Cabeza de Vaca (1990)

[Neville]

Shot at 2007-07-05

This is one weird, weird movie if i ever saw one. It tells the real story of Alvar Nuñez aka Cabeza de vaca. Nuñez was a member of Pánfilo de Narvaez expedition to North America around 1525. The expedition was a complete disaster and Nuñez found himself stranded in present day Florida, from where he slowly (it took him years) made his way to northern Mexico / New Mexico (sources are not clear).

The film is made on a low budget, and adopts the dreamy storytelling of Herzog's "Aguirre. The wrath of God". Long scenes take place with Nuñez interacting with natives in non-subtitled indigenous language. But despite this, the storytelling is clear and the film remains very accesible. It's just that the most persistent emotion it leaves on the viewer is the confusion it tries to depict so meticulously. Director Nicolás Echevarría certainly seems his stuff well, I loved how in the few scenes where you have Spanish characters interacting the style is more dramatic, a cute (and cheap) way of accentuating the contrast with the rest of the film.

Trivia 1: Roger Corman is credited as a producer, don't know why exactly.

Trivia 2: Juan Diego, the only actor I could recognise, is a prominent Spanish actor.

[Scott]

Neville, this looks interesting. I'll look into it. Thanks.