American me

american me is 1992 film directed by edward james olmos his first film as director

the film covers the life of luis sancez the founder of la raza brotherhood a prison gang that protects hispanics in prison

the film starts from luis teenage years to death  when he killed by fff gang member in folsom state prison

the film introduces audiences to California gang life, both on the street and in jail.

plot
the film begins in 1960 in los angeles the local hispanic youth are being harrassed by white gangs

such as tbirds & scorpions luis [ benjamin bratt ] is young hispanic teen living los angeles

by then paco has had enough wants to start his own gang the gang called varrios he wants to beat the white men

at thier own gang so raul & paco challage the tbirds to rumble the tbirds accept

the varrios are outnumbered 6 to 1 the rumble begins & the varrios are wiped out minus luis

the tbirds are about to kill luis when lapd arrives on the scene arrest tbirds & luis

luis sent to folsom state prison where notices that most of prisoners are white

whites control folsom luis harrased by t bird prison chapter  one day he is beaten up by white gang

luis has had enough decides to call meeting between all hispanic inmates

the hispanic inmates decide to fight the whites inmates & protect the hispanic inmates

by then luis jail time is over & he is a free man he decides to go clean of gang life

luis world is turned upside down when 2 asian child molester molests his brother lupe

in revenge luis blasts 2 asian molsters & cuts off thier heads in broad daylight after that he has to serve a life sentance

in prison he noticed a change the greaser gangs no longer control the prison & switched to punk & surf

the la raza brotherhood wants to destroy the white gangs but sancez says the latinos are outnumbered

in prison gang war the la raza loses 50 % of i'ts men  the gang decides to ally with venice hoodlums prison chapter

war with fff gang before long sancez is killed by fff gangmember  & at end of film richie valens la bamba plays

cast
varrios


 * benjamin bratt - luis sancez
 * sal lopez - raul bandres
 * mario lopez -  paco cruz

la raza brotherhood


 * edward james olmos - luis sancez
 * jacob vargas - purro

t birds


 * bill paxton
 * mattt damon

venice hoodlums


 * mark harmon
 * matthew mcconaughey
 * beck
 * gibby hayes

fff


 * henry rollins
 * bille joe armstrong
 * james spader

rest of cast


 * john leguizmo - lupe
 * cary hiroyuki tagawa - asian child molester 1
 * desmond nakamo - asian child molester 2

casting
edward james olmos used real white & hispanic prisoners in folsom state prison

filming locations
filmed in west los angeles & folsom

sound track
since film deals with hispanic subculture the music was hispanic oriented  the film used marachi salsa &hispanic rock

The original music soundtrack was released on April 28, 1992 by virgin records

the cd has 12 tracks and includes songs performed by various artists including los lobos santana los illegals

the brat the plugz & union 13