Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Rocio Durcal and Barbara Rey




Since I am in the mood to showcase Spanish singers/entertainers in homoerotic situations that even Almodovar could not imagine - here is a classic landmark in Spanish cinema: the first ever Lesbian film "Me Siento Extraña" (I Feel Strange, 1977) starring singer Rocio Durcal and vedette Barbara Rey. This movie was made during the proliferation of soft-porn known as the Destape or unveiling that followed the long decades of repression, censorship and other miseries of the Franco regime. Unfortunately I have only seen fragments such as the one above but even this is not to be believed - the logs in the fireplace, the significant close ups of the champagne flutes to the moist lipsticked mouths, the observation that she "feels strange," followed by the abrupt jump cut to the two of them naked in bed having sex. Hot. It's hard to hear but the soundtrack is of a Spanish version of punk rock band singing "Soy Lesbiana!" among other things. Priceless.

Durcal went from child star to singer known for her versions of Mexican Rancheras and Rey from being a go-go dancer and vaudeville type actress to acting in a circus run by her drug addicted abusive husband Angel Cristo (you cannot make this stuff up - even the names are awesome), then later was involved in a scandal involving a video of her and her alleged lover, King Juan Carlos I. Hence, the irony that her last name is Rey. Durcal was known and loved as the opposite to the sexual and scandal-prone Rey - the family woman, wife and mother. She tragically died young of cancer, like her dear friends (see below) Rocio Jurado and Lola Flores.  

Lola Flores and Rocio Jurado



There's nothing better than this: Rocio Jurado, la mas grande, sings to her great friend, Lola Flores. The love-fest goes way beyond even Almodovar. You can't make this stuff up. As Lola herself said when asked about rumors of lesbianism in the flamenco world, "Who hasn't had a go at it with a friend now and then?" (my loose translation) Rocio sings part of her classic song "Se Nos Rompio El Amor (de tanto usarlo" - Our love broke, from over-use - a pretty erotic song but even better when sung to her colleague. Sadly, both great Divas died young of cancer- La Faraona, Lola Flores and La Mas Grande, Rocio Jurado.