Examine individual changes

'{{Infobox film | name = Selena | image = Selenathemovie.jpg | alt = The film poster shows a woman grinning over a live concert. The background is dark with faint faces of those in attendance to the concert, with the names of the two lead actors. The middle has the film's name and tagline, and the bottom contains a list of the director's previous works, as well as the film's credits, rating, and release date. | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Gregory Nava]] | producers = {{Plainlist| * [[Abraham Quintanilla Jr.]] * [[Moctesuma Esparza]] * Robert Katz }} | writer = Gregory Nava | starring = {{Plainlist| * [[Jennifer Lopez]] * [[Edward James Olmos]] * [[Jon Seda]] * [[Constance Marie]] * [[Jacob Vargas]] * [[Lupe Ontiveros]] * [[Jackie Guerra]]}} | music = [[Dave Grusin]] | cinematography = [[Edward Lachman]] | editing = Nancy Richardson | studio = [[Q-Productions]] | distributor = [[Warner Bros.]] | released = {{Film date|1997|03|21}} | runtime = 127 minutes | country = United States | language = English<br />Spanish | budget = $20 million<ref name="Numbers">{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Selena#tab=summary|title=Selena (1997)|access-date=September 17, 2011 |work=The Numbers}}</ref> | gross = $35.5 million<ref name="Numbers"/><br>(United States) }} '''''Selena''''' is a 1997 American [[Biographical film|biographical]] [[Musical film|musical]] [[Drama (film and television)|drama film]] written and directed by [[Gregory Nava]]. The film is about the life and career of [[Tejano music]] star [[Selena|Selena Quintanilla-Pérez]] before she was [[Murder of Selena|murdered]] by [[Yolanda Saldívar]] at the age of 23. The film stars [[Jennifer Lopez]] in her breakout role as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez. [[Edward James Olmos]] plays Selena's father [[Abraham Quintanilla|Abraham Quintanilla Jr.]] and [[Constance Marie]] plays Selena's mother Marcella Quintanilla. ''Selena'' was released on March 21, 1997, in the United States, and received positive reviews upon release. ==Plot== The film opens at the [[Houston Astrodome]] in [[Houston, Texas]] on February 26, 1995, where [[Tejano music|Tejano]] superstar [[Selena|Selena Quintanilla-Pérez]] [[Selena LIVE! The Last Concert|plays to a sold-out crowd]] ("Disco Medley").This opening scene is was made to be identical to the actual day of the performance from the horse drawn carriage, costumes, and custom built stage specifically built for this scene. In the performance Selena sang both songs in spanish and English such as Si una Vez, On the Radio by Donna Summer, I will Survive by Gloria Gaynor, and Last Dance by Donna Summer. The film flashes back to 1961, where a young [[Abraham Quintanilla|Abraham Quintanilla Jr.]] and his band "The Dinos" are rejected by a restaurant owner after an audition in Texas. They perform for a Mexican-American nightclub, but a riot ensues when they perform American pop music instead of the audience's preferred Tejano music ("Oldies Medley"). This scene was pivotal due to the recurring theme of cultural identity and what that meant to both Selena and Abraham as Mexican-Americans growing up in the United States. Twenty years later, Abraham is married to Marcella Samora, with three children: son [[A. B. Quintanilla|Abraham III (A.B.)]], and daughters Suzette and Selena. Discovering Selena's singing talent Abraham decides to create a band called [[Selena y Los Dinos]], with Selena as lead singer, A.B. on bass and Suzette on drums. Even though Selena grew up speaking English without learning any Spanish, Abraham decided it would be best to teach Selena how to sing in Spanish because of the cultural significance of living in Texas. Initially reluctant, the children soon grow fond of making music ("[[Feelings (Morris Albert song)|Feelings]]"). They move to [[Corpus Christi, Texas]], and Abraham takes the band on the road to support the family. After lackluster reception at a carnival, Selena begins incorporating more dance and personality into her acts as well as embracing Spanish, Tejano music as a whole. The band's success, and its members themselves, grow by following local performances. In 1989, during a performance of Baila Está Cumbia Selena, as a teenager, reveals her bustier for the first time in a performance. She embraces and owns her new style even though she was anxious about her fathers reaction. Although this angers Abraham due to its sexually suggestive nature, he eventually accepts this new look and Selenas bustier becomes one of Selenas’s most iconic looks. ("[[Baila Esta Cumbia]]"). In 1990, [[Chris Pérez]] auditions as the band's new guitarist. Abraham disapproves of Chris' [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] style,but hires him after Chris agrees to cut his hair and be a team player. Selena and Chris become acquainted and eventually fall in love. In 1992, when Chris' former band members trash a hotel suite, Abraham threatens to fire him. A.B. pleads with him to reconsider, pointing out that he is needed for their upcoming tour in Mexico. Due to Selenas Mexican-American heritage, promoters were worried about how a artist who can’t speak Spanish as fluently as native speakers would be perceived considering her rising stardom as one of Tejano Musics top up and coming artists. Although she was nervous to present herself as a Mexican artist to the press her personality and love for her fans quickly won everyone over. We then move to a scene at a concert in Monterrey, Mexico where a crowd