A must-read for anyone who wants to understand how Camar\u00f3n\u2019s legacy transcends music to become a visual and narrative icon of contemporary flamenco.<\/p>\n
CAMAR\u00d3N IN FILM. By Carlos Rey. Article courtesy of Revista La Fragua.<\/strong><\/h4>\nA recurring figure in post-war Spain was the tonadillera<\/em>, who, along with the bullfighter, formed an idealized couple. Copla<\/em> music and bullfighting were cultural pillars, often explored by filmmakers of the era. Flamenco was also present, though often reduced to its most folkloric dimension. Notable incursions in film by flamenco legends like Manolo Caracol\u2014who acted alongside Lola Flores in several movies, most famously interpreting Carcelero<\/em> behind the bars of a cell\u2014are well known. As early as 1927, Do\u00f1a Concha Piquer debuted in cinema with El negro que ten\u00eda el alma blanca<\/em>, and Lola Flores starred in Morena Clara<\/em> in 1954.<\/p>\nThat wasn\u2019t the case for Camar\u00f3n, who, despite being part of another golden era of flamenco, did not pursue a parallel career in film. He did participate occasionally, but only modestly.<\/p>\n
The first time Jos\u00e9 Monje (Camar\u00f3n) appeared in film was as an extra in Rovira Beleta\u2019s El Amor Brujo<\/em> (1967). Camar\u00f3n was seventeen at the time, although some sources claim the film was shot two years earlier, which would place him at fifteen. The film, starring Antonio Gades and La Polaca, was a major production and was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Part of it was shot in C\u00e1diz and San Fernando. Due to the storyline, many Roma extras were needed, drawing people from all over the Bay. From Chiclana came El Cojo Farina and Mar\u00eda la Paquera, among others. Alonso N\u00fa\u00f1ez Heredia (Farina\u2019s son) recalls producers playing a joke on his father\u2014asking him to show up in C\u00e1diz with five Roma men with mustaches and canes. The next day, Farina appeared with them, much to the amusement of the crew.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/allflamenco.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Detalle-Museo-de-Camaron-1.jpg\")
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Juan Carrasco, a burly Roma man connected to the Venta Vargas circle, was also an extra. He recalls Camar\u00f3n being thrilled by the filming atmosphere and eager to appear on camera. He ended up clearly visible in several scenes. Carrasco says they earned between 60 and 80 pesetas a day, and for the Roma youth of the time, it was unforgettable. Filming took place on the C\u00e1diz pier, in Santib\u00e1\u00f1ez, and in La Isla at the now-closed Venta San Lorenzo. Camar\u00f3n appeared as a guitarist.<\/p>\n
In 1973, Camar\u00f3n had a small role in Casa Flora<\/em>, a film by Ram\u00f3n Fern\u00e1ndez featuring stars like Estrellita Castro, Lola Flores, Arturo Fern\u00e1ndez, and Carlos Larra\u00f1aga. This time, Camar\u00f3n didn\u2019t just appear as an extra but played a minor thief who, after robbing a jewelry store, rides a motorbike through Madrid singing El Serenito<\/em>. This song by Rafael Le\u00f3n and Juan Solano became quite popular and frequently aired on the radio. In the book La Chispa de Camar\u00f3n<\/em>, his widow recalls that after this scene, Camar\u00f3n became famous beyond flamenco circles. Interestingly, his spoken lines were dubbed\u2014though, of course, the song was not.<\/p>\nThough the film experience was enjoyable for Jos\u00e9, he wouldn\u2019t return to the big screen until shortly before his death. In 1992, he recorded the sevillanas<\/em> Pa qu\u00e9 me llamas<\/em> for Carlos Saura\u2019s film Sevillanas<\/em>, a refined composition by Isidro Mu\u00f1oz and Jos\u00e9 Miguel \u00c9vora, directed by guitarist Manolo Sanl\u00facar. The finishing touch came from dancer Manuela Carrasco, Camar\u00f3n\u2019s wedding godmother.<\/p>\nCamar\u00f3n\u2019s cinematic journey didn\u2019t end there. Even without his physical presence, his legend only grew, continuing to inspire film lovers.<\/p>\n
In 2005, Isaki Lacuesta\u2014winner of the Concha de Oro in 2011\u2014released La leyenda del tiempo<\/em>. While not strictly a film about Camar\u00f3n, it is deeply infused with his spirit\u2014not just because of the title, which references Camar\u00f3n\u2019s iconic 1979 album, but also due to the lingering aura of his image throughout the film. The plot follows two parallel stories: one of a young Roma boy from La Isla, born in 1992, who stops singing after his father is killed; and another of Maliko, a Japanese woman who travels to La Isla to see where Camar\u00f3n was born and to learn to sing like him. She wants to sing, but cannot. The film stars Israel and Che\u00edto G\u00f3mez, two non-professional Roma brothers from the Caser\u00eda neighborhood. Many locals appear in the film, including Jes\u00fas Monje \u201cPijote,\u201d Camar\u00f3n\u2019s brother, who teaches Maliko cartageneras<\/em> in a scene at the Camar\u00f3n Pe\u00f1a.<\/p>\nI myself contributed to the film\u2019s soundtrack with the song Playita de la Caser\u00eda<\/em>, which I composed in 2000 with my friend Juan A. Iglesias \u201cTrysko.\u201d It was sung by Pilar \u201cLa M\u00f3nica,\u201d lead vocalist of the band EA!. The credits also feature Raimundo Amador, Montse Cort\u00e9s, Carles Benavent, Joan Albert Amarg\u00f3s, Jorge Pardo, and Rub\u00e9n Dantas performing a jam session version of La leyenda del tiempo<\/em>.<\/p>\n
