In the 1987 box office hit La Bamba, 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.
In 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, La Bamba pulled 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.
In the Spring of 2025, Hat & Beard Press will release La Bamba: A Visual History, 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. La Bamba was his first film; he has since earned over 90 screen credits.
Working 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 remains so beloved nearly 40 years after its release.
Carlos Aguilar, a freelance film writer and critic for the LA Times, NY Times, Deadline, and IndieWire, 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.