of 100 thousand people show up to support Selena. Due to lack of infrastructure and concert security “the larger-than-expected crowd” rushes the stage. This causes the stage to collapse and causes a huge wave of people to be trampled in the midst the chaos. ("[[La Carcacha]]"). After having to stop the show because of the rowdy crowd Selena is able to calms the crowd by singing one of her top hits Como La Flor. She draws them into a joyous performance ("[[Como la Flor]]") and is accepted as an "artist for the people" in Mexico. Abraham suspected that something was going on between Chris and Selena but after catching Selena embracing Chris on the tour bus, an enraged Abraham fires Chris. He threatens a heartbroken Selena and the rest of the family with disbandment if they choose to go with him. The pair secretly continue their romance, eventually eloping at the [[Nueces County]] Courthouse after Selena insists, stating that Abraham will never willingly accept their relationship. The day after a radio station announces their marriage, Abraham tells Selena he is proud of her maturity, having realized that he was too harsh on her and Chris. The Quintanillas congratulate them, accept Chris into their family, and rehire him as the guitarist for Los Dinos. In 1994, [[José Behar]] and music executives from [[EMI Latin]] attend a Selena concert ("[[Bidi Bidi Bom Bom]]"/"[[No Me Queda Más]]") and offer Abraham a chance for Selena to record an English-language album, which Abraham accepts, musing that she has successfully broken down cultural barriers. Selena opens her first [[Selena Etc.]] boutique and asks her fan club president [[Yolanda Saldívar]] to manage it. Selena [[Selena Live!|live album]] wins a [[Grammy Award for Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album|Grammy for Best Mexican-American album]], so her staff chip in to get her a celebratory gift. After claiming she knows the perfect gift and suggesting that they turn all the money over to her so she can shop for it, Yolanda gives Selena a ring resembling the Faberge eggs she collects but does not mention the rest of the staff who contributed. Selena begins recording her [[Dreaming of You (Selena album)|crossover album]] ("[[I Could Fall In Love]]") and she and Chris plan to start a family together. One night, Abraham informs Selena of angry calls from fans who paid to join her fan club but received nothing. Other funds that Yolanda has been handling cannot be accounted for, and vital business records are missing. Summoned to [[Q-Productions]] and confronted by Abraham, Selena, and Suzette, Yolanda denies wrongdoing and says she will find the missing documents. Selena is disappointed and angry that her fans were mistreated. After Selena's concert at the Astrodome ("[[Si Una Vez]]"), she joyously tells Marcella about her and Chris' plans to start a family together. However, on March 31, 1995, Selena is [[murder of Selena|fatally shot by Yolanda at a Corpus Christi motel while meeting with her to collect her missing business records]]. As Yolanda is arrested after a standoff with the police and Selena's family, friends, and fans mourn her death, a montage of the real Selena plays during a [[candlelight vigil]] ("[[Dreaming of You (Selena song)|Dreaming Of You]]"). ==Cast== {{div col}} * [[Jennifer Lopez]] as [[Selena|Selena Quintanilla-Pérez]] ** Rebecca Lee Meza as Young Selena * [[Edward James Olmos]] as [[Abraham Quintanilla|Abraham Quintanilla, Jr.]] ** [[Panchito Gómez]] as Young Abraham * [[Constance Marie]] as Marcela Quintanilla * [[Jon Seda]] as [[Chris Pérez]] * [[Lupe Ontiveros]] as [[Yolanda Saldívar]] * [[Jackie Guerra]] as Suzette Quintanilla ** Victoria Elena Flores as Young Suzette * [[Jacob Vargas]] as [[A.B. Quintanilla|A.B. Quintanilla III]] ** Rafael Tamayo as Young A.B. * [[Alex Meneses|Alexandra Meneses]] as Sara * John Verea as [[José Behar]] * Ruben Gonzalez as Joe Ojeda * [[Seidy López]] as Debra * [[Pete Astudillo]] as himself, Dinos 1990s * [[Ricky Vela]] as himself, Dinos 1990s * [[Selena y Los Dinos#Band members|Don Shelton]] as himself, Dinos 1990s {{div col end}} == Production == ===Development=== On March 31, 1995, Selena was [[murder of Selena|shot to death]] by [[Yolanda Saldívar]], a former friend and president of her fan club managed the singer's [[Selena Etc.]] boutiques.<ref name="Martinez Testimony">{{cite news|title=October 12, 1995, the testimony of Norma Martinez |url=http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/metropolitan/selena/transcripts/95/10/12/martinez.html |access-date=September 27, 2015 |work=[[Houston Chronicle]] |date=October 12, 1995 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715183634/http://www.chron.com/content/chronicle/metropolitan/selena/transcripts/95/10/12/martinez.html |archive-date=July 15, 2007 }}</ref> Response by the [[Hispanic]] community was comparable to the reaction of the assassinations of [[Murder_of_John_Lennon|John Lennon]] and [[Assassination_of_John_F._Kennedy|John F. Kennedy]], or the death of [[Elvis Presley]]. {{sfn|Jasinski|2012|p=254}}{{sfn|Stacy|2002|p=746}} Newsstands were swarmed by people looking for items concerning Selena.<ref name="Biography">{{Cite episode |title=Selena: Biography |series=Biography |series-link=Biography (TV series) |network=[[A&E Network|A&E]] |airdate=November 27, 2008 |minutes=60 }}</ref> Shortly thereafter several media projects were released including, eight unauthorized biographies, six documentaries and two Quintanilla family-unapproved films in production.