Okay, first things first, so you know my position: I don't like bullfights at all. I think they're cruel and it hurts me watching any of them. Besides I don't know a thing about all its meaning for those out there who loves them. Sorry, I just don't understand!

However, I'm kind of interested in this movie: 'Manolete' based in the life of one of our most famous bullfighters. It's placed in Spain in the 40s and Adrien Brody plays the main part and Penelope Cruz as his love interest, Lupe Sino.

First of all, here's the link to info about Manolete in Wikipedia.

Basically the only thing that attracts me about this movie, is watching that time turn into images, because bullfighters of the 40s and 50s led lives full of glamour... and for the first time there is a movie about it. And honestly, the other thing that makes me curious about it is the great resemblance between Adrien Brody and Manolete himself.

The 40s and 50s were the times when Hemingway, Ava Gardner or Orson Welles enjoyed coming to watch the 'fiesta' at the Ventas (the most famous bullring in the world, that is here in Madrid).

Besides he was the first famous bullfighter and his life and death is kind of a legend among those interested in the issue. His love story wasn't complete, for what I've heard, and his death was very tragic for what I know...





Penelope and Adrien in a kissing scene. This pic is this week's news.



Again, both of them together. Sorry the quality.



Adrien dressed before a bullfight with his 'cuadrilla' (his men).



Before the bullfight, the bullfighters pray for their safety.



Adrien and Penelope again together as Manolete and Lupe.



More pics of him as the bullfighter. sorry the quality.



I think this one is of Adrien training. He was here being trained by a real bullfighter. The filming is in several places of Andalusia and the Mediterranean coast, btw, and includes some other Spanish actors too.



A very not-at-all glamourous pic of Adrien as Manolete and Penélope as Lupe (not glamourous for Penélope anyway).



So you see the resemblance. Here is a pic of Manolete and Lupe.



Another one of Manolete so you can compare Adrien dressed as Manolete and the real man.

The filming is still going on and we get news about it here because not everyday a Hollywood star films here and also because whatever Penélope does is kind of news (I don't especially like her, btw). Now the gossip: there have been rumors about Penélope and Adrien getting romantically involved in real life... others say that Adrien is with another Spanish actress, that I like better than Penélope, Elsa Pataki.

some links to newspapers (sorry, all in Spanish):

http://elmundo.es/elmundo/fotos_gente/2006/06/20/index.html
http://www.elpais.es/articulo/elpcinpor/20051125elpepicin_15/Tes/mejores/a%C3%B1os/Manolete
http://www.abc.es/20060613/cordoba-cultura/rodaje-manolete-retrasa-hasta_200606130411.html
http://servicios.laverdad.es/albacete/pg060511/prensa/noticias/Provincia_Albacete/200605/11/ALB-ALB-371.html
http://www.diarioinformacion.com/secciones/noticia.jsp?pIdNoticia=509265&pIdSeccion=15

and more pics from the filming:
http://www.lfi.co.uk/dynevent-action-nl.do?eventid=274622