Tetro

Written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Tetro is the story of a reunion between brothers in Argentina as they deal with their dysfunctional family as well as the expectations to become geniuses. Told in a film-noir style, the film is an exploration of family dealing with the past and brothers trying to get away from the shadow of their composer father. Starring Vincent Gallo, Alden Ehrenreich, Maribel Verdu, Klaus Maria Brandauer, Rodrigo de la Serna, and Carmen Maura. Tetro is a ravishing and provocative film from Francis Ford Coppola.

The film follows a reunion between two brothers in Buenos Aires where they deal with the direction their lives had been in as well as being estranged from their renowned composer father who had made it hard for one of the brothers to succeed as a writer. It’s a film that explores the expectations of a family and the rivalries that was put upon for generations of families to succeed and outdo the previous generation as these two brothers not only deal with the past but also their own relationship. Francis Ford Coppola’s screenplay follow the lives of these two brothers as the 18-year old Bennie Tetrocini (Alden Ehrenreich) arrives to Buenos Aires having learned his older brother in Angelo (Vincent Gallo) has been living there for years under a new name in Tetro where he lives with a former nurse in Miranda (Maribel Verdu) he met when he was hospitalized.

The script showcase the tension between the brothers who hadn’t seen each other in years as Tetro was poised to become this great writer but went insane as he prefers to do lighting for a local theatre. Bennie has heard about a book that Tetro had been trying to write but it is believed to be gone until Bennie found it as it was written in code as it would prompt him to try and fix it while giving Tetro credit. Tetro doesn’t know what Bennie has discovered during the film’s first half as he has a hard time dealing with Bennie’s presence as well as news about their father Carlo Tetrocini (Klaus Maria Brandauer) who is rumored to be ill but Tetro wants to hear nothing about his father. The film’s second half revolves around what Bennie is creating as well as what he does to Tetro’s work which is based on Tetro’s own life as a child which includes the death of his mother and how he lost his girlfriend to his father who would eventually become Bennie’s mother.

Coppola’s direction is definitely stylish for not just setting the film almost entirely in Buenos Aires and shoot much of it in black-and-white in a film-noir visual style. It’s also for the fact that he gives the film a tone that does look like a film from the past though it’s set in modern-day Argentina. While Coppola would use some wide shots for some of the locations, many of his compositions rely on style in the way he would put his actors into a frame or to focus on a certain object on a table as it play into this world that is quite surreal but also entrancing. Much of the film is shot in a 2:35:1 aspect ratio yet Coppola would shoot some flashbacks relating to Tetro’s early life in a different aspect ratio as well as being presented in a colorful yet straightforward photography style. It would play into a world that felt normal but also unsettling as Tetro would reflect on these moments with sadness and anger. The usage of color photography would play into surreal yet theatrical sequences as it would reimagine a few things in Tetro’s life as well as Bennie’s own interpretations of these events during the third act. The sequences are obviously inspired by the films of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger in The Red Shoes and The Tales of Hoffmann as they’re both referenced in a scene.

The direction also has Coppola use some unique camera angles for some scenes as well as create something that is playful in the way Bennie reacts toward some of his surroundings. Especially as Coppola would create something where it is obvious where it’s going but it’s more about the aftermath as well as everything Tetro and Bennie had been through. Coppola’s wide and medium shots would capture so much as well as some of the plays that are presented including an offbeat take on Faust to show a world that Tetro is reluctant to be involved in while Bennie knows he can contribute to that world. Notably as he would have a chance for him and Tetro to get out of the large shadow cast by their father in the hope that the next generation of Tetrocini would make something of their own and not give in to expectations. Overall, Coppola creates a rapturous film about two brothers reuniting to deal with the massive expectations of their artistic family.

Cinematographer Mihai Malaimare Jr. does incredible work with the film’s cinematography from the noir-like black-and-white photography style for much of the film with its rich approach to light and shadows to the more colorful look of the flashback scenes. Editor Walter Murch does excellent work with the editing as it is stylized with its approach to jump-cuts and other cutting styles to play into the offbeat yet entrancing tone of the film. Production designer Sebastian Orgambide, with set decorator Paulina Lopez Meyer and art director Federico Garcia Cambero, does brilliant work with the look of Tetro’s apartment that he shares with Miranda as well as the stage sets for the plays that Tetro is lighting.