<ref name="makingof">{{cite AV media |year=2007 |title=The Making of Selena: 10 Years Later|format=DVD|time=30|location=Corpus Christi, Texas|publisher=Warner Bros.}}</ref> This led Abraham to start production on an authorized biopic within weeks of her death, a process he found difficult since the family was still mourning.<ref name="makingof"/> He believed the film would "put an end to all the false rumors" that were circulating through the media at the time and "silence [the media] from telling the wrong story." He wanted "the whole world to know the [true] story about [Selena]."<ref name="makingof"/> A.B. spoke out the family's concern about possible "misinterpretation of [Selena], [their] family, and a culture" by outside sources, and their belief that it was imperative to release their own official film. <ref name="makingof"/> A.B. claimed the decision was foisted upon them after learning about the unauthorized biographies and films that could have potentially misconstrued Selena's story.<ref name="makingof"/> At the time of Abraham's decision, there were "gossip and hurtful crazy things that were coming from the press" about the family's plan on a film.<ref name="makingof"/> Abraham wanted the film to immortalize Selena "in a true positive and beautiful way [and wanted] to celebrate her life [and to] quiet and put to rest all [the] negative ugliness [the media had portrayed]."<ref name="makingof"/> News of Abraham's desire to release an official authorized film reached [[Hollywood]], and American film producer, [[Moctesuma Esparza]]. Esparza immediately approached Abraham at his [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]] office about partnering to produce the film.<ref name="makingof"/> He educated Abraham about the filmmaking process and the support system he could provide while giving Abraham authoritative control over casting, approval of the script and choosing the director.<ref name="makingof"/> On August 30, 1995 (a week after he and Abraham agreed to partner), Esparza returned to Corpus Christi from California and brought on [[Gregory Nava]].<ref name="makingof"/> Abraham disliked Esparza's decision and expressed concern about Nava's potential involvement.<ref name="makingof"/> Abraham told Esparza he did not want Nava to be the director because of his [[Egotism|ego]], though Esparza convinced Abraham that he was the perfect candidate.<ref name="makingof"/> Producer Robert Katz later said Nava was chosen because other films he directed "[have] a very uplifting and positive quality" and believed they deal with "very strong and tragic elements."<ref name="makingof"/> ''[[The Dallas Morning News]]'' found Nava's works to give "moviegoers a passionate, powerful look at Hispanic life".<ref name="95 a">{{cite web|title=Nava chosen for 'Selena' movie Filming to begin in February 1996|work=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|publisher=(James M. Moroney III)|date=August 30, 1995}}</ref> On September 8, 1995, Abraham informed the media his decision to partner with Esparza/Katz Productions and announced the film's budget to be in the range of $15 and $20 million.<ref name="ewinterview">{{cite magazine|title=Selena to Big Screen|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=September 8, 1995|issue=291|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,298633,00.html|access-date=December 28, 2011}}</ref> In an ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' interview, Abraham confessed on wanting the duo because they were "in tune with our culture".<ref name="ewinterview"/> Other Hispanic filmmakers were considered to direct the film including [[Luis Valdez]] and [[Edward James Olmos]] but had settled with Nava.<ref name="ewinterview"/> Katz said the team had overcome "what most people thought was a fatal contract" by entrusting Abraham's decisions and having a working relationship with him throughout the film's production: "working things out in advance so the studios knew exactly what we were proposing."<ref name="makingof"/> Nava began writing the script after recording the Quintanilla family on their stories about Selena.<ref name="makingof"/> Suzette commented on how Nava took "hours and hours of little stories of our lives and what we would do and how we felt."<ref name="makingof"/> Nava explained how some stories "had came out" during his recording sessions with the family and published the first draft on March 4, 1996.<ref name="makingof"/> The incident where Selena and Perez eloped was written in the draft, which Abraham expressed disagreements on.<ref name="makingof"/> Citing the singer's popularity with children, he was concerned that they could get the wrong message about elopement as being in her best interest.<ref name="makingof"/> Nava took a few days to persuade Abraham about the scene's content before he agreed to it, noting that although he understood Abraham's viewpoint, Selena's elopement was important to include because it was a major part of her story.<ref name="makingof"/> He further insisted that his character's embrace of the match after the scene would shade a more positive tone after his earlier negative judgments on Selena and Perez's relationship.<ref name="makingof"/> Curious about how Nava found out about the elopement, Abraham asked the director and found out that he had interviewed Perez, who had said that Selena had coaxed him into engagement. The earlier assumption was that Perez had pressured her into secretly getting married.