Maria Callas was born in New York City in 1923 to Greek parents. The uniqueness of her angelic voice and her unmatched artistry of interpreting operatic music are the reasons why she was an opera superstar. Ms. Callas passed away in 1977. The soundtrack is "Suicidio!" from "La Gioconda" by Amilcare Ponchielli.
Born in Southern California, Jessica Alba is famous for "Sin City" and "Fantastic Four" movie series.
(NOTE: the original soundtrack was rejected by Universal Music Group, thus the new soundtrack.)
Claudia Cardinale is immortalized in Federico Fellini's classic film, "8 1/2". Her entrance in that movie is one of the most memorable moments in the history of cinema. At the height of her career, Ms. Cardinale, born in Tunisia to Italian parents, was an international superstar; her pictures frequently graced the covers of magazines everywhere.
Part of the fun of watching "Easy Rider" is to see a young (aged 31 in 1968 when the film was made) Jack Nicholson giving his trademark performances, for which he received his very first Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actor category. Mr. Nicholson's 12 Oscar nominations and 3 wins comprise a formidable record.
"The Godfather" saga (Part 1 & 2) is not only a grand cinematic achievement to be studied by film students for generations to come, it is also a rare collection of great performances by "method gods" such as Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Nero, Robert Duvall, and John Cazale, whose screen presence will forever be admired by actors everywhere.
To many of us, Leonardo da Vinci was a great artist/engineer/arch itect/inventor/futur ist, not just a plot device in a popular novel. 500 years ago, he envisioned futuristic (back then) concepts such as helicopter, tank, and solar power. An ultimate scientist/artist, da Vinci was much more than "the guy who did Mona Lisa and The Last Supper". The soundtrack is by Robert Schumann.
Screen legend Grace Kelly was best known for her work with Alfred Hitchcock in "Dial M for Murder", "Rear Window", and "To Catch a Thief" -- each one a cinematic masterpiece. Her life was the epitome of Hollywood stardom, and it ascended to an even higher stratosphere when she married Prince of Monaco in 1956. In 1982 she died in a car accident, at the mere age of 52.
It's heartbreaking to read Billie Holiday's biography, yet we're blessed that her immense talent was preserved in the recordings during her short life.
Ingrid Bergman (1915 - 1982) was born in Sweden. The 3-time Oscar winner worked with Hitchcock in "Spellbound", "Notorious", and "Under Capricorn", and co-starred with Hollywood leading men such as Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, and Humphrey Bogart. Her daughter, Isabella Rossellini, was once married to Martin Scorsese.
Latin music legend Tito Puente was the composer of "Oye Como Va", which Carlos Santana, the son of a Mexican mariachi violinist, recorded with his band in 1970.
Update: some viewers have offered their versions of the translation in the "comment" section. I appreciate the input, and I'm sure they are all correct.
Ex-model Charlize Theron does not mind messing up her good looks in order to play unsavory characters in movies, and the strategy has paid off, as she won an Oscar for portraying a serial killer in "Monster".
At 14, Jodie Foster was nominated for an Oscar for her memorable role in "Taxi Driver". Ms. Foster went on to win Oscar twice for "The Accused" and "The Silence of the Lambs".
![Love the One You\](http://img.youtube.com/vi/_5IVuN1N6-Y/2.jpg "Love the One You\")
![\"Oye Como Va\" Translation](http://img.youtube.com/vi/reaNVtCgQqs/2.jpg "\\"Oye Como Va\\" Translation")
