Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Lamberto Quintero's January 28th.

In the mid 1970's in Culiacan, Sinaloa, there was a man by the name of Lamberto Quintero who was quite powerful. He was a drug boss who was well-respected by all of Culiacan. After Lamberto Quintero was murdered, he became a legend throughout Mexico thanks to a song that was written about him. It was written by Paulino Vargas and the song was covered by many musicians. One musician made the song very popular and his name was Antonio Aguilar. Aguilar's song was so successful that he also being a movie producer/actor, decided to turn the song into a movie.


Lamberto Quintero starts off just like the song does, Lamberto (Antonio Aguilar) and his gatilleros (gunmen) are just driving around in their van, drinking, laughing and just having a good time. One of the gunmen notices a car following them, they try losing the car, but they then pull over, get out of the van and shoot everyone inside the car with their AR-15's. The men inside the car are gatilleros of Lamberto's rival Don Oscar Valderama. Oscar Valderama and his family despise Lamberto and try to murder him several times. Lamberto of course continues to live despite the assassination attempts. He even shows the Valderama's to not underestimate him by sending severed heads to weddings of theirs and blow up their vehicles with bombs that were intended for him. That's pretty much how the movie goes. One person shoots the other and dead people pile up. Lamberto of course ends up dead like the song says so, but his death is avenged perfectly. Also can't forget Lamberto's love interests. He seems to have plenty of those through the entire movie. The real Lamberto was apparently a ladies man, so naturally they had to portray that in the movie.


Antonio Aguilar's Lamberto Quintero is a pretty good movie. Now the movie does break out in music a lot since Antonio Aguilar is a singer, but the songs he sings are not bad at all. They're famous songs of his and to this day they're still played by many of his fans everywhere. Next to a lot of music, the movie surprisingly has a lot of action too. Some of it is pretty bloody. Like I mentioned before, Lamberto Quintero sends a severed head to a wedding of the Valderma's and one of the Valderama's sons (played by a young Sebastian Ligarde) brutally stabs a girlfriend of Lamberto's to death. I also can't forget the guns firing. That happens a lot of course. So many bullets firing & blood splattering. Nice.


I like Lamberto Quintero since it is entertaining all the way through. If you like Mexican crime movies like myself, then this one will whet your appetite for sure.

Check out Lamberto Quintero sometime. Either on DVD, VHS or online streaming.


Since the song is an important part of the movie (duh), I translated the lyrics in English. Not 100% perfect, but it is enough to understand what exactly is said in the song and how more or less the movie goes. Hope it helps!
Song: 

Lyrics (Translated):
It was January 28th, oh how this day hurts me.

A van was chasing Don Lamberto Quintero. They were going to El Salado just for a drive... 

They passed the reedbeds, they were drinking some beer... 

His partner told him, "A van is following us". Lamberto said smiling, "What are the machine guns for?" .

Close to El Salado, two AR-15’s fired. They left one dead, an enemy of Lamberto's. 

Wish this was only a story, but my friends it is all true.

A man who was happy and in love, was talking to his girlfriend. 

He was off guard when the bullets fired. His life was taken away.

Santa Maria Clinic you are my witness.

Two days after his death, bullets fired again. 10 were left dead, for the same reasons.

The bridge that goes to Tierra Blanca, the one that saw it all.

Remember that Lamberto can never be forgotten.

For my part I assure, he's still needed in Culiacan...