Historical as well as spectacular television series formed by 5 episodes , concerning Spanish Civil War , including good cast , nice production design , sensitive as well as evocative musical score by Jose Nieto and acceptable filmmaking by Vicente Aranda . Wartime drama about a spa , its owners and political idealism centered on a group of revolutionary people , being perfectly played by an all-Spanish-star-cast . Set in a spa hotel of fresh water called ¨Las Caldas¨ during the Asturias revolution (1934) and subsequent Spanish Civil War . Located in Las Caldas (LLanes) where lives Marian (Victoria Abril) , she is daughter of Adamina (Gloria Muñoz) and niece of the Spa proprietress (Graciela Borges) . When her mother and Doña Amalia passed away , her hopes of owning the spa are fulfilled . During Asturias revolution in October 1934, her boyfriend Martin (Jorge Sanz) joins some revolutionaries but he is forced to escape . At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War (1936) Martin joins the Frente Popular group and unites the Republican troops who are fighting the Nationalists and against the General Franco army . Meanwhile , Marian goes to Oviedo where attends a brothel whose owner is a Madame called Doña Elvira Rossi (Claudia Gravy) . Revolutionaries (Maribel Verdu , Carlos Tristancho , among others) take on the problems of battling not only the nationalists, but also factions on the left seeking to impose a more traditional military structure . Then occurs confrontation between FAI, CNT , AIT , anarchists followers of the leader Durruti , regular troops of the Republican government, Stalinists and Troskists.
This interesting historical story is a passionate retelling and a touching warlike drama . "Riders of the dawn¨, being adapted by the same director along with Joaquim Jordà from a story by Jesús Fernández Santos . This moving as well as strong story is an emotive recounting and a stirring melodrama , including nudism and strong as well as ordinary sex scenes . The TV series originated an intense discussion in Spain about its principal theme , the Spanish Civil War . The series has some powerful , rousing images as when a crowded train filled with revolutionaries arrives in Las Caldas and when the horse flock go downing from mountains , Picos de Europa, to the village . These horses are called ¨Asturcones¨ and their origin results to be Celtic . ¨Jinetes Del Alba¨ or ¨¨Riders of the Dawn¨results to be other of the innumerable stories to deal with dramatic deeds regarding the Civil War background . A familiar theme about the global horrors of a fratricide war , impossible to forget to Spanish Cinema and TV . Vicente Aranda also writes the script and being filmed in his usual formal and stylistic scholarship , without leaving a trace the thought-provoking issues , in terms of dramatic and narrative excitement . The main problem has to face "Jinetes Del Alba", beyond not being able to avoid falling into the politic pamphlet is precisely derived from the coldness of its staging, which eventually become monotonous over 250 minutes of footage . This is a Spanish big budget production and obtained limited success in the Spanish television . Excellent main cast forming an enjoyable human group of players and giving excellent interpretations . Very good support cast playing villagers , Franquistas or revolutionaries such as Pedro Diaz Del Corral , Antonio Iranzo , Conrado San Martin , Manuel De Blas , Nacho Martínez , Jordi Dauder , El Gran Wyoming and many others . Perceptible as well as evocative musical score by Jose Nieto , Aranda's usual . Including a spotless pictorial cinematography by Juan Amoros , he carries out a photography with juicy atmosphere , being filmed on location in Llanes , Vidago , Gijon , Oviedo , Asturias ,Gijon . Cameraman Juan Amoros is deemed to be one of the best Spanish cameraman with a long artistic career . Furthermore , a willingness , almost perfect of the elements of each shot , every sequence, every space .
The motion picture was lavishly produced by TVE , being professionally directed by veteran filmmaker Vicente Aranda ; however , the series doesn't work at all and packs sluggish scenes , flaws , gaps and many images reveal nothing . Aranda directed a series of award-winning movies firmly establishing him as one of the best Spanish filmmakers . His usual film editor is own wife , Teresa Font . Vicente is an expert on literary adaptations , as he has adapted four novels written by Juan Marsé Canciones Amor en Lolita's Club (2007), El Amante Bilingüe (1993), Si Te Dicen Que Caí (1989) and La Muchacha De Las Bragas De Oro (1980). Vicente often shoots strong erotic scenes , being ¨jealousy¨, a customary issue in his films . Vicente has been working from the 60s with ¨Fata Morgana¨ , ¨Las Crueles¨ , ¨Novia Ensangrentada¨ , ¨Clara es el Precio¨ , among others . His greatest successes were intense dramas with plenty of sex such as ¨Pasion Turca¨ , ¨Intruso¨ , ¨Tiempo De Silencio¨ , ¨Carmen¨ , along with a delinquency tale : ¨El Lute¨ I and II starred by Imanol Arias , his fetish actor along with Victoria Abril (They have worked together 12 times) . His biggest hit was ¨Amantes¨ , although originally intended to be produced as an episode of the TV crime anthology series 'La Huella Del Crimen 2' (1991), before producer Pedro Costa decided to rewrite the script as a theatrical film . And specially the historical story titled ¨Juana La Loca¨ also dealing with jealousy .
