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/2220\/7891\/files\/La_Bamba_cvr_v2_3D_render_1024x1024.jpg-2.webp?v=1750466653","url":"https:\/\/tia-chuchas.myshopify.com\/products\/la-bamba-a-visual-history-by-merrick-morton","provider":"Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural \u0026 Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}