El liguero mágico

In this flick there is spoof , humor , fun and guffaws . An amusing but average Spanish comedy film and with its ups and downs . It deals with an unfortunate as well as botcher Notary assistant called Armando (Andres Pajares) who goes to a mansion to deal with a testament of a newly deceased lord , Don Marcelo (Antonio Ozores) . There also goes his heir Alicia Cazorla (Adriana Vega) , they are received by a misfit bunch of geeks : an old cook (Maria Isbert) , a dwarf (José Carabias) , a gay wolfman (Luis Lorenzo) , a hunk (Fernando Bilbao) , a sympathetic deaf-mute (Adriana Ozores) , and a hunchback similarly to Marty Feldman-Igor alike . All of them want to take over a hidden treasure : a lot of golden coins .



Terror movie parody with Andrés Pajares , including lots of jokes , home pursuits , intrigue , entertainment , amusement and lots of nudism . Pajares is a cool Spanish actor, who usually formed an attractive cinematic couple with Fernando Esteso . Both of whom usually playing a duo of unfortunate , roguish , swindlers as well as bungling people . They usually made couple in a lot of films and achieved much success in the 80s . And especially ¨Los Bingueros¨ was one of their greatest hits . The movies they played were funny and with many support's actors . The films were with short budget and lackluster but including comedy and lots of fun . Those contained many nude girls , laughs and slapstick , being mostly directed by Mariano Ozores , a craftsman filmmaker and writer , who wrote/directed disconcerting screenplays , he recently won a Goya Award (2016) to his long and fruitful career . The latter made with these two famous comedians , -Andres Pajares and Fernando - several films , as they had various years partnership between the two leads , such as ¨Agitese Antes Usarla¨ , ¨Al Este Del Oeste¨, ¨Los Liantes¨, ¨Los Energeticos¨, ¨La Lola Lleva Al Huerto¨ , ¨El Currante¨, ¨Que Tia la Cia¨, ¨El Hijo Del Cura¨, among others .

This ¨El liguero magico¨ is a charming as well as embarrassing horror/comedy that contains crazy events , nudism , amusement and bewilding situations . There are some nice jokes in the film and the cast , playing eccentric characters , make a cosy fit . It is a nutty Spanish comedy that offers no intellectual stimulus whatsoever , though it has some fun and hilarious moments . Humor is sometimes cheesy and gross-out with numerous naughty and picaresque situations . Support cast is pretty good , plenty of familiar faces , such as : Antonio Ozores , María Luisa Ponte , Blaki, Adriana Ozores , María Isbert , Luis Lorenzo , José Carabias , Adrián Ortega , Rafael Albaicín , and José Riesgo . Evocative cinematography by Raul Artigot , being necessary a perfect remastering , because of the film-copy is worn-out and shot in Talamanca Del Jarama , Madrid . Atmospheric and frightening musical score by Gregorio García Segura .

This ¨El liguero magico¨ financed by the great producer José Frade , is a mediocre picture with some amusing moments , being profesional but middlingly by Mariano Ozores in his usual style and had big success in the Spanish box office similarly to ¨Brujas Magicas¨ which he made in similar wake . Mariano's family origin is into show business , being son of Mariano Ozores Sr and brother of José Luis Ozores and Antonio Ozores . Furthermore , uncle of Emma Ozores and Adriana Ozores who here appears briefly as a host woman . Mariano is a craftsman filmmaker and writer , in fact he wrote the fun screenplay , he recently won a Goya Award (2016) to his long and fruitful career . The latter made with these two famous comedians , -Fernando Esteso and Andres Pajares- several films , as they had various years partnership between the two leads , such as ¨Agitese Antes Usarla¨ , ¨Al Este Del Oeste¨, ¨Los Liantes¨, ¨Los Energeticos¨, ¨La Lola Lleva Al Huerto¨ , ¨El Currante¨ , ¨El Hijo Del Cura¨...these films are filled with humor that still holds up , especially for those not easily offended ; being sometimes cheesy and gross-out with numerous naughty and picaresque situations such as sex jokes , adulteries , crazy events , nudism , absurd situations , jealousy , and erotic scenes . Plus , they partially reflected the mood and the reality of Spain in the immediate Post-Franco era , dealing with politic juncture about the post-Franquismo in similar style to other films from this period . Ozores has a prolific career , as writer and as director , especially in comedy genre such as : Disparate Nacional , Tahiti's Girl , Brujas Magicas , Los Presuntos , Cuatro Mujeres Y Un Lío , Tío ¿De Verdad Vienen De París? , Alcalde Por Elección , Ellas Los Prefieren... Locas , El Apolítico , Jenaro El De Los 14 , Manolo La Nuit , El Abuelo Tiene plan , La Llamaban La Madrina , La Graduada , Venta Por Pisos and many others . Being his ordinary actors , the followings : Alfredo Landa , Lina Morgan , Paco Martínez Soria , Antonio Ozores , Jose Luis Ozores , Juanito Navarro .

When one thinks of "destape" movies, it is clear that the films which Ozores produced during that period fit into that category. Yet, I have my reservations towards putting Ozores in the same basket alongside other directors. All his films have a unique quality. You can tell when a destape movie has been made by Ozores or when it is just a vile copy (for exaple, terrible flicks like "El Cid Cabreador", "Juana la Loca de Vez en Cuando" or "El Holding de la Mosca").

Having said that, I have to say that Ozores never lost his theatrical pace and that this "Liguero Magico" has a wonderful first half before succumbing to boredom. Almost every line spoken here has a delirious and terrorist quality that almost no one has achieved in Spanish cinema. Free yourself from prejudices and enjoy, at least, the first half of this great film that could have been greater. Andres Pajares rarely performed better than here.

This is another one of those movies called here in Spain "del destape". The rules in these movies were simple: bad taste humour and a lot of nudity. Movies like "El liguero magico" were prolific during the post-Franco period (the worst time in spanish cinema). Bad plot, not even a good joke, but however one little gem: Antonio Ozores and his talent and comical gift. The rest? Simply forgettable.