El Cid: The Legend
8 /10 2 Votes
Duration | Director Jose Pozo | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date December 19, 2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
El Cid: The Legend (Spanish: El Cid: La leyenda) is a Spanish animated film released on December 19, 2003, written by José Pozo, and based on the historical legend of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, also known as El Cid.
Contents
Plot
The Berber tyrant Ibn Yusuf invades the Muslim Taifa of Zaragoza, as the beginning of his campaign to conquer the entire Iberian peninsula. As a result, Prince Al-Mu'tamin flees to Castile to warn king Ferdinand of Yusuf's invasion.
In Castile, Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar is living a life of privilege as the son of a nobleman. He is best friend with Prince Sancho and is secretly in a romantic relationship with Jimena, the daughter of Count Gormaz. Unfortunately, Gormaz disapproves, and suggests that Jimena should marry the arrogant and self-centered Count Ordoñez. As the royal court receives word that the Almoravids of Zaragoza had crossed the Castilian border, Rodrigo gets the opportunity to accompany Sancho, Ordoñez and Gormaz on a scouting mission. Once they set up camp, Gormaz is ambushed by Al-Mu'tamin and his warriors, but Rodrigo intervenes. Once Al-Mu'tamin gets the chance to speak, he is allowed by Sancho to accompany them back to the palace.
Sometime later, King Ferdinand dies, and the devious and power-hungry Princess Urraca plots to have Sancho killed so that the weak-minded prince Alfonso can be crowned. Gormaz meets with Rodrigo on a balcony, on Jimenas request, where Rodrigo asks for her hand in marriage. Gormaz refuses, and instead challenges Rodrigo to a duel. Rodrigo is hesitant to fight, but when Gormaz insists, he draws his sword. As the two fight, Urraca sends out her lover and servant to assassinate Sancho by stabbing him in the back with a dagger. At the same time, Rodrigo accidentally kills Gormaz. When Jimena witnesses, she vows to never speak to Rodrigo ever again, and he is forced to flee the scene. Later, Alfonso is crowned king, but at the ceremony Rodrigo refuses to kneel before him, and makes Alfonso swear that he had nothing to do with his brother's death. Alfonso does so, but in his rage and humiliation, he banishes Rodrigo without honor.
Music compositions
The principal musical theme of El Cid: The Legend was composed and interpreted by Luis Fonsi. It is called La fuerza del corazón.
They also collaborated with the Spanish rock group Diosa, which had already created music for other Spanish feature films.
Characters
Historical inaccuracies
The left scarred eye was only meant to give Yusuf a threatening and villainous appearance. But like in both reality and the film, his voice is very soft.