<ref name="makingof"/> === Casting === Roger Mussenden was hired as casting director, and he held casting calls throughout the United States including [[San Antonio, Texas]], [[Miami]], [[Chicago]], [[New York City]], and [[Los Angeles]].<ref name="makingof"/> Casting calls began on March 16, 1996, and concluded on March 23.<ref name="makingof"/> Over 21,000 people auditioned for the title role, becoming the second largest audition since the search for [[Scarlett O'Hara]] in ''[[Gone with the Wind (film)|Gone With the Wind]]'' (1939).{{sfn|Arrarás|1997|p=31}}<ref name=selenamoviecast>{{cite news|last1=Puente|first1=Teresa|title=The Unforeseen Legacy Of Selena Quintanilla Perez|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-03-30/news/9703300300_1_selena-quintanilla-perez-people-en-espanol-latinas|access-date=March 26, 2015|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=March 30, 1997}}</ref> Casting turnouts reached 10,000 in Los Angeles and 5,000 in Chicago, while turnouts reached 8,000 in [[San Antonio]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://texasarchive.org/library/index.php?title=Selena_National_Casting_Call,_San_Antonio_-_Raw_Footage_(1996)|title=Selena National Casting Call, San Antonio - Raw Footage (1996)|last=Ruddy|first=Jim|date=1996|website=Texas Archive of the Moving Image|access-date=2018-10-25}}</ref><ref name="makingof"/> Mussenden chose newcomer 10-year-old Rebecca Lee Meza of [[Harlingen, Texas]] to portray young Selena.<ref>{{cite web|title=Harlingen girl chosen to play young Selena|work=[[San Antonio Express-News]]|publisher=([[Hearst Corporation]])|date=June 19, 1996}}</ref> Mexican actress [[Salma Hayek]] was invited to test the role of Selena by Esparza.<ref name="ewinterview"/> Hayek turned the role down; she said she felt it was "too early" to base a movie on Selena and that it would be emotional because Selena's death was still being covered on U.S. television.<ref>{{cite news|last=Pearlman|first=Cindy|title=Selena: the story behind the legend|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CSTB&p_theme=cstb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB422F6A50DAE55&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10|access-date=December 28, 2011|newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times|date=March 16, 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Longsdorf|first=Amy|title=Director Aims For Truth About Selena's Life|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/mcall/access/14351783.html?dids=14351783:14351783&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT|access-date=December 28, 2011|newspaper=The Morning Call|date=March 21, 1997}}</ref> Abraham discovered an actress in Los Angeles and wanted her for the role as Selena, despite her inability to convince the casting crew.<ref name="makingof"/> He later had a change of heart when American actress and dancer [[Jennifer Lopez]] had showed up for the audition.<ref name="makingof"/> Lopez found the audition process an elaborated procedure and was asked to sing, dance, and act out the elopement scene in front of the casting crew and Abraham.<ref name="makingof"/> Within three takes of the elopement scene, Lopez convinced the entire casting crew who believed her performance was "among the strongest".<ref name="makingof"/> Lopez had previously worked with Nava in ''[[My Family (film)|My Family]]'' (1995).<ref>{{cite news|last=Associated Press|title=Lopez gets Selena role|newspaper=Dallas News|date=June 14, 1996}}</ref> Screen testing was described as "grueling" and required "nine minutes of singing and dancing and eight pages of script."<ref name="EWc">{{cite web|last=Karger|first=Dave|title=Biopicked for Stardom|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,293710,00.html|work=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|publisher=[[Time Warner]]|access-date=January 8, 2013|date=August 9, 1996}}</ref> After the announcement that Lopez would portray Selena, news media and fans criticized Abraham for choosing Lopez, a New York City native born to [[Puerto Ricans|Puerto Rican]] parents, to play a Texan of [[Mexican people|Mexican]] descent.{{sfn|Tracy|2008|p=53}}<ref>[http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/index/F11UELVJTLDF740P.pdf Guzman, Isabel Molina and Angharad N. Valdivia]. "Brain, Brow, and Booty: Latina Iconicity in U.S. Popular Culture", Routledge: Volume 7, Number 2 / April–June 2004.</ref> The Mexican media disapproved of the film and were outraged that Lopez was chosen for the title role.{{sfn|Tracy|2008|p=53}} Lopez received backlash from the media and fans because she was not a Mexican American.{{sfn|Tracy|2008|p=53}} The Hispanic community began protesting for a recast. During pre-production, Lopez stated: "I know a few people were protesting, but in Corpus [Selena's hometown] everyone has been really supportive".<ref name="EWc" /> Nava admitted that the backlash was "a little hurtful", and felt the protesters "should be celebrating that we have an all-Latino cast and that Lopez, one of our own, is becoming a star."<ref name="EWc" /> The announcement was described as the "role of a lifetime," with Lopez's salary for the film reportedly $1M USD, making Lopez the highest paid Hispanic actress up to that time.<ref>{{cite news|last=Jakle|first=Jeanne|title=Selena star says yes to role as fiancee|newspaper=[[San Antonio Express-News]]|publisher=[[Hearst Corporation]]|date=October 30, 1996}}</ref><ref name="La">{{cite web|title='Mi Familia' actress Jennifer Lopez to play Selena in movie|work=[[Austin-American Statesman]]|publisher=([[Cox Enterprises]])|date=June 15, 1996}}</ref> Dave Karger of ''Entertainment Weekly'' noted that "nothing could have prepared [Lopez] for the hype attached to her million-dollar salary."