Costume designer Cecilia Monti does fantastic work with the costumes from the clothes worn for the play as well as some of the clothes the characters would wear at social gatherings. Visual effects supervisors Ryan Bozajian and Viktor Muller do superb work with the visual effects as it relates to a few scenes for some of the exteriors as well as the fantasy-play scenes. Sound editor Juan Ferro does amazing work with the sound as it play into the atmosphere of the some of the locations as well as the sound effects in the play and other aspects in the fantasy scenes. The film’s music by Osvaldo Golijov is phenomenal for its mixture of Argentine tango and folk music with some orchestral elements as it play into the world of Argentina while the music soundtrack would also include some classical and opera music that play into Tetro’s past.

The casting by Walter Rippel is great as it feature some notable small roles from TV talk show host Susana Gimenez as herself, Francesca De Sapio as Tetro and Bennie’s sister Amalia, Ximena Maria Iacono as Bennie’s mother Naomi from a flashback, Lucas Di Conza as the young Tetro, Adriana Mastrangelo as Tetro’s mother, Erica Rivas as Jose’s girlfriend Ana, and Mike Amigorena as the theater director Abelrado as someone Tetro somewhat despises for actually being successful in creating mediocre plays. Rodrigo de la Serna is superb as the theater owner Jose who is a friend of Tetro as he tries to ensure that Tetro doesn’t cause any trouble while Leticia Bredice is wonderful as the actress Josefina as someone who if full of life and charm as she is also Jose’s lover. Sofia Gala is terrific as Josefina’s niece Maria Luisa who would take part in Bennie’s play as she would also become his lover later in the film. Carmen Maura is excellent as the famed art critic known as Alone as this enigmatic woman whose opinion matters as she was a mentor to Tetro as she is someone that looks and feels important as it’s just a fun performance from Maura.

Klaus Maria Brandauer is fantastic in a dual role as Bennie and Tetro’s father Carlo Tetrocini and their uncle Alfie as Brandauer provides this sense of importance and bravado as Carlo as a man who is this great composer while Brandauer provides a more low-key performance as Carlo’s twin brother Alfie. Maribel Verdu is amazing as Miranda as a former nurse who is Tetro’s girlfriend as Verdu provides a maternal warmth towards Bennie as well as being someone who is aware of the secrets Tetro is hiding but knows when she needs to step in. Alden Ehrenreich is brilliant as Bennie as an 18-year old cruise waiter who arrives to Buenos Aires to meet his estranged brother as he would try to learn about why his brother disappeared while learning more about his family and the book that his brother never finished. Finally, there’s Vincent Gallo in an incredible performance as the titular character as this once-promising writer who succumbed to madness as he is trying to stray from that life while carrying some dark family secrets where Gallo displays this sense of anguish in him while not being afraid to be unlikeable.

Tetro is a spectacular film from Francis Ford Coppola that feature great performances from Vincent Gallo, Alden Ehrenreich, and Maribel Verdu. Along with its gorgeous cinematography, top-notch art direction, sumptuous music score, and a compelling story on family legacies and the shadows cast by previous generations. It’s a film that showcases two men trying to re-forge their bond as brothers and deal with the troubled legacy of their family. In the end, Tetro is a sensational film from Francis Ford Coppola.

Francis Ford Coppola Films: (Tonight for Sure) – (The Bellboy and the Playgirls) – Dementia 13 - (You’re a Big Boy Now) – (Finian’s Rainbow) – (The Rain People) – The Godfather - The Conversation - The Godfather Pt. II - Apocalypse Now/Apocalypse Now Redux - One from the Heart - The Outsiders – Rumble Fish - The Cotton Club – (Peggy Sue Got Married) – (Garden of Stone) – (Tucker: The Man & His Dreams) – New York Stories-Life Without Zoe - The Godfather Pt. III - Bram Stoker's Dracula - (Jack) – (The Rainmaker) – (Youth Without Youth) – (Twixt)

© thevoid99 2017

Law of Desire

Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, La ley del deseo (Law of Desire) is the story of a complicated love triangle between a homosexual filmmaker, his transsexual sister, and an obsessive stalker. The film is an exploration into not just homosexual love but also transsexuality as the film showcases Almodovar creating something that mixes melodrama with the edginess of his early work. Starring Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura, Eusebio Poncela, Bibi Andersen, and Miguel Molina. La ley del deseo is a ravishing yet intensely-gripping film from Pedro Almodovar.

