THE MOVING PICTURE BOY ARCHIVE

TÚ SOLO

Title: Tú solo
Literal English translation of title: You alone, i.e. On your own
Year of release: 1984
Director: Teo Escamilla
Country of Production: Spain
Genre: Docudrama
Length: 1 hour, 34 minutes
Language: Spanish
Availability: A digital file is available with optional English subtitles (screenshots below are from this file).

Principal boy actors: The boys are all actual students of La Escuela De Tauromaquia De Madrid (The Bullfighting School of Madrid). They are not individually credited, but the first names of four of them are identified below: l-r, Carlos, Joselito, Miguel, César

Synopsis
A group of mainly adolescent boys train to become bullfighters and face various difficulties along the way, whilst maintaining a close sense of camaraderie. In one scene, much used in the publicity of the film, the boys, inspired by an incident in the biography of matador Juan Belmonte, strip off their clothes to challenge a young bull in the grey of the early dawn, in a striking display of balletic grace and skill.

Below, left: rear of sleeve of official VHS release, also used on unofficial DVD release (front of sleeve is the banner image at top of this page); below, right, front cover of original film programme. The cover image is identical to the official film poster. Clicking on the image will open a PDF of the complete booklet in a new tab. The synopsis of the film on page 3 of the programme is translated into English below. (From Editor's personal collection.)

  

Synopsis of film contained in press booklet above right (translation by the Editor):

In their free time, after school or work, children and adolescents between the ages of 8 and 16 meet at the Madrid Bullfighting School to learn the art of Cúchares: Bullfighting.

Their stomachs are no longer hungry as they once were; their dreams are not about owning a farm; their aspirations are far from wanting to be famous. Their dreams and desires are to face a bull; their only hunger is for the bull. An animal with whom goes death, a fact of which they are fully aware, as their teachers continually remind them. These latter are retired bullfighters, some retired due to age and others compelled to retire, and all with their bodies covered in scars from the horns of a bull. The impatience of youth, the arrival of a bullfighter with experience learned in life, and books about great figures of the past, make them want to leave the horned cart with which they learn, to embark on the adventure of facing, as they call it, "the one with the black legs." Escapes, sneaking, etc., follow one another until those responsible for the School wake up, offering them, in addition to theoretical classes and discussions, "practice."

One of the students has left his home, where he was prevented from learning, being forbidden from attending the Bullfighting School. His father had his reasons; he was a failed bullfighter and now works as a modest banderillero with whomever he can, and is therefore aware of the hardships one must endure only to generally achieve nothing. And he had his own hardships. He wanted, even though he lacked nothing, to become a figure in bullfighting.

Pedro, the banderillero-father, asks one of the teachers and a former matador with whom he formed a team years before to intervene and go in search of his son. Andrés Vazquez agrees and sets out to find his student, bringing him back home.

The students reunited participate in their first bullfight, from which the young student and his companions emerge victorious, except for one aspiring bullfighter, who, after his failure, decides to return home. Luis Miguel, Pedro the banderillero's son, continues his upward career while at school everything remains the same.

Until, that is, some news that Luis Miguel wants to abandon his career reaches his teacher, who hopes to intervene once more.

In a meeting arranged by the teacher, the student confesses his reasons for making such a decision. And in order not to lose one of his best students, the teacher decides to dress up again and return to the bullring to show him the alternative.

Screenshots