<ref name="EWc" /> On August 8, the ''[[Los Angeles Daily News]]'' announced that Puerto Rican- American [[Jon Seda]] and [[Edward James Olmos]] had joined the cast as Chris Pérez and Abraham Quintanilla, respectively.<ref>{{cite news|title=News & Notes|work=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]|publisher=([[MediaNews Group]])|date=August 8, 1996}}</ref> After Lopez landed the role, she decided to stay with Suzette at her home to study her character in the recordings and footage the family shared with her.<ref name="makingof"/> Lopez felt that her "spirit and [Selena's] spirit were so similar" which was echoed by the singer's family who found that Lopez mimicked the personality traits of Selena.<ref name="makingof"/> They believed that Lopez' body language, laugh and how she talked were identical to that of Selena.<ref name="makingof"/> Lopez had constant dance rehearsals for the film and said how she would arrive at the studio late in the day after finishing filming for another role.<ref name="makingof"/> The family often had the entire main cast of the film over for dinner and would notice how they would watch them in their interactions with each other and the way they ate.<ref name="makingof"/> Edward James Olmos, who took the role as Abraham, was asked to gain {{convert|40|lbs|kg}} for the film.<ref name="makingof"/> The cast found Olmos to be a father figure for them who often gave advice to the cast during filming.<ref name="makingof"/> A.B. found Olmos' portrayal of his father to be convincing, especially in the scene where Abraham was angered after finding out about Selena and Perez' relationship.<ref name="makingof"/> Band member [[Pete Astudillo]], commenting on production, said he had to do a screen test to play himself and had to improvise in several of his scenes, since he had little dialogue in the film.<ref name="makingof"/> Jon Seda often spent time with his subject Chris Pérez for character development.<ref name="makingof"/> Seda visited Perez at the home he shared with Selena and found a price sticker in the bathroom with a scribbled letter that read "Selena and Chris, I Love You" which further inspired Seda to "show the love they [once] had" in the film.<ref name="makingof"/> The biographical film focused on Selena's life rather than her death, with Nava saying, "I don't want to attend to [her murder]."<ref name="EWc" /> === Filming === [[Principal photography]] began September 1996, in [[San Antonio]], [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]], [[Poteet, Texas|Poteet]], [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], and [[Lake Jackson, Texas]]. Nava used locals as extras for the film.<ref name="FilA">{{cite news|last=Bennett|first=David|title=Director to use Corpus Christi, S.A. locales in Selena movie|work=[[San Antonio Express-News]]|publisher=([[Hearst Corporation]])|date=September 14, 1996}}</ref> Selena's singing voice was dubbed onto Lopez's performance.<ref name="EWc" /> During the opening of the Selena Etc. boutique scene, Suzette believed Lopez was wearing Selena's clothing, but in fact the costume designer recreated her Grammy Award ceremony dress.<ref name="makingof"/> Suzette said how she was overcome with emotions after viewing Lopez in the dress. During the elopement scene, Pérez explained how the scene was reminiscent of the actual event as if he were "transported back in time," and remembered how he had a [["Do not disturb" sign|do not disturb]] sign and heard a knock on his door. He found the scene to be one of the hardest to watch after and recalled Selena told him that eloping was the only resource they had and they would never have a wedding she dreamed about.<ref name="makingof"/> Pérez refused to visit the set and explained that he did not want to partake in the film's process.<ref name="makingof"/> Seda convinced him to visit for the scene where his character auditions for the role as the new guitarist for the band.<ref name="makingof"/> After researching on how to perform a [[riff]] on a guitar and having lessons from Pérez, Seda felt that the scene would not come off as authentic since he could not replicate Pérez's guitar riffs.<ref name="makingof"/> He tricked Pérez into visiting the scene so that he could play the riff and have the director shoot a close up of his hands for the film.<ref name="makingof"/> Seda said how after the film was released that people believed he could play the guitar; he said he told fans how Pérez was actually the one performing the riff in the scene.<ref name="makingof"/> Nava pointed out how he wanted the performance scenes in the film to be "integrated into the drama and to reflect what the characters were going through emotionally and what Selena was going through emotionally at that particular time."<ref name="makingof"/> He further explained how he wanted the Astrodome scene to be the opening of the film to show viewers at her height of her career and then flashback to show how she got there.<ref name="makingof"/> The scene was shot at the [[San Antonio Alamodome]] on September 15, 1996, and was attended by 35,000 residents lured by newspaper ads.<ref name="makingof"/> Lopez said how she was nervous for the scene since it would be the first time she would perform in front of an audience of that size.<ref name="makingof"/> She further expressed how uneven she was due to the criticism she received and was unsure how fans would receive her.