La desaparición de García Lorca

I was living in Granada when they were shooting the film on location and I was really looking forward to seeing it. It wasn't worth waiting for. The direction was dull, the actors uninspired and the plot just plain silly. Perhaps it would just have been a boring film if it was a fictional story but the makers of the film claimed that it was based on the books about Lorca written by Ian Gibson. And since it was full of historical errors it was not only a boring but also an irritating film. The only good thing about it is the view of the Alhambra. An interesting note is that the fascist bull fighter is the real life bull fighter who appears in the Madonna videos.

I did not find this movie interesting at all, and I will try to give my reasons: firstly the movie was totally miscast. Ask anybody familiar with Spanish literature, and you will be told that Andy Garcia is quite unconvincing as that giant Garcia Lorca , for instance when reciting the fanmous "Death at 5 o'clock".The other personages don't do any better.Secondly, poor directing has turned it into a B,pseudo film noir, rather than a serious political thriller, and last but not least,since I saw it in the mutilated TV size Video I missed much of supposedly good cinematography.I hope somebody sometime will make a more dramatic film about the life of this great human being.

This movie is about more than the murder of Federico Garcia Lorca. It shows the contrast between the artistic authority of anyone like Lorca and the power of the so-called authoritarian governments, such as the one formed by the Fascist party in Spain, 1936-1976. If you are creative in music, dance, theatre or art then you are the natural enemy of the power-hungry, who create nothing, and are compelled to disguise their inadequacies with culture they steal from you and those like you. They covet your authority, and what you make, in order to present themselves to the world as "authoritarian" and "cultured." But they are only impotent thugs. Too many Americans are sympathetic to such motivations and procedures, and find this movie confusing. These are the same uninquisitive folk who never notice that Spain was not involved in World War II -- Hitler occupied every country in northern Africa, Scandinavia and Europe, except for Spain. Why not? The Allies, relentlessly speaking out against the horrors of fascism, never said a mumbling word about Spain. Why not? I especially liked the movie because of Andy Garcia's portrayal of Lorca. His Lorca is intelligent, vigorous, creative, comfortable, confident and responsible.

Some of the other commentators could be right: this film might not be totally accurate, historically speaking. But than again, it is a film. And it does portray the life & death of this astonishing Poet & Playwright & Person, FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA, very well.

The film has two story lines, and the second (or first ?) obscures the attention for the Man of the Title every now and then. But the film keeps the viewer on edge, it is intriguing and in a way very exciting.

Andy Garcia has not been better in years, and the cabby has always been a miraculous actor. Others are very well too, so this film must be well directed.

Every individual who is caught by the story, and is getting interested in Lorca, is an asset to this film. And who knows, maybe we all start to read his beautiful work again in great numbers.

The film is very beautifully shot. For those who are intrigued by Lorca and want to know more: please buy his work, but also: there is the other film on his death. 'LORCA, MUERTE DE UN POETA' of '87 (you could check out my comment on that one too..). Available on DVD thanks to the lovely Suevia Films-label, in Spanish but with English subtitles, and on the 'net' available at the Spanish Barnes & Noble, El Corte Ingles. This film is less glamorous than THE DISAPPEARANCE..., yet breathtakingly beautiful, and airs a bit more (in an unobtrusive way) of Lorca's poetry.

Watch both these films, you won't be disappointed ! Might even send you looking for some fabulous books !!

This movie was great. The actors were terrific. The plot was very well written and done. Who could pass up a movie where two hotties are in it? Esai Morales Did a great job and Andy Garcia did as well. W2G!