Yo, 'El Vaquilla'

Juan Jose Moreno Cuenca a.k.a. El Vaquilla died this past Friday from an illness caused by aids.As I said before he was the only surviver left from a generation marked by Delinquency and Heroin.Caught in a life of crime ever since he was 8 years old he became a hero of the underworld,a modern Robin Hood.When other kids learned how to read and write in schools,he learned how to steal cars and drive.With only 10 he was the best driver around.His life was brought to the screen in the 1977 film `Perros Callejeros` and later in `Yo,El Vaquilla` which was based on his first book.Since then he became the most famous delinquent in Europe. He spent most of his life behind bars and was let free only 8 days before he died.He was due to come out in 2007.El Vaquilla was never a loser,he was a fighter and he fought until the end.On his second and last book called `Until my Liberty` written in prison, he explained what went on inside the prisons over this past 20 years,he was brutally bitten for that.Now he rests in peace beside his brothers and friends who left him way back,victims of drugs, H.I.V and the police.

This film has to be edited on DVD as soon as possible.Its a classic crime movie and very entertaining.

The story of one of Spain`s most famous delinquent, based on his book.El Vaquilla,a gypsy boy from Campo de la Bota,a very tough and poor ghetto were the police is afraid of entering even at daylight.With only eight years old he steals cars and drives,and with eleven his already the leader of a gang of modern out laws.Living a life of armed robbery`s,mugging and bag snatching.He is sent to prison at only thirteen years of age because his already escaped from every reform school around.Juvenile delinquency,poverty and misery are witnessed in this film,together with a good sound track.

The film is done on a low budget but it is still very entertaining to watch,and at the same time dramatic.It shows the life of a kid fighting for his liberty in a life let loose on it self.Spain in the 70`s and 80`s had a very high percentage of delinquency,which created a lot of popular out laws and gangs of thieves.El Vaquilla was one of them,and today is the only remaining surviver of that generation that was destroyed by Heroin and Aids.Today he still lives in a maximum security prison in Barcelona.He is 40 years old,and still fighting for his liberty!

Low budget but done with a lot of heart and soul!

Witness the life of a street boy forced to live a life of crime.With only 12 years old he`s the leader of his own gang and the best driver around, on the way of becoming one of the most famous delinquents in the country.

A powerful and realistic true story,with a sound track that makes it even better.

El Vaquilla is not a bad person,he is only a poor gypsy boy, but will stop at nothing to keep the only thing his got in life. His Liberty.

A good low budget film that deserve a lot of respect.

Shocking and stirring film based on facts about juvenile delinquency in Catalunya . The film starts with El Vaquilla -he is , nowadays , 23 years old- , introducing himself and giving a speech . This is the story of one of the most famous delinquents of the ¨Spanish transition¨ , Juan Jose Moreno Cuenca , El Vaquilla , whose biography is told by means of flash-backs from his childhood and how everything changed when his mom went to prison . He tells his story as a criminal offender from Prison 1 Ocaña Toledo . As fatherless , he lives with his mummy but subsequently , she is locked , and he , then , carries out a criminal life . This young offender had a very moving childhood filled with crimes and misdemeanors , and a dangerous adolescence along with a risked first youth . As young thieves embark on armed robberies to raise the money that they use to rise their existence . Along the way they are chased by policies and Guardia Civil , taking place spectacular pursuits with bounds and leaps and breathtaking car crashes .

This classical ¨Quinqui¨ movie deals with Juan Moreno Cuenca alias the Heifer or Vaquilla , it tells his life like a legend , as he was born in prison where his mother was imprisonment . ¨Yo El Vaquilla¨ is one of several movies dealing with youth delinquency in Spain during the 70s and early 80s along with ¨Perros Callejeros I¨ and ¨II¨, ¨ Los Ultimos Golpes Del Torete¨, ¨, mostly realized by Jose Antonio De La Loma , ¨Navajeros , "Colegas", "El Pico 1¨ , 2" and especially ¨Deprisa , Deprisa¨ by Carlos Saura and later on , ¨La Estanquera De Vallecas ¨ , among others . These films were notorious in the years of the Spanish transition to democracy including provoking and polemic issues and played by unknown young people . His style is pretty much urban and realistic as well in the atmosphere as in the fresh dialog and attempted to take a position in favor of outcast people . Drugs , delinquency, and generational problems are the habitual subjects in these films and specially dedicated to the underworld of heroin and a very realistic look at drug addiction . Passing of time hasn't had mercy with most of those movies , but they represented a time and a way of life in the history of Spain ; and now they may seem a little bit naive . In ¨El Vaquilla¨ we watch the day-by-day of a kid-delinquent committing violent crimes . A great look at young life and friendship in the margined side let the story flow efficiently and being realized in realistic style . We see their troubles growing in such streets , slums or "barrio" from Barcelona and outskirts and other coastal places and some fine locations . The director creates a sort of Spanish Neo-Realism by tackling the juvenile delinquency in the suburbs and gypsy population from a sociological point of view . Jose Antonio De La Loma shows the ugliness of those "barrios" , toughness and cold existence . The screenplay by the same Jose Antonio De La Loma is such strong with disagreeable events , including nudism , violent scenes , though also with some ingenuousness and brief hilarious moments . Jose Antonio De La Loma chose young and natural actors as Jose Luis Moreno Cuenca , Vaquilla , and Angel Fernandez Franco , El Torete who play their part to the hilt , unafraid of filmmaker's unsympathetic camera and the particularity of the characters . Along with rookie actors there appear veteran as Frank Braña and Carmen De Lirio . Passable photography with juicy atmosphere by Carles Gusi , deemed one of the best Spanish cameramen , but unfortunately turns too much murky in some video print , being necessary a perfect remastering . Being filmed on location in Castelldefels , Gavá, Vilanova i la Geltrú , Barcelona , Lloret de Mar , Girona , Catalonia, and Perpignan , Pyrénées-Orientales, France . El Vaquilla also appeared in ¨Los Ultimos Golpes Del Torete¨ as colleague of ¨Torete¨ who was played by Bernard Seray . In ¨Yo el Vaquilla¨ is actually interviewed by a mythical journalist , Xavier Vinader , and recounting his feats from infancy , bags robbing , heists , car pursuits with crashes and successive getaways , including escapades of reformatories . Here stands out the catching soundtrack by the popular band ¨Los Chichos¨ who previously composed the musical score for ¨Deprisa , Deprisa¨ by Carlos Saura , considered to be the best of all them . In fact , Los Chichos dedicated a long play to El Vaquilla and premiered in the prison yard where Juan Jose Moreno was imprisoned .

Shot by the creator of ¨Quinqui sub-genre¨ , Jose Antonio De La Loma , in his usual botcher style , being filmed after three successful ones : ¨Perros Callejeros I ,II¨ and ¨Ultimos Golpes Del Torete¨ and he even made a female version : ¨Perras Callejeras¨ . The motion picture was regularly directed by Juan Antonio De La Loma who had a long career including titles as writer as ¨Professional for a massacre¨ ,¨Texas Kid¨ ,¨Clint the solitary¨ , ¨Return of Clint¨, ¨The last Mohican¨, ¨Seven pistols for Timothy¨ , ¨Viva Carrancho¨, and director as ¨The Boldest job in the West¨, and ¨Blood at sundown¨or ¨Porque Seguir Matando¨