<ref name="makingof"/> Jackie Guerra commented how during the scene she saw Selena's parents sobbing. The cast later said how, after the scene was completed, they were overwhelmed with emotions.<ref name="makingof"/> Later that night, fans approached Lopez, sobbing that she looked identical to Selena and public perception of Lopez changed after her performance.<ref>{{cite web| title=Facts about the movie "Selena"| work=Ecelebrity Mirror| date= October 25, 2018| url=https://ecelebritymirror.com/entertainment/marcella-samora-mother-singer-selena-perez/}}</ref> The death scene was shot once, making everyone present emotional. Guerra said how she was physically and emotionally drained after the death scene was shot. She explained how she "could not imagine what's it like to be [the Quintanilla family]" and further said how she had to live with the pain for four months and found the pain the family goes through unimaginable.<ref name="makingof"/> Lopez said it made her appreciate life even more, whereas Seda expressed that working on the film was one of the hardest for him in terms of departing from the cast.<ref name="makingof"/> ===Music=== {{Main|Selena (soundtrack)}} An original motion picture [[Selena (soundtrack)|''Selena'' soundtrack]] was released by [[EMI Latin]] on March 11, 1997, debuting at number 20 on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{cite journal|title=Billboard 200 > 29 March 1997|journal=Billboard|date=March 29, 1997|volume=109|issue=13|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1Q4EAAAAMBAJ&q=selena&pg=PA33|access-date=April 9, 2015}}</ref> The [[CD]] contains twelve tracks with Selena singing the songs heard in the film. The only songs that were not in the film were "Is it the Beat," "Only Love" and "A Boy Like That," and Selena tributes sung by other artists. The only recordings heard on the film were the "Cumbia Medley," "Disco Medley" and "Where Did the Feeling Go?", which was played in the last half of the film's closing credits. The Vidal Brothers' "Oldies Medley" was also on the film. All the other songs, including rare tracks, hits and cuts like the "Disco Medley, Part II" (which was recorded live during Selena's 1995 concert at the [[Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo]]), were recordings from Selena in concerts. ==Release== ===Box office=== ''Selena'' opened March 21, 1997 and earned $11.6M on its opening weekend. On its second weekend, the film earned $6.2 million. The following weekend, it earned $6.1M.<ref name="BoMojo">{{cite web|title=Selena (1997)|work=Box Office Mojo|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=selena.htm|access-date=January 8, 2013}}</ref> The film grossed $35.5M domestically during its theatrical run. <ref name="Numbers"/> ===Home media=== The first DVD release of ''Selena'' was released in 1997. A 10th Anniversary DVD edition was released on September 18, 2007, by Warner Home Video. The two-disc set contains the original theatrical version (127 minutes) and a director's cut version (134 minutes) of the film, which had been shown on several TV stations before. Extras include ''Making of Selena: 10 Years Later'', ''Selena, Queen of Tejano'', and nine additional scenes.<ref>[http://www.dvdactive.com/news/releases/selena.html ''"10th Anniversary edition of Selena"''] at DVD Active. </ref>^{dead link} [[Warner Archive Collection]] released the Blu-ray format for the first time on May 19, 2020, and it contained both cuts of the film, in addition to all the extras from the 10th Anniversary DVD.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=26715 |title= Warner Archive Announces May Releases (UPDATED)|date=April 21, 2020|website=Blu-ray.com}}</ref>The film is also available on the streaming service [[HBO Max]] after its launch on May 27, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://remezcla.com/film/stream-selena-movie-hbo-max/ |title= The ‘Selena’ Movie Will Be Available on New Streaming Platform HBO Max|date=October 30, 2019|website=remezcla.com}}</ref> ==Reception== ===Critical response=== ''Selena'' received mostly positive reviews from critics. The review aggregator [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reported that 65% of critics gave the film a positive review based on 48 reviews, with an average score of 6.10/10. The critics consensus reads, "''Selena'' occasionally struggles to tell its subject's story with depth or perspective, but those flaws are rendered largely irrelevant by Jennifer Lopez in the title role." Using Jennifer Lopez in the movie was a great choice for the role of Selena. She is a proud Latina of Puerto Rican roots, hence she brings the cultural aspect of Selena's character (even though Selena is Mexican). She brought more positive attention to this role. <ref>{{Cite web| title=''Selena'' (1997)- Rotten Tomatoes| url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1073427_selena?| url-status=live| access-date= 22 Jan 2021}}</ref> At [[Metacritic]], which assigns a rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film has received an average score of 67 based on 17 reviews, indicating "Generally favorable reviews."