Avisa a Curro Jiménez (1978) Poster

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6/10
Cinema rendition based on classical TV series starred by the legendary Bandoleros : Curro , Estudiante , Gitano and Algarrobo
ma-cortes23 October 2016
Exciting and stirring film realized in Spaghetti /Paella Western style and starred by unforgettable characters . Based on the famous series , in its time made really known the actors who played its protagonists , as it was very popular in Spain and all over South America, giving birth to a couple of spin-offs and this film . Set in the South of Spain -Andalucia- in the 19th Century, this featured the endless as well as beloved adventures of Curro Jiménez and his bunch , whose main members of which were : El Estudiante or the student (Jose Sancho) , El Algarrobo (Alvaro De Luna) and El Gitano or the gypsy (Eduardo García) and subsequently , Fraile or friar (Paco Algora) . Curro leads his band of outlaws against the rural land barons and assaults stagecoaches . This time Curro investigates the Almanzor treasure , whose whereabouts is described on two halves written in two incunabulum books possessed by Lince (Walter Vidarte) . Meantime , they fight against injustices as well as corrupt and powerful tyrants such as the evil despots Alberto De Mendoza and Alfredo Mayo . In addition , Curro falls in love by a beautiful French girl (Agata Lys) and expert on plants and flowers .

In the movie there are fights , robbing stagecoaches , noisy action , go riding , Flamenco music , , emotion and even some comedic episodes in charge of Algarrobo/Alvaro De Luna . The original stunning series , with a 19th century Southern Spanish setting , got a hit smash , as Spain as Latino America , giving birth to this movie , a couple of spin-offs , and sequels such as ¨Retorno De Una Leyenda¨(1995) with Sancho Gracia and Jorge Sanz , and ¨La Mascara Negra¨ or ¨Black Mask¨, also starred by Sancho Gracia . The starring was loosely based on a real-life character, the 19th century bandit Francisco "Curro" López Jiménez . They mainly borrowed his nickname and little else , as most of the facts and characters were made up by the screenwriters , and even the historic period is not consistent with that of the real Curro Jiménez . Very good acting by Sancho Gracia as the tough , Two-fisted Curro Jimenez , prototype of the Andalusian "Bandolero" , a kind of Spanish Robin Hood who struggles against the French invaders during the Spanish Independence War . Sancho Gracia/Curro carries out his usual stoic acting and displays efficiently his weapons , such as ¨blunderbuss¨ , and killing mercilessly villains . Curro is a fair , brave and good-Natured person who delivers peace and justice , using force and taking the law into his own revengeful hands and acting as judge , jury and executioner . It's certainly thrilling , though the morality may be questionable , even in this time , as the spectators were clearly on the Curro Jimenez's side , in spite of his expeditious and violent executions . Special mention for Alvaro De Luna who steals the show as the brute , illiterate and naive Algarrobo . Support cast is frankly excellent , here appears the ordinary actors from Paella Western such as Alberto De Mendoza , Alfredo Mayo , Francisco Sanz , Fabián Conde , Luis Barboo , Ángel Álvarez who played in ¨Django¨ and several others . Evocative musical score , including catching leitmotiv by guitar , composed by Waldo Rios who subsequently committed suicide himself . Adding Flamenco score with spectacular dancing by Sara Lezana , Andalucian songs and typical dances . Nice and atmospheric cinematography by Hans Burmann . And splendid set and production design by Wolfgang Burmann , shot on location in Andalucia : Ronda, Malaga , Despeñaperros and mosque of Córdoba. The motion picture was well directed by Rafael Romero Marchent . He is an expert writer and director of Spaghetti/Tortilla Western as proved in ¨Two crosses on Danger Pass¨, Cry for revenge¨, ¨Two guns for two twins¨ and ¨Sartana Kills Them All¨ or ¨Un par Asesinos¨.

¨Avisa Curro Jimenez¨ is follow-up to successful and immortal TV series , being the masterpiece of the Spanish "Bandoleros' Movies" , usually exhibited in TVE (Spanish television) , it stars Curro and his underlings , and . Curro Jimenez was a boatman who had a strong confrontation with a contender , it results in a killing , then Curro flees and becomes involved with banditry , attacking powerful as well as corrupt owners and afterwards against the rural feuds , mirrored the struggle of the Spanish people themselves and being pursued by ruthless lawmen . Curro also rules the guerrilla against the French troops during the Spanish War of Independence and assaulting French military headquarters . Although most of the roles and happenings depicted were made up by the screenwriters and even the historic period was not consistent with that of the real Curro . It packs interesting and moving plots in which the screenplays changed in every episode , having in common the theme of the legendary bandit . Made in Spaghetti/Tortilla western style and being the undisputed cornerstone of the so-called Andalusian Western . And based on real-life bandolero Francisco "Curro" Jiménez Ledesma , from whom it barely took his name and little else . It is formed by 40 episodes , shooting of the first season of the series took place in 1975 , its first episode aired on TVE 1 on 22nd December 1976 and for three seasons (1976-79). Being ordinary show-runner , the prestigious Antonio Larreta who wrote thrilling scripts and compellingly directed by the best filmmakers of the Spanish cinema , such as : Joaquín Luis Romero Marchent (12 episodes, 1976-1978) , his brother Rafael Romero Marchent (3 episodes, 1977) , both of whom experts on Paella/Chorizo/Pasta Western . And Mario Camus (10 episodes, 1977-1979) , Pilar Miró (5 episodes, 1977-1978) , Fernando Merino (4 episodes, 1977-1978) , Antonio Drove (3 episodes, 1977) and Francisco Rovira Beleta (3 episodes, 1977)
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