Veneno’s magic will hit similar to how Rocky had us jumping out of our seats!
The gift of foreign independent films is that the United States are often rewarded with film gems like the Dominican Republic’s rags to riches, Veneno, Primera Caida: El Relampago de Jack. Wrestling sports fanatics of all ethnicities, especially American, have waited a long time for this hero’s story to be told on the big screen.
The first time a boy named Rafael Sanchez saw the Mexican luchador El Santo wrestle, he knew what his life mission was—to become his native Dominican Republic’s most famous and celebrated wrestler of all time—pretty heady stuff for a kid with an impossible dream growing up in the 1950’s and 1960’s. And, he fulfilled his dream but it didn’t come easy.
Rafael Sánchez aka Jack Veneno is the Dominican Republic’s most famous and celebrated wrestler of all time. Veneno along with is arch-nemesis, José Manuel Guzmán aka Relámpago Hernández have arrived in the United States via a new film, Veneno. The film follows Veneno (born in 1942) from childhood and through the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, on the popular wrestling show, Lucha Libre Internacional.
Veneno, directed by Tabare Blanchard, produced by Riccardo Bardellino and distributed in the United States by Spanglish Movies, stars award-winning Dominican actor Manny Perez (Homeland, Big Dogs, Hawaii Five-O, The Blacklist). Perez won an Alma Award in 2008, for his performance in the film Bella (2006). In the role of the antagonist is Pepe Sierra (Dinero Facil), along with Richard Douglas (Nueba Yol), Ovandy Camilo (El peor comediante), Riccardo Bardellino (Colao), and Yamile Scheker as Doña Tatica,
The film also showcases how one little boy’s aspirations also became his community’s dream. Jack Veneno is a hero and folklore with so many tales about him spread by his Dominican people, who embraced him as a super hero. Like in most Latino families, Jack revered his mother, Doña Tatica and all his fights were dedicated to her.
According to the New York Times, America has superstar wrestlers like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Ric Flair, only the Dominican Republic can lay claim to the legendary Jack Veneno. No one electrified fans and went “toe to toe with the government.”
Veneno represents the golden era of wrestling, who turned everyone who watched into instant fans of the sport. Not only did he woe his followers, he also represented them later in life as a beloved politician.
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