- Drug Wars: The Camarena Story
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Drug Wars: The Camarena Story Directed by Brian Gibson Produced by Branko Lustig
Michael MannWritten by Elaine Shannon (non-fiction book)
Rose Schacht
Ann Powell (Part I)
Mel Frohman (Part II)
Christopher Canaan
Michael Mann (story, Part III)
Christopher Canaan
Rose Schacht
Ann Powell (teleplay, Part III)Starring Steven Bauer
Miguel Ferrer
Benicio del Toro
Treat Williams
Craig T. Nelson
Raymond J. BarryMusic by Charles Bernstein Distributed by Artisan Release date(s) January 7, 1990 Running time 240 minutes Language English Drug Wars: The Camarena Story was a 1990 TV mini-series based on Elaine Shannon’s book Desperados and the Time magazine article of the same name. It was directed by Brian Gibson and starred Steven Bauer, Miguel Ferrer, Benicio del Toro, Treat Williams and Craig T. Nelson. It was the second most watched NBC mini-series of the year following The Kennedys and followed up in 1992 with Drug Wars: The Cocaine Cartel starring Dennis Farina.
Contents
Plot
Fact-based story of undercover DEA agent Enrique Camarena (Bauer) who, while stationed in Guadalajara, uncovered a massive marijuana operation in Northern Mexico that led to his death and a remarkable investigation of corruption within the Mexican government.
Three of the principal actors in Drug Wars: The Camarena Story later starred in the Academy Award-winning film Traffic, a film that also deals with the subject of the ongoing drug trade between the United States and Mexico. In a somewhat interesting reversal of roles, in Drug Wars actors Miguel Ferrer and Steven Bauer both play DEA agents while Benicio del Toro plays a drug trafficker; in Traffic, Ferrer and Bauer both play drug traffickers while del Toro plays a Mexican federal narcotics agent.
Cast
Actor Role Steven Bauer Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena Elizabeth Peña Mika Camarena Miguel Ferrer Tony Riva Benicio del Toro Caro Quintero Tony Plana Pavon Reyes Tomas Milian Florentino Ventura Raymond J. Barry Jack Lawn Everett McGill Bob Rawlings Treat Williams Ray Carson Craig T. Nelson Harley Steinmetz Kenny Morrison Enrique Camarena Jr Reception
In his review for The New York Times, John J. O'Connor wrote, "Perhaps not surprisingly, these amoral entrepreneurs provide some of the film's juicier roles. Especially effective is Benicio del Toro as the young, illiterate and flaky Rafael Caro-Quintero".[1] In his review for USA Today, Matt Roush wrote, "For a Michael Mann production, there's surprisingly little flash to Drug Wars. Some interesting camera work to be sure, including the video bits and some heightened use of slow motion, but the miniseries' chief strength is its grit, its anger".[2] Craig MacInnis, in his review for the Toronto Star, wrote, "Interspersed with U.S. network news footage of the real Camarena incident in '85, the dramatic scenes in Drug Wars are never anything less than convincing - just as good propaganda should be".[3]
DVD Release
All three parts originally ran for four hours. The current DVD release features a heavily edited version that runs only 130 minutes.
References
- ^ O'Connor, John J (1990-01-07). "In the Trenches of the Drug Wars". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/07/arts/to-view-in-the-trenches-of-the-drug-wars.html. Retrieved 2010-08-19.
- ^ Roush, Matt (1990-01-05). "Camarena: Stirring drama from the drug war zone". USA Today.
- ^ MacInnis, Craig (1990-01-07). "Drug Wars good propaganda". Toronto Star.
External links
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries (1973–2000) Tom Brown's Schooldays (1973) · Columbo: Double Exposure · Benjamin Franklin (1975) · Upstairs, Downstairs (1976) · Roots (1977) · Holocaust (1978) · Roots: The Next Generations (1979) · Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1980) · Shōgun (1981) · Marco Polo (1982) · Nicholas Nickleby (1983) · Concealed Enemies (1984) · The Jewel in the Crown (1985) · Peter the Great (1986) · A Year in the Life (1987) · The Murder of Mary Phagan (1988) · War and Remembrance (1989) · Drug Wars: The Camarena Story (1990) · Separate But Equal (1991) · A Woman Named Jackie (1992) · Prime Suspect 2 (1993) · Prime Suspect 3 (1994) · Joseph (1995) · Gulliver's Travels (1996) · Prime Suspect 5: Errors Of Judgement (1997) · From the Earth to the Moon (1998) · Hornblower: The Even Chance (1999) · The Corner (2000)
Complete List · (1973–2000) · (2001–2025) Categories:- English-language films
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- American television miniseries
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