El Dorado (1988 film)
Encyclopedia
El Dorado is a 1988
Spanish film
written and directed by Carlos Saura
. It was entered into the 1988 Cannes Film Festival
.
and Amazon
rivers in 1560 by Spanish soldiers searching for the fabled city of gold, El Dorado
. Taking some followers and family along on the journey, they descend into madness and end up dying from the environment and each other.
, the river and jungle scenery dominate the characters, who are over-dressed for the heat in their old world clothes and armour.
The protagonist, Lope de Aguirre
, is played by Omero Antonutti
, who plays an actual historical character with quiet, understated menace. Directed by the award-winning Carlos Saura
(who also wrote the screenplay), the film was made just a few years after the end of Francisco Franco
's dictatorship. Thus the search for political themes and symbols is mandatory for all.
Because of a similarity in plot and characters, the movie suffers by comparison with 1972
's Aguirre, the Wrath of God
, but stands on its own as a less fantastic version of the same journey of obsessed explorers.
1988 in film
-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice...
Spanish film
Cinema of Spain
The art of motion-picture making within the nation of Spain or by Spanish filmmakers abroad is collectively known as Spanish Cinema.In recent years, Spanish cinema has achieved high marks of recognition as a result of its creative and technical excellence...
written and directed by Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura Atarés is a Spanish film director and photographer.-Early life:Born into a family of artists , he developed his artistic sense in childhood as a photography enthusiast.He obtained his directing diploma in Madrid in 1957 at the Institute of Cinema Research and Studies...
. It was entered into the 1988 Cannes Film Festival
1988 Cannes Film Festival
- Jury :*Ettore Scola*Claude Berri*David Robinson*Yelena Safonova*George Miller*Hector Olivera*Nastassja Kinski*Philippe Sarde*Robby Muller*William Goldman-Feature film competition:* A World Apart by Chris Menges...
.
Synopsis
The film is about an expedition down the OrinocoOrinoco
The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
and Amazon
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
rivers in 1560 by Spanish soldiers searching for the fabled city of gold, El Dorado
El Dorado
El Dorado is the name of a Muisca tribal chief who covered himself with gold dust and, as an initiation rite, dived into a highland lake.Later it became the name of a legendary "Lost City of Gold" that has fascinated – and so far eluded – explorers since the days of the Spanish Conquistadors...
. Taking some followers and family along on the journey, they descend into madness and end up dying from the environment and each other.
Cast
- Omero AntonuttiOmero AntonuttiOmero Antonutti, is an Italian actor and dubber, appearing regularly in films and theatre performances. He was born at Basiliano, Friuli.His most notable performance to date was in the Taviani brothers' acclaimed film Padre Padrone...
- AguirreLope de AguirreLope de Aguirre was a Basque Spanish conquistador in South America. Nicknamed El Loco, 'the Madman', Aguirre is best known for his final expedition, down the Amazon river, in search of the mythical El Dorado... - Lambert WilsonLambert WilsonLambert Wilson is a French actor. He is internationally known for his portrayal of The Merovingian in The Matrix He was born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, the son of Georges Wilson, who was an actor, theatrical manager and director of the Theatre National de Paris.Wilson screen tested for The...
- Ursúa - Eusebio PoncelaEusebio PoncelaEusebio Poncela is a Spanish actor.His debut on stage was with the Federico Garcia Lorca play Mariana Pineda....
- Guzmán - Gabriela Roel - Inés
- Inés SastreInés SastreInés Sastre is a Spanish model and actress.-Early life:Sastre's career started at the age of 12, when she was selected for a fast-food commercial with McDonald's. Her first movie appearance occurred in 1988 in El Dorado by Carlos Saura. In 1989, she was awarded the look of the year by the Elite...
- Elvira - José SanchoJosé SanchoJosé Asunción Martínez Sancho is a Spanish actor. Over a period of fifty years he has appeared extensively in Spanish television and films. He was born in Manises, Valencia in 1944. He divorced the singer María Jiménez, with whom he has a son named Alejandro...
- La Bandera - Patxi Bisquert - Pedrarías
- Francisco AlgoraFrancisco AlgoraFrancisco Algora is a Spanish actor. He has appeared in 95 films and television shows since 1972. He starred in the 1973 film Habla, mudita, which was entered into the 23rd Berlin International Film Festival.-Selected filmography:...
- LLamoso - Féodor AtkineFéodor AtkineFéodor Atkine is a French actor.Born in Paris of Russian-Polish descent, he has had a career in European cinema and television since the early 1970s, and made occasional appearances in English-language films, notably as the Russian gangster "Mikhi" in Ronin, as Woody Allen's brother in Love and...
- Montoya - Abel Vitón - Henao
- Francisco Merino - Alonso Esteban
- Mariano González - Zalduendo
- Gladys Catania - Juana
- Alfredo Catania - Vargas
- Gustavo Rojas - Carrión
Critique
The film is 142 minutes long, and has been criticized for its plodding plot, with brief moments of action where the travellers must survive the crises of jungle life and human frailty. Filmed on location in Costa RicaCosta Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, the river and jungle scenery dominate the characters, who are over-dressed for the heat in their old world clothes and armour.
The protagonist, Lope de Aguirre
Lope de Aguirre
Lope de Aguirre was a Basque Spanish conquistador in South America. Nicknamed El Loco, 'the Madman', Aguirre is best known for his final expedition, down the Amazon river, in search of the mythical El Dorado...
, is played by Omero Antonutti
Omero Antonutti
Omero Antonutti, is an Italian actor and dubber, appearing regularly in films and theatre performances. He was born at Basiliano, Friuli.His most notable performance to date was in the Taviani brothers' acclaimed film Padre Padrone...
, who plays an actual historical character with quiet, understated menace. Directed by the award-winning Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura
Carlos Saura Atarés is a Spanish film director and photographer.-Early life:Born into a family of artists , he developed his artistic sense in childhood as a photography enthusiast.He obtained his directing diploma in Madrid in 1957 at the Institute of Cinema Research and Studies...
(who also wrote the screenplay), the film was made just a few years after the end of Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
's dictatorship. Thus the search for political themes and symbols is mandatory for all.
Because of a similarity in plot and characters, the movie suffers by comparison with 1972
1972 in film
The year 1972 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Avanti!, directed by Billy Wilder, starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet MillsB...
's Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Aguirre, the Wrath of God is a 1972 West German adventure film written and directed by Werner Herzog. Klaus Kinski stars in the title role. The soundtrack was composed and performed by German progressive/Krautrock band Popol Vuh...
, but stands on its own as a less fantastic version of the same journey of obsessed explorers.