<ref>{{Cite web| title=Critic Reviews for ''Selena''- Metacritic| url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/selena/critic-reviews| url-status=live| access-date=22 Jan 2021}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]], film critic for the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]],'' was impressed by the acting, and gave ''Selena'' three-and-a-half stars out of four and wrote, "Young Selena is played by Becky Lee Meza, who has a big smile and a lot of energy. The teenage and adult Selena is played by Lopez in a star-making performance. After her strong work as the passionate lover of [[Jack Nicholson]] in the current ''[[Blood and Wine]],'' here she creates a completely different performance, as a loyal Quintanilla who does most of her growing up on a tour bus with her dad at the wheel."<ref>[https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/selena-1997 Ebert, Roger]. ''The Chicago Sun-Times'', film review, March 21, 1997. Last accessed: January 9, 2008.</ref> ''Entertainment Weekly'' believed Lopez perfected Selena's accent while "studying performance footage of the pop sensation" according to Nava. Lopez said "you need to do your homework on this gig" because Selena was "fresh in the public's mind".<ref name="EWc"/> Film critic Lisa Kropiewnicki liked the film and wrote, "Jennifer Lopez delivers a breakout performance...[and] Nava's engaging script wisely mines his subject's life for humor and conflict, embracing Selena Quintanilla's passion for music."<ref>Kropiewnicki, Lisa. {{Amg movie|154769|Selena}}, film review. Last accessed: January 9, 2008.</ref> Film critic [[James Berardinelli]] also liked the film and the screenplay, writing, "It would have been easy to trivialize Selena's story, turning it into a sudsy, made-for-[[television|TV]] type motion picture." He believed the acting was top-notch and wrote "Jennifer Lopez is radiant as the title character, conveying the boundless energy and enthusiasm that exemplified Selena, while effectively copying not only her look but her mannerisms. I wonder if Selena's family, upon watching this performance, felt an eerie sense of ''[[déjà vu]]''."<ref>[http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/s/selena.html Berardinelli, James]. ''Reel Views,'' film review, 1997. Last accessed: January 9, 2008.</ref> ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' film critic [[Kenneth Turan]] gave the film a mixed review. He wrote the film is part of a "completely predictable Latino soap opera." Yet, "there are chunks of ''Selena'' that only a stone could resist. This movie turns out to be a celebration not only of the singer but also (as "[[What's Love Got to Do with It (film)|What's Love]]" was for [[Angela Bassett]]) of the actress who plays her, Jennifer Lopez."<ref>[http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie970321-5,2,2183.story Turan, Kenneth]. ''Los Angeles Times,'' "In the Authorized ''Selena,'' She's Seen in the Best Light", Calendar Section, March 21, 1997. Last accessed: January 9, 2008.</ref> Leonard Maltin gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four; while he praised Lopez and Olmos, he called the film a "glossy, congenially corny biography. "Ironically," Maltin wrote, "the film does more to solidify Selena's celebrity than she was able to accomplish in her short lifetime."<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Maltin|first1=Leonard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6EgPDierNGUC&q=selena++leonard+maltin&pg=PA1217|title=Leonard Maltin's 2009 Movie Guide|last2=Sader|first2=Luke|last3=Clark|first3=Mike|date=2008|publisher=Penguin|isbn=978-0-452-28978-9|pages=1217|language=en}}</ref> Some critics, however, did not like how the film appeared to be a sanitized Selena portrait. Critic Walter Addiego considers Nava's work a worshipful [[biography]] of her. Addiego, writing for the ''[[San Francisco Examiner]],'' did have a few enjoyable moments viewing the film but wrote, "You can't help cheering for Selena, but the good feeling is diminished by the sense that her story's been simplified and sanitized."<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1997/03/21/WEEKEND1948.dtl Addiego, Walter]. ''San Francisco Examiner,'' film review, page C, March 21, 1997.</ref> ===Awards and nominations=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |- style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;" ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Category ! scope="col"| Recipient(s) ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col" class="unsortable"| Ref. |- | rowspan="6"| [[ALMA Awards]] | rowspan="6"| June 4, 1998 | colspan="2"| Outstanding Feature Film | {{won}} | rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://almaawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/1998-NCLR-ALMA-AWARDS-NOMINEES.pdf|title=1998 ALMA Awards nominees|publisher=ALMA Awards|access-date=July 31, 2014}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2"| Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film | [[Edward James Olmos]] | {{won}} |- | [[Jon Seda]] | {{nom}} |- | rowspan="2"| Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film | [[Jackie Guerra]] | {{nom}} |- | [[Jennifer Lopez]] | {{won}} |- | Outstanding Latino Director of a Feature Film | [[Gregory Nava]] | {{won}} |- | [[Golden Globe Awards]] | [[55th Golden Globe Awards|January 18, 1998]] | [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy|Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy]] | Jennifer Lopez | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite book|last=Cottrell|first=Robert C|title=Icons of American popular culture : from P.T. Barnum to Jennifer Lopez|year=2010|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|isbn=978-0765622990|url=https://archive.org/details/iconsofamericanp0000cott|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/iconsofamericanp0000cott/page/214 