The film explores a very complicated affair between a revered homosexual filmmaker and a stalker whose sick obsession would lead into trouble as it would also involve the filmmaker’s transsexual sister. It’s a film that plays not into just obsession but also a man who has put himself into this troubling relationship as he’s in love with another man who has gone on a holiday. Meanwhile, his sister Tina (Carmen Maura), who was once his brother, is trying to make it as an actress while taking care of their niece Ada (Manuela Velasco) whose mother (Bibi Andersen) is away in Japan. For Pablo Quintero (Eusebio Poncela), his relationship with Antonio (Antonio Banderas) starts to become overwhelming where Pablo would write letters to Antonio as a woman so that Antonio’s mother (Helga Line) would believe that her son is straight. Unfortunately, things become complicated as writer/director Pedro Almodovar creates something that is this wild mix of melodrama with suspense as well as dark humor.

The film’s screenplay not only showcases an affair that becomes chaotic but also a woman’s life as she is looking for something good in her life while caring for her niece as they’re both seeking some form of spiritual comfort. Tina is a woman who has been locking up a secret that her brother doesn’t want to know as she tries to live a life without a man with the exception of Pablo. Pablo’s relationship with Antonio is really a fling as he’s trying to work on a script for a new film yet remains devoted to his lover Juan (Miguel Molina). Once Antonio finds out about Juan, troubles brew as Almodovar would present this in a very melodramatic yet eerie style that is dark but also would push Pablo into facing his own faults. Especially as it’s third act forces him to deal with his consequences over his relationship with Antonio and how it nearly destroyed his own relationship with Tina.

Almodovar’s direction is filled with style not just in terms of the compositions he creates but also in the mood. The way he opens the film where a young man is masturbating is a showcase of what is to come from Almodovar as there this air of shock value. Much of it involves some racy sex scenes between two men which was very out there during the mid-1980s in the age of AIDS yet Almodovar doesn’t go too far but rather showcase a sense of passion in the relationship between Pablo and Antonio. The character of Tina is another aspect of the film that is quite daring since she is this transsexual character who thinks of herself as a woman but if she’s going to be in a fight. She’ll fight like a man and don’t care if she gets hit as there is that complexity to the character.

Much of Almodovar’s compositions are very entrancing from the slow pans on the dolly camera that he creates as well some unique camera angles and wide shots to present this lush world that is Madrid in its discos, cinemas, theaters, and clothing boutiques to present something that is very lively. Yet, there is that element of darkness and danger that occurs in the third act as its climax is very chilling but also very ambiguous over what is happening and such. Overall, Almodovar creates a very rich yet haunting film about a filmmaker coming to terms with himself and the people he surrounds himself with.

Cinematographer Angel Luis Fernandez does brilliant work with the film‘s very colorful cinematography from the way some of the nighttime exteriors are shot as well as some of the interior lighting as well as the vibrancy of Madrid and other locations in Spain. Editor Jose Salcedo does amazing work in creating some unique cutting style from split-screens as well as rhythmic cuts and dissolves to play into the drama and suspense. Art director Javier Fernandez and set decorator Ramon Moya do fantastic work with the look of Pablo’s apartment as well as the religious shrine that Tina and Ada pray to along with the theatrical sets that Tina would perform in.

Costume designer Jose Maria de Cossio does excellent work with the costumes from the shirt that Pablo and Antonio would wear to the clothes that Tina would wear including a Betty Boop t-shirt she and Ada would wear as pajamas. The sound work of Jim Willis is superb for some of the atmosphere of the locations as well as the use of voiceovers that often occur whenever Pablo is writing. The film’s music by Bernardo Bonezzi is terrific for its mixture of Spanish-based balladry with some orchestral music as the soundtrack includes some classical pieces and Spanish ballads that play into the film’s drama.

The film’s wonderful cast includes some notable small roles from Rossy de Palma as a TV interviewer, Victoria Abril as a girlfriend of Juan, Nacho Martinez as a sympathetic doctor that helps Tina and Pablo, Fernando Guillen and Fernando Guillen Cuervo as a father-son police team, Helga Line as Antonio’s mother, and Bibiana Fernandez (in her Bibi Andersen alias) as Ada’s often-absent mother. Manuela Velasco is very good as Tina and Pablo’s niece Ada who always seek some spiritual answers while preferring the company of Tina and Pablo than her mother. Miguel Molina is terrific as Pablo’s lover Juan who goes on a holiday to find himself while dealing with the state of their relationship as he would eventually cause a schism between Pablo and Antonio.

Carmen Maura is phenomenal as Tina as this transsexual actress who deals with her identity as she wants to become an actress while dealing with the work that her brother is writing as it’s a role that is quite ballsy but also one that exudes femininity as it’s one of Maura’s great performances. Eusebio Poncela is brilliant as Tina’s brother Pablo Quintero as this filmmaker who writes about the struggles of women and homosexuality as he tries to juggle his own relationships as well as how his work sometimes cause tension between himself and Tina. Finally, there’s Antonio Banderas in a remarkable performance as Antonio as this very troubled and obsessive stalker who is in love with Pablo yet couldn’t deal with sharing Pablo with anyone else as it’s a very dangerous and intense performance from Banderas as well as one of highlights in his collaboration with Almodovar.

La ley del deseo is an incredible film from Pedro Almodovar that is highlighted by the top-tier performances of Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura, and Eusebio Poncela. The film isn’t just one of Almodovar’s quintessential films but also one of his darkest and most dangerous as it showcases what he can in explore transsexuality and homosexuality. In the end, La ley del deseo is a lurid yet sensational film from Pedro Almodovar.

Pedro Almodovar Films: Pepi, Luci, Bom - Labyrinth of Passion - Dark Habits - What Have I Done to Deserve This? - Matador - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - The Flower of My Secret - Live Flesh - All About My Mother - Talk to Her - Bad Education - Volver - Broken Embraces - The Skin I Live In - I'm So Excited - Julieta - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

The Auteurs #37: Pedro Almodovar Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2014

Matador (1986 film)

Directed by Pedro Almodovar and written by Almodovar and Jesus Ferrero, Matador is the story of a matador student who confesses to a murder that he didn’t commit as forces beyond his control involving other people start to unfold about the real mysteries of the murder. The film is a dark exploration into the world of faith, sex, and death as it plays into the complicated world of a retired matador, his student, his young lover, and the student’s defense attorney in this strange yet complex story. Starring Antonio Banderas, Assumpta Serna, Carmen Maura, Eva Cobo, Eusebio Poncela, Julieta Serrano, Chus Lampreave, Veronica Forque, and Nacho Martinez. Matador is a mesmerizing and offbeat film from Pedro Almodovar.

The film is this very unconventional mystery that is driven by a young yet repressed matador student whose attempt to rape a model has him confessing to a series of mysterious murders. Yet, it’s a film that plays into a world of sexuality and death as the film opens with these very chilling scenes of death where a man is masturbating to images of murders while a woman would kill her lover with a hairpin. It sets the tone for what is coming as Angel (Antonio Banderas) desires to be a matador but he is repressed sexually as well as in other things due to his more traditional upbringing by his mother (Julietta Serrano). That repression and his attempted rape on Eva (Eva Cobo) would send Angel into an uncertainty while his confession gets the attention of his matador teacher/Eva’s boyfriend Diego Montez (Nacho Martinez) and a defense attorney in Maria Cardenal (Assumpta Serna) who would take Angel’s case to see if she can help him.

The film’s screenplay has a very odd structure where the first act is about Angel trying to prove his manhood to Diego who questioned him if he was gay. In his attempt to prove his manhood by raping Eva, it would only show how repressed and lost he is through his own upbringing as his mother’s prompting to confess to his priest would only cause Angel to become lost in his guilt. The second act involves not just Diego and Maria as they try to figure out the case but also their own encounter with each other as there is this very unlikely attraction. Maria is a fan of Diego’s time as a bullfighter while it is clear that there is something about them that is off causing the detective (Eusebio Poncela) to wonder if Angel knows something as he asks the criminal psychologist Julia (Carmen Maura) to help. The film’s third act would involve Eva, who is deeply in love with Angel, where she not only learns about the true nature of the murder as Angel in his own troubled state would also make some revelations into the truth.

Pedro Almodovar’s direction definitely has a degree of style in not just his approach to framing but also in the mood he conveys as he definitely brings in elements of surrealism and melodrama into the film. Especially in the latter as there’s a scene where Diego and Maria find themselves in a movie theater watching the ending of King Vidor’s Duel in the Sun as it showcased the desire they would have for each other later on. Much of the direction has Almodovar use a lot of smooth dolly pans to create a mood with its wide and medium shots to play into the worlds that Diego and Maria live in as well as the more oppressed environment of Angel. The themes of faith are quite evident in the film as it relates to Angel and his mother as she is this old-school traditionalist who would pressure Angel to always answer to God as he starts to lose himself mentally. Angel’s mother is a very sharp contrast to Eva’s more liberal mother (Chus Lampreave) who is an artist as she is more in tune with is happening while Angel’s mother convinced that her son has sinned.

There is also a dangerous approach to sexuality in the way the film begins where a man masturbates to images of murder as well as a woman killing a man while having sex. It’s among the aspects in Almodovar’s direction that plays to elements of extreme where its climax takes that sexual extreme to another level. Once the sex is mixed in with this gruesome idea of violence as it relates to the art of bullfighting, it plays into not just the unraveling of the mystery but also into a world that doesn’t really make much sense as far as what Eva and Angel are concerned since they come from two very disparate backgrounds. Overall, Almodovar creates a very dark yet evocative film about people’s desires and their own sense of emotional and sexual repression.

Cinematographer Angel Luis Fernandez does brilliant work with the film‘s very vibrant and stylish cinematography to capture the lush look of red as well as some of the colorful exteriors in some of the film‘s locations in Madrid along with some of its lighting in its interior scenes. Editor Jose Salcedo does amazing work in creating some stylish cuts from the use of dissolves for a surreal sequence involving Angel as well as jump-cuts to play into its suspense and drama. Production designer Fernando Sanchez, with set decorators Roman Arango, Pin Morales, and Josep Rosell, does fantastic work with the look of the home that Diego lives and teaches as well as the more stylish world that Eva and her mother lives in.

Costume designer Jose Maria de Cossio does incredible work with the costumes where he uses red to help with the look of the film a dress that Eva wears as well as the clothes that Maria wears in the film. The sound work of Bernard Ortion is superb for some of the sound effects that is created as well as the sparseness in some of the moments such as Diego displaying his moves despite his career-ending injury. The film’s music by Bernardo Bonezzi is phenomenal for its chilling score that mixes orchestral music with some flamenco as well as some eerie electronic pieces to play into its suspense and drama.

The film’s great cast includes some cameo appearances from Pedro Almodovar as a fashion designer, his brother Agustin as a cop, Bibiana Fernandez as a flower vendor, Veronica Forque as a fashion reporter, Carmen Maura as a police psychologist who falls for Angel, and Eusebio Poncela in a terrific performance as the detective who leads the investigation as he often is baffled by the behavior of women. Julietta Serrano and Chus Lampreave are wonderful in their respective roles as the mothers of Angel and Eva as they bring in polarizing ideas about motherhood and morals where the former is very strict while the latter is more outgoing. Eva Cobo is excellent as the model Eva who has a very lovesick obsession towards Diego despite their age difference as she also endures being raped by Angel despite his naivete.

Antonio Banderas is fantastic as Angel as this young matador student who starts to unravel mentally due to his oppressive upbringing and desire to prove that he’s a man as it’s a performance told with such restraint and sensitivity. Nacho Martinez is superb as the very masculine yet repressed Diego as this once-great matador who teaches his students the art of killing a bull as it plays to a sense of melancholia that would later be shadowed by something much darker. Finally, there’s Assumpta Serna in an exhilarating performance as Angel’s lawyer Maria Cardenal as this woman who is quite offbeat as she wants to prove that Angel is innocent as she also has this obsession about Diego that showcases a darker side of her that would attract Diego.

Matador is a ravishing yet visceral film from Pedro Almodovar. Armed with a great cast led by Assumpta Serna, Nacho Martinez, and Antonio Banderas as well as a fantastic score. The film is definitely one of Almodovar’s early triumphs as well as one of his most dangerous and provocative films that explores the world of oppression and extreme sexuality. In the end, Matador is a remarkable film from Pedro Almodovar.

Pedro Almodovar Films: Pepi, Luci, Bom - Labyrinth of Passion - Dark Habits - What Have I Done to Deserve This? - Law of Desire - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - The Flower of My Secret - Live Flesh - All About My Mother - Talk to Her - Bad Education - Volver - Broken Embraces - The Skin I Live In - I'm So Excited - Julieta - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

The Auteurs #37: Pedro Almodovar Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2014

What Have I Done to Deserve This?

Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, Que he hacho yo para merecer esto? (What Have I Done to Deserve This?) is the story of a middle-class housewife who has a family filled with eccentric people as she tries to maintain a sense of normalcy in her life. The film is a mixture of melodrama and humor as it plays into a woman trying to make sense of the world that she lives in. Starring Carmen Maura, Angel de Andres Lopez, Veronica Forque, and Gonzalo Suarez. Que he hacho you para merecer esto? is an engrossing yet sensational film from Pedro Almodovar.

The film explores the life of a housewife who lives in a cramped apartment with her husband, her mother-in-law, and two teenage sons as she works cleaning houses for a living as money is tight and things are becoming chaotic. While it’s a film that has some humor, it’s mostly a melodrama in the vein of a lot of different styles as Pedro Almodovar creates a story that has a woman dealing with the world that she’s in. For the character of Gloria (Carmen Maura), she fantasizes about having a life outside of her eccentric family that consists of her unhappy mother-in-law (Chus Lampreave), a homosexual son in Miguel (Miguel Angel Herraz), her older son in drug dealer Toni (Juan Martinez), and her husband Antonio (Angel de Andres Lopez) who used to work as a chauffer for a revered German singer as he’s also a talented forger. The activities of Antonio, her sons, and her mother-in-law have Gloria feel unappreciated and overworked as the only friend she has is her neighbor in the prostitute Cristal (Veronica Forque).

The film’s screenplay features a lot of subplots involving Toni’s deals and his relationship with his grandmother as he helps her wanting to go back to her home village as he will join her. Other subplots involve Miguel’s sexual exploits as he often gets the attraction of older men, Antonio’s schemes with a writer in Lucas Villalba (Gonzalo Suarez) involving the memoirs of Adolf Hitler as he’s also a client of Cristal, and a neighbor (Kiti Manver) who abuses her telekinetic daughter Vanessa (Sonia Hohmann). All of which plays into Gloria’s desire for something better as well as questioning herself into why is she living this very chaotic life where her husband always spend their money on bullshit. Though the script doesn’t have much of a plot, it is more of a character study into Gloria’s life as she is eager for something normal as it would take some drastic steps for her to find that normalcy.

Almodovar’s direction is pretty simple in terms of the compositions he creates as it mostly focuses on medium shots and close-ups with a few wide shots of the city of Madrid and its locations. Much of it is set in this apartment complex where Gloria, her family, and her neighbors live in as it’s quite cramped in some parts as it would represent the sense of repression in Gloria’s life. Some of it would be humorous as well as filled with some eccentricities where Gloria would watch Cristal having sex with a client while they’re having a conversation. Some of the compositions that Almodovar creates does play into melodrama in the way he places Gloria into a frame as it plays to not just her growing frustrations with the world but with herself. Much of it has Almodovar paying homage to American melodramas while infusing it with some visual motifs inspired by the French New Wave and the films of Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Particularly as its climax would involve Gloria not only getting some resolution about her life but also the sense of hope that her family will be able to appreciate her and help her. Overall, Almodovar crafts a very intelligent and compelling film about the chaotic life of a housewife in Madrid.

Cinematographer Angel L. Fernandez does excellent work with the film‘s colorful cinematography from the lighting schemes in Cristal‘s apartment as well as the more low-key look for the interiors in Gloria‘s apartment. Editor Jose Salcedo does nice work with the editing as it‘s mostly straightforward while it has some flairs of style with its jump-cuts for some of its melodramatic scenes. Set decorators Roman Arango and Pin Morales do amazing work with the look of Gloria‘s apartment as it features posters of the band Kiss in her son‘s room as well as the more lavish look in Cristal‘s apartment.

Costume designer Cecilia Roth does terrific work with the costumes from the wild clothes of Cristal to the more plain clothes that Gloria wears. Sound recording engineer Enrique Molinero does superb work with the sound to create some effects and such to play into some of the drama. The film’s music by Bernardo Bonezzi is fantastic for its mixture of orchestral themes to play into the melodrama with some electronic-based music for its humor and suspense.

The film’s cast includes some cameo appearances from Pedro Almodovar as an actor singing on a film set and Cecilia Roth as a woman in a coffee commercial. Other notable small roles include Kiti Manver as Gloria and Cristal’s cruel neighbor Juani, Sonia Hohmann as Juani’s telekinetic daughter Vanessa, Amparo Soler Leal as Lucas’ wife Patricia, and Katia Lortiz as a once-famous German singer whom Antonio used to be a chauffer for. Miguel Angel Herraz and Juan Martinez are terrific in their respective roles as Gloria’s teenage sons in the openly-gay Miguel and the more adventurous drug dealer Toni. Gonzalo Suarez is excellent as the writer Lucas Villalba who conspires with Antonio to forge some handwritten pieces from Adolf Hitler for a memoir while Chus Lampreave is hilarious as Gloria’s mother-in-law who always talks about her village and hiding things like her mineral water and Magdalena cakes.

Angel de Andres Lopez is amazing as Gloria’s very selfish husband Antonio who always spend whatever he and Gloria earns while often singing German opera as he seems indifferent to what his sons do or how hard his wife work. Veronica Forque is fantastic as Cristal as an aspiring actress who works as a prostitute as she often helps out Gloria while is very close with Toni as it’s a performance that has more substance than the usual hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold caricature. Finally, there’s Carmen Maura in tremendous performance as Gloria as a woman who wants to escape from her chaotic family life while questioning her worth as it’s a very chilling yet mesmerizing performance from the actress as it’s definitely one of her best.

Que he hacho you para merecer esto? is an excellent film from Pedro Almodovar that features a phenomenal performance from Carmen Maura. Not only is it one of Almodovar’s most enduring homages to cinema but also a unique portrait of a woman trying to make sense of her life. In the end, Que he hacho you para merecer esto? is a marvelous film from Pedro Almodovar.

Pedro Almodovar Films: Pepi, Luci, Bom - Labyrinth of Passion - Dark Habits - Matador - Law of Desire - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - The Flower of My Secret - Live Flesh - All about My Mother - Talk to Her - Bad Education - Volver - Broken Embraces - The Skin I Live In - I'm So Excited! - Julieta - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

The Auteurs #37: Pedro Almodovar Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2014

Dark Habits

Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, Entre tinieblas (Dark Habits) is the story about a cabaret singer who finds refuge in a convent filled with eccentric nuns. The film is an exploration into the world of the Catholic church as well as growing sense of moral bankruptcy that is emerging in Spain as it’s all presented in a satirical form. Starring Cristina Sanchez Pascual, Julietta Serrano, Carmen Maura, Chus Lampreave, Cecilia Roth, and Marisa Paredes. Entre tinieblas is a ravishing film from Pedro Almodovar.

The film is this very offbeat story about a cabaret singer who seeks refuge at a convent following the drug overdose death of her boyfriend. At this convent that is going through financial trouble, it is run by nuns who each carry bad habits as they try to help others redeem themselves while struggling with their own habits. Leading the pack is a Mother Superior (Julietta Serrano) who is a lesbian that likes to do cocaine and heroin as she lives in the convent with a chaplain (Manuel Zaro) who likes to sew elaborate robes with a nun named Sister Snake (Lina Canalejas). Other nuns include the neat-freak Sister Damned (Carmen Maura) who has a pet tiger, a former murderess who likes to cook and do LSD occasionally named Sister Manure (Marisa Paredes), and an aging nun named Sister Sewer Rat (Chus Lampreave) who secretly writes smutty novels. It’s all part of a world that is removed from society as these women try to maintain some semblance of faith in a changing world.

Pedro Almodovar’s screenplay doesn’t just explore a sense of moral bankruptcy in Spain but also a world where the Catholic Church seems to find ways to maintain some relevancy in a new world but there are those that prevent some nuns from trying to be a part of the new world. Mother Superior and her convent knows what is going on yet they’re dealing with their old General Mother Superior dying as well as the possible clothing of their own convent. By taking in the singer Yolanda (Christina Sanchez Pascual), it gives the nuns a chance to help someone yet Yolanda and the Mother Superior share an affinity for cocaine and heroin. One aspect of the script that serves as motivation for the nuns to try and save their convent involves dealing with their late benefactor’s wife (Mary Carrillo) who has no interest in saving the convent until Mother Superior would gain information about the woman’s late daughter that she would use as blackmail.

Almodovar’s direction has this air of style that recalls the works of such filmmakers as Robert Bresson, Luis Bunuel, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Federico Fellini, and Douglas Sirk in not just his approach to melodrama but also in the way he is willing to provoke ideas. Notably in the way he has the nuns behave in a casual manner that is very offbeat as well as create something that is akin to the melodramas of Sirk and Fassbinder. The direction also has Almodovar create some intoxicating imagery that is rich with dazzling colors and lighting schemes to play into this strange world the nuns live in that seems to reflect some of the craziness that goes on in Madrid. With its approach to tracking and dolly shots along with some high and low camera angles, there is a fluidity to what Almodovar wants to do as well as create something that is low-key yet sensationalistic in a climatic party that the nuns hold for Mother Superior that would have face her new superior. It would be a moment where the fate of Yolanda and the nuns would come into play as it would be told in the form of classic melodrama. Overall, Almodovar crafts an evocative and powerful film about a convent of nuns trying to find themselves in a new world.

Cinematographer Angel Luis Fernandez does phenomenal work with the film‘s gorgeous and colorful cinematography from the exotic vibrancy of many of the film‘s daytime interior scenes to some of the scenes set at night to play into the richness of the colors with additional help from some unique lighting schemes. Editor Jose Salcedo does amazing work with the film‘s editing with its use of jump-cuts, montages, and dissolves to play into a sense of style that has an element of surrealism in some parts of the film such as Sister Manure‘s acid trips. Production designers Roman Arango and Pin Morales, with set decorator Antonio Lopez, do fantastic work with set pieces from the look of the room that Yolanda stays in to the main hall of the convent as well as the decorations for the climatic party scene.

Costume designers Francis Montesinos and Teresa Nieto do brilliant work with the costumes from the look of the nun uniforms to the lavish robes that the Chaplain and Sister Snake create that Yolanda would wear. The sound work of Armin Fausten and Martin Muller is superb for the intimacy that occurs in the convent as well as the sense of vibrancy in the party scenes. The music by Cam Espana is wonderful for its mixture of somber orchestral pieces to the use of sentimental pop songs that Yolanda and the Mother Superior love.

The film’s cast includes some noteworthy small performances from Marisa Tejada as a drug dealing-friend of Mother Superior, Eva Siva as Sister Sewer Rat’s rich sister, Will More as Yolanda’s boyfriend at the beginning of the film, and Cecilia Roth as a former lover of Mother Superior who briefly returns due to trouble. Other notable small roles include Berta Riaza as the new General Mother Superior who appears late in the film, Mary Carrillo as the benefactor’s wife who isn’t interested in funding the convent, Manuel Zaro as the convent’s Chaplain who loves to sew and watch old films, and Lina Canalejas as Sister Snake who is a master at sewing as she tries to keep the peace within the convent.

Chus Lampreave is amazing as the very comical Sister Sewer Rat as this aging nun who tries to keep her secret writing life a secret while doing odd things. Carmen Maura is excellent as Sister Damned as this very eccentric neat-freak who likes to feed and play bongos to her pet tiger whom she refers to as her son. Cristina Sanchez Pascual is terrific as the very troubled cabaret singer Yolanda who deals with the death of her boyfriend as well as her addiction as she tries to find redemption. Marisa Paredes is brilliant as the very troubled Sister Manure as this very destructive woman who likes to walk barefoot on broken glass, cook, and drop acid as she is someone trying to atone for her own sins. Finally, there’s Julietta Serrano in a marvelous performance as the Mother Superior as this drug-taking