When Spain joined the European Union in 1986, many people thought the death knell for bullfighting had sounded. The modernising effect of membership of the bloc would stretch beyond the confines of the national economy and infrastructure, they reasoned, to the more ethically charged area of los toros. But the doomsayers were wrong – or at least partly so. The late eighties and early nineties saw something of a resurgence of interest in bullfighting, reflected both in opinion polls and the number of bullfights being staged. And yet, nearly three decades on, the writing really does seem to be on the wall for the fiesta: fewer than 500 bullfights will be held this year, compared to 2,700 … [Read more...] about A slow death in the afternoon
El Pa
The tragic struggle of the loser on the Vespa
Alfredo Landa, who died last week, was iconic in the world of Spanish cinema as a comic Everyman, lending his name to a style of popular comedy - landismo. Like Norman Wisdom in the UK or Jerry Lewis in the US, Landa played the common man, who, for all his follies and petty obsessions, remains true to himself (and the leading lady). He rebels against authority not because he is a rebel by nature but because only by rebelling can he retain integrity, and he gets the girl in the final reel. However Landa, like Wisdom or Lewis, also showed his talents as a serious dramatic actor. In 1984 he was chosen by Mario Camus to play the lead role of Los santos inocentes, a peasant farmer whose innate … [Read more...] about The tragic struggle of the loser on the Vespa
Resign? You must be kidding
When is it appropriate for a public figure to resign? After displaying gross incompetence? In the wake of evident policy failure? Being caught up in criminal acts? It’s not always clear-cut. Sometimes resignation is an option, but not necessarily the only one. An apology might be just as fitting, or a temporary withdrawal from front-line exposure to the limelight. But in the last few weeks in Spain, there have been several cases that would seem to offer strong candidates for the sack. The most recent is that of Alberto Núñez Feijóo. On Sunday, El País newspaper published photographs showing that the Partido Popular’s premier of Galicia had been a good friend of Marcial Dorado Baúlde, … [Read more...] about Resign? You must be kidding
An all-too-fleeting break from obscurity for Horacio Echevarrieta
Before embarking on an article about Oliver van der Zee's recent documentary El último magnate, an important question to ask is why this film about the little-known yet groundbreaking Spanish mogul Horacio Echevarrieta has been all but overlooked in his home turf of the Basque Country (not to mention much of the rest of Spain). Perhaps one clue is director José Antonio Hergueta's comment to El País that Echevarrieta “was the man of the moment in Spain, the most famous, the richest; a pioneer and innovator...(but) these days no-one even in the Basque Country remembers who he was.” All attempts to watch this 80-minute documentary (known internationally as The Last Tycoon and part … [Read more...] about An all-too-fleeting break from obscurity for Horacio Echevarrieta
Sex for money… but don’t advertise it
“Bulgarian girl, 21 years old, available at homes and hotels from 12am to 9pm.” “Alina, all services €30, no limits.” “We are a couple of friends willing to give you pleasure and relaxation with utmost discretion.” For decades adverts for sexual services - ranging from the tactful to the graphically explicit - have filled the classified ads pages of Spanish newspapers. In a country where prostitution is neither legal nor illegal the personal ads sections of local tabloids, national dailies and magazines have long been the preferred medium for prostitutes and brothels to publicize their services. But under new proposals recently unveiled by the government, such adverts could soon be … [Read more...] about Sex for money… but don’t advertise it