Camarón: When Flamenco Became Legend

José Monge Cruz, known as “Camarón de la Isla,” was a flamenco legend. Discovered singing at a bar by guitarist Paco de Lucía, Camarón quickly shot to the top of the flamenco world, revolutionizing the music while winning broad new audiences for it. Yet his great commercial success and artistic achievements didn’t protect him from falling victim to his own demons, and eventually his drug use threatened to take complete control of his life. Oscar Jaenada, a mass of curly locks sitting atop a wiry frame, brilliantly incarnates Camarón. He’s especially good in the concert sequences, getting the remarkable mixture of innocence and recklessness just right. Chávarri’s film is a great introduction to the work of an artist whose significant contributions to Spanish music might have been even greater had his artistry had the chance to mature.