Cocaine Cowboys

Cocaine Cowboys
by Billy Corben

Cocaine Cowboys
List Price: $7.92
Our Price: $7.88
You Save: $7.06 (47%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $7.00 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details


(Click here)
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada

DVD details

Actor: Al Sunshine, Bob Palumbo, Jon Roberts, Mickey Munday, Sam Burstyn
Director: Billy Corben
Brand: Magnolia Pictures
Cinematographer: Armando Salas
Editor: Billy Corben
Producer: Billy Corben
Editor: David Cypkin
Producer: David Cypkin
Producer: Alfred Spellman
Producer: Bruno del Granado
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0; Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0
Format: Color, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 118 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-01-23
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Model: 10063
Studio: Magnolia
Product features:
  • The cocaine trade of the 70s and 80s had an indelible impact on contemporary Miami. Smugglers and distributors forever changed a once sleepy retirement community into one of the world s most glamorous hot spots, the epicenter of a $20 billion annual business fed by Colombia s Medellin cartel. By the early 80s, Miami s tripled homicide rate had made it the murder capital of the country, for which a

DVD Reviews of Cocaine Cowboys

DVD Review: You'll Never Look At The Miami Skyline In the Same Way Again
Summary: 4 Stars

A Real Life Weeds - Season One,Weeds - Season Two,Weeds - Season Three

A documentary that details the inception of the cocaine drug trade in America from the early 1970's when Columbian dealers dropped a few "suprise" kilos in bags of marijuana which was easily smuggled in via boats to the Reagan Era which spent millions "controlling" the drug trade in South Florida. "Cocaine Cowboys" presents an interesting perspective on the economy of the 1970's and what kept Miami afloat. Director Billy Corben tells the story of a Miami skyline built not of bricks and steel, but bricks of cocaine via interviews with some interesting smugglers, assasins, dealers, Ford models, and newscasters.

According to the film, in the 1970's marijuana was easily smuggled into South Florida. People openly off-loaded bales of marijuana from sail boats on public docks without interference. According to dealers in the film, in the 1970's cocaine was only used by medical professionals who could afford the several hundred dollars a gram price tag. Eventually the Columbian cartels found smugglers willing to import the drug and used Cuban distributors which made the drug readily available for everyone. The drug was first used by low-lifes-Castro refugees set free after he opened his prisons-and worked it's way up the ladder to become a party drug for all echelons of society. While the rest of the country struggled with 18 percent rates of inflation and a crashing economy, the Federal Reserve in Miami had so many deposits they had to stay open 24 hours a day. At one point the film says that federal investigators estimate one bank should have taken in deposits of around 2 million a year but was actually taking in 12 million. And that was just one bank. Hundreds opened their doors to launder money for the Columbian cartels. With the cocaine economy came Mercedes dealerships, a run-up in housing costs, luxury jewelery dealers. The Mercedes dealership in South Beach had a three month waiting list while the rest of the country was struggling to save for a Honda Civic and the gas that went in it.

It's never stated, but it sounds like the cocaine economy kept the whole country afloat for a while. The situation continued for about ten years until so much cocaine was being imported that the price dropped, violence skyrocketed, and the government finally decided to start busting people-not coincidentally at a time when the economy had recovered. Most of the people interviewed for this film were or are in jail. But many people in legitimate businesses that benefited from the free flowing cash from the cartels, used their new found wealth to build the Miami skyline. A doctor who is interviewed for the film said that at one point he was driving to work and counted more than 30 skyscrapers going up in the Miami skyline-all from the profits of drug money.


Some of this documentary will be familar. There have been enough films and sitcoms about cocaine in Miami that most of us know the tales. However, the positive economic impacts of cocaine were totally unknown to me. It's amazing and somewhat shocking. The vintage news footage and interviews make this documentary really interesting and keep the essential message from becoming a boring classroom lecture from the Federal Reserve chairman. All in all, a unique perspective and a pretty good yarn told by interesting raconteurs.
More Cocaine Cowboys reviews:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Description of Cocaine Cowboys

COCAINE COWBOYS - DVD Movie
Bestsellers in DVD
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] ImageThe Story of Jeremiah [VHS]
Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS] ImageWresting With God [VHS]
by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $19.99
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS] ImageStudy Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]
Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops: $44.00
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS] ImageTempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]
HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops: $9.98
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/Party Video [VHS] ImageTempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]
HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Strike the Original Match [VHS] ImageStrike the Original Match [VHS]
New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops: $14.95
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] ImageMedjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]
JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008 ImageMayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008
by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops: $1,463.24
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single User ImagePediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single User
by Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops: $1,463.24
Cost Accounting [VHS] ImageCost Accounting [VHS]
by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Blow ImageBlow
NEW Line Home Video; Release date: 2001-09-11; Published: 2001-09-01; DVD
Best price: $4.89
Price in other shops: $14.98
American Gangster - The Complete Second Season ImageAmerican Gangster - The Complete Second Season
N/A; Release date: 2008-06-10; DVD
Best price: $14.11
Price in other shops: $22.99
American Gangster - The Complete First Season ImageAmerican Gangster - The Complete First Season
Paramount; Release date: 2007-10-23; DVD
Best price: $13.73
Price in other shops: $22.99
Raw Deal: A Question of Consent ImageRaw Deal: A Question of Consent
Release date: 2006-11-28; DVD
Best price: $14.98
PABLO ESCOBAR: KING OF COKE ImagePABLO ESCOBAR: KING OF COKE
Music Video Dist; Release date: 2008-06-17; DVD
Best price: $7.79
Price in other shops: $14.95
Mr. Untouchable ImageMr. Untouchable
Magnolia Pictures; Release date: 2008-01-29; Published: 2008-01-01; DVD
Best price: $4.19
Price in other shops: $14.98
Square Grouper: Godfathers of Ganja ImageSquare Grouper: Godfathers of Ganja
Release date: 2011-04-19; DVD
Best price: $15.18
Price in other shops: $26.98
Limelight ImageLimelight
Release date: 2012-01-24; DVD
Best price: $14.13
Price in other shops: $26.98
Cocaine Cowboys 2 - Hustlin' With The Godmother ImageCocaine Cowboys 2 - Hustlin' With The Godmother
Magnolia Pictures; Release date: 2008-07-29; DVD
Best price: $7.77
Price in other shops: $14.98
American Desperado: My Life--From Mafia Soldier to Cocaine Cowboy to Secret Government Asset ImageAmerican Desperado: My Life--From Mafia Soldier to Cocaine Cowboy to Secret Government Asset
by Jon Roberts, Evan Wright
Crown; Published: 2011-11-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $16.99
Price in other shops: $28.00
Compare prices and read customer reviews for more than one million DVD titles.
Oscar 2005 Winners