A Life Story With Emotional Impact

Those only vaguely familiar with the story of Selena--the famed tejano singer from Corpus Christi, Texas, who was slain in 1995 by her troubled fan club president--were unprepared for the emotional wallop packed by the movie of her life.

Erica Stein, 13, of Newport Beach, said she had goose bumps from the opening scenes of Selena singing, “I will survive,” at her last concert in Houston’s Astrodome and remained choked up until the credits. And that was the second time she had seen the movie.

“I loved it!” she said. “It was so good.”

The first time, she brought a friend who doesn’t usually cry at movies. “And she actually cried. I was really surprised.” This time, she brought another “softy” like herself, her friend Alexis Luckett, 13, to the Newport Stadium at Fashion Island. And they both cried. Then they raced out to buy the late singer’s last recordings.

It’s little wonder that this movie is hitting home with adolescent girls. Selena’s story pretty much sums up the fantasy life of nearly every young girl on the planet. She dreams of being a famous singer. And a fashion designer. Of meeting a rebellious hunk who changes his ways and settles down for her. And of having a powerful, adoring, father whose love overcomes his anger when she challenges him.

And she gets it all!

“I’m sure every kid in the whole United States loved it,” Erica said.

“She’s really inspirational for kids our age because it shows her when she was little, and, like it seems like anyone can do it. Your dreams can come true.”

It can’t hurt that it’s all tied together with the energetic Latin-rock-funk sounds of Selena’s music, the excitement of her adoring Mexican American and Mexican fans, and her wholesome-sexy delivery in her signature sequined bustiers, tight pants and high heels.

A favorite scene among youngsters shows Selena first realizing her impact when she flags down two tattooed tough guys to help when their bus breaks down. Their efforts to drag the bus off the side of the road end up ripping the bumper off their shiny car. But instead of being upset, they plan to frame the ruined bumper. “We’ll put up a sign. This bumper was pulled off by the bus of Selena,” one says reverently. “Anything for Selena.” Later the singer’s entourage mimics their accents.

Another scene shows Selena being put down by a snooty Anglo sales clerk in a fancy dress shop only to have the mall’s Mexican American workers flood the store seeking her autograph as word spreads, “Selena’s in the mall!”

Parents in the audience came mostly to accompany their daughters and were surprised that they were also moved to goose bumps and tears.

As he did in “Mi Familia,” writer-director Gregory Nava aims to explain the two-culture plight of second- and third-generation Mexican Americans to a larger audience, and the crossover marketing dreams of Selena and her father present a perfect vehicle. She speaks with a Texas accent, and she must learn Spanish and Latin dance steps to appeal to the audience that would accept her. Then she struggles to break into the Anglo mainstream.

As she is about to release her first crossover album, she comments wryly that people will probably wonder how she learned English so fast.

A longtime Selena fan, Mariana Hernandez, 13, from Tustin said much of the singer’s appeal was her genuine connection with her Mexican American fans. “I saw her live at that last concert she gave with the purple dress [at the Houston Astrodome]. . . . She came up to people. She was really nice. When she came on TV and after she died, they said a lot of things about her, her family, the home videos and stuff. You could see she was really a nice person.”

The movie did not exaggerate her impact on the community, she said. “To us, I think she meant if you have a dream, just go for it. Just do the impossible to reach for it.”

When she heard the news on the radio that Selena had been killed, she said, she began to cry. “It was such a waste.” The movie was as great as she had expected, she said, but it didn’t make her cry. “I think I cried so much [when it happened]. I cried a lot.”