That wasn\u2019t the case for Camar\u00f3n, who, despite being part of another golden era of flamenco, did not pursue a parallel career in film. He did participate occasionally, but only modestly.<\/p>\n
The first time Jos\u00e9 Monje (Camar\u00f3n) appeared in film was as an extra in Rovira Beleta\u2019s El Amor Brujo<\/em> (1967). Camar\u00f3n was seventeen at the time, although some sources claim the film was shot two years earlier, which would place him at fifteen. The film, starring Antonio Gades and La Polaca, was a major production and was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Part of it was shot in C\u00e1diz and San Fernando. Due to the storyline, many Roma extras were needed, drawing people from all over the Bay. From Chiclana came El Cojo Farina and Mar\u00eda la Paquera, among others. Alonso N\u00fa\u00f1ez Heredia (Farina\u2019s son) recalls producers playing a joke on his father\u2014asking him to show up in C\u00e1diz with five Roma men with mustaches and canes. The next day, Farina appeared with them, much to the amusement of the crew.<\/p>\n Juan Carrasco, a burly Roma man connected to the Venta Vargas circle, was also an extra. He recalls Camar\u00f3n being thrilled by the filming atmosphere and eager to appear on camera. He ended up clearly visible in several scenes. Carrasco says they earned between 60 and 80 pesetas a day, and for the Roma youth of the time, it was unforgettable. Filming took place on the C\u00e1diz pier, in Santib\u00e1\u00f1ez, and in La Isla at the now-closed Venta San Lorenzo. Camar\u00f3n appeared as a guitarist.<\/p>\n In 1973, Camar\u00f3n had a small role in Casa Flora<\/em>, a film by Ram\u00f3n Fern\u00e1ndez featuring stars like Estrellita Castro, Lola Flores, Arturo Fern\u00e1ndez, and Carlos Larra\u00f1aga. This time, Camar\u00f3n didn\u2019t just appear as an extra but played a minor thief who, after robbing a jewelry store, rides a motorbike through Madrid singing El Serenito<\/em>. This song by Rafael Le\u00f3n and Juan Solano became quite popular and frequently aired on the radio. In the book La Chispa de Camar\u00f3n<\/em>, his widow recalls that after this scene, Camar\u00f3n became famous beyond flamenco circles. Interestingly, his spoken lines were dubbed\u2014though, of course, the song was not.<\/p>\n Though the film experience was enjoyable for Jos\u00e9, he wouldn\u2019t return to the big screen until shortly before his death. In 1992, he recorded the sevillanas<\/em> Pa qu\u00e9 me llamas<\/em> for Carlos Saura\u2019s film Sevillanas<\/em>, a refined composition by Isidro Mu\u00f1oz and Jos\u00e9 Miguel \u00c9vora, directed by guitarist Manolo Sanl\u00facar. The finishing touch came from dancer Manuela Carrasco, Camar\u00f3n\u2019s wedding godmother.<\/p>\n Camar\u00f3n\u2019s cinematic journey didn\u2019t end there. Even without his physical presence, his legend only grew, continuing to inspire film lovers.<\/p>\n In 2005, Isaki Lacuesta\u2014winner of the Concha de Oro in 2011\u2014released La leyenda del tiempo<\/em>. While not strictly a film about Camar\u00f3n, it is deeply infused with his spirit\u2014not just because of the title, which references Camar\u00f3n\u2019s iconic 1979 album, but also due to the lingering aura of his image throughout the film. The plot follows two parallel stories: one of a young Roma boy from La Isla, born in 1992, who stops singing after his father is killed; and another of Maliko, a Japanese woman who travels to La Isla to see where Camar\u00f3n was born and to learn to sing like him. She wants to sing, but cannot. The film stars Israel and Che\u00edto G\u00f3mez, two non-professional Roma brothers from the Caser\u00eda neighborhood. Many locals appear in the film, including Jes\u00fas Monje \u201cPijote,\u201d Camar\u00f3n\u2019s brother, who teaches Maliko cartageneras<\/em> in a scene at the Camar\u00f3n Pe\u00f1a.<\/p>\n I myself contributed to the film\u2019s soundtrack with the song Playita de la Caser\u00eda<\/em>, which I composed in 2000 with my friend Juan A. Iglesias \u201cTrysko.\u201d It was sung by Pilar \u201cLa M\u00f3nica,\u201d lead vocalist of the band EA!. The credits also feature Raimundo Amador, Montse Cort\u00e9s, Carles Benavent, Joan Albert Amarg\u00f3s, Jorge Pardo, and Rub\u00e9n Dantas performing a jam session version of La leyenda del tiempo<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n