The Cucaracha club was filmed on a production budget of just 23,000, and none of the production crew other than Director Rai Woods had ever been involved in getting a full length feature film on screen before, so when I saw it ahead of its general release, I didn't really know what to expect. What I got was a fantastic film experience, because the locations are stunning, the cinematography is excellent, the acting is high standard, and the story moves along nicely, taking the audience with it.
Because of the low production budget, there was nothing spare for special effects, gadgets and stunts, but rather than detracting from the film, it's actually a bonus. This is a strong story, with believable characters, so it's not your usual over the top spy story. Rai Woods brings a touch of Hitchcock to the film, framing either left or right, hardly ever central, and the lines are crisp and clear. Since so many modern films feel like you're watching them through a train window, this makes a refreshing change. Rai extends the Hitchcock experience by making a cameo appearance as the submarine captain.
Yes, despite the low budget, The Cucaracha Club has submarines, jet skis, fast cars and even faster women. Sex and violence - the staples of any spy film - are hinted at rather than presented graphically, and there's nothing gratuitous, so nothing to frighten Grandma or embarrass her in front of the teenagers. You don't see deaths on screen, but little touches let you know it's there. Look out for the shaking Cuban-heeled boot in what is one of the real highlights of the film.
The Cucaracha Club is set in and around Torrevieja on Spain's Costa Blanca, where retired special agents George and Smoggie are boozing their lives away. Then the Ambassador's children are kidnapped, and the two drinking buddies are recalled to active service.
In a fast-paced story with a wealth of eccentric yet believable characters, George must confront his past and battle his demons, while trying to return the teenagers to their parents. The first shock comes when he meets the children's mother, and there are many more to come.
You can't help but become involved with these rather less than special agents, and root for them all the way. James Bond it isn't, but the production crew of The Cucaracha Club achieved something that Eon Productions couldn't pull off with all their big names and big budgets - they got permission to film in Torrevieja Marina.
The scenes in the Marina, and in the surrounding countryside, are worth watching the film for, even if you're not into spy thrillers. And there are some great original songs, written by Peter Taylor, who lives near Torrevieja, and performed by talented local artistes.
The Cucaracha Club showcases Torrevieja beautifully, and it's a tribute to the talents of co-writer and star Billie Anthony Gaddess and everyone else involved in bringing the story to the screen. Catch it if you can - you won't be disappointed.