214]|access-date=October 3, 2012}}</ref> |- | [[Grammy Awards]] | [[40th Grammy Awards|February 25, 1998]] | [[Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media|Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television]] | [[Dave Grusin]] | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite book|last=Baugh|first=Scott L|title=Latino American cinema an encyclopedia of movies, stars, concepts, and trends|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-0313380372|url=https://archive.org/details/latinoamericanci0000baug|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/latinoamericanci0000baug/page/249 249]|access-date=October 3, 2012|date=April 13, 2012}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2"| [[Imagen Awards]] | rowspan="2"| April 1, 1998 | colspan="2"| Best Theatrical Feature Film | {{won}}{{efn|Tied with ''[[The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca]]''.}} | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imagen.org/awards/1998|title=13th Annual Imagen Awards|publisher=[[Imagen Awards]]|access-date=July 31, 2014}}</ref> |- | Lasting Image Award | rowspan="2"| Jennifer Lopez | {{won}} |- | rowspan="2"| Lone Star Film & Television Awards | rowspan="2"| 1998 | Best Actress | {{won}} | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite book|last=Albertson|first=Mark|title=Cultivating Chicana/o Images: Negotiating the Cinematic Masterpiece for Cultural Survival|page=18}}</ref> |- | Best Supporting Actor | Edward James Olmos | {{won}} |- | [[MTV Movie & TV Awards|MTV Movie Awards]] | [[1998 MTV Movie Awards|May 30, 1998]] | [[MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance|Best Breakthrough Performance]] | Jennifer Lopez | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{cite web|last1=Katz|first1=Richard|title=MTV-watchers pick their pix|url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/mtv-watchers-pick-their-pix-1117469703/|website=Variety|accessdate=21 January 2017|date=14 April 1998}}</ref> |- | [[Young Artist Award]]s | [[19th Youth in Film Awards|March 14, 1998]] | Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress | Rebecca Lee Meza | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;"| <ref name="Young Artist Awards 3">{{cite web|url=http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms19.htm|title=19th Youth In Film Awards|accessdate=2011-03-31|website=YoungArtistAwards.org|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222144713/http://www.youngartistawards.org/pastnoms19.htm|archivedate=2016-12-22}}</ref> |} ==Recent history== On January 1, 2021, all 38 members of the [[116th United States Congress|U.S. Congress']] [[Congressional Hispanic Caucus]] signed a letter addressed to the [[Library of Congress]] "formally nominating" ''Selena'' to be added to the [[National Film Registry]]. The lobbying effort aimed at [[Carla Hayden]] was led by [[Joaquin Castro|Rep. Joaquin Castro]] (D-TX), chairman of the caucus, and framed the act as a way to, among other things, more broadly recognize [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Latino]] contributions to film, increase acclaim of Latino cinema and effect broader cinematic representation.<ref name="Castro efforts">{{Cite news| last=Morales | first=Christina | title=Hispanic Lawmakers, Pushing for a Change in Hollywood, Start With ''Selena'' | date=2021-01-21 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/21/movies/selena-national-film-registry.html | website=www.nytimes.com | language=en | access-date=2021-01-22| url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122053010/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/21/movies/selena-national-film-registry.html| archive-date= 2021-01-22}}</ref> ''[[Selena: The Series]]'' is a biographical web television series about the late singer [[Selena|Selena Quintanilla]]. The series comes 23 years after its original film and premiered on [[Netflix]] on December 4, 2020. ==References== {{reflist}} {{noteslist}} ==External links== {{Portal|Film|United States|Texas|1990s|Hispanic and Latino Americans}} * {{IMDb title|0120094|Selena}} * {{mojo title|selena|Selena}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|1073427_selena|Selena}} * {{metacritic film|selena|Selena}} {{Selena}} {{Gregory Nava}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Selena}} [[Category:Selena]] [[Category:1997 films]] [[Category:1990s biographical drama films]] [[Category:1990s musical drama films]] [[Category:American films]] [[Category:American biographical drama films]] [[Category:Biographical films about singers]] [[Category:American musical drama films]] [[Category:English-language films]] [[Category:Spanish-language films]] [[Category:Films scored by Dave Grusin]] [[Category:Films directed by Gregory Nava]] [[Category:Films set in Texas]] [[Category:Films set in the 1960s]] [[Category:Films set in 1961]] [[Category:Films set in the 1970s]] [[Category:Films set in the 1980s]] [[Category:Films set in 1981]] [[Category:Films set in the 1990s]] [[Category:Films set in 1995]] [[Category:Films shot in Mexico]] [[Category:Films shot in Texas]] [[Category:Films shot in Corpus Christi, Texas]] [[Category:Films shot in San Antonio]] [[Category:Mexican-American films]] [[Category:Musical films based on actual events]] [[Category:Warner Bros. films]] [[Category:Films about murder]] [[Category:Cultural depictions of Selena]] [[Category:1997 drama films]] [[Category:Films set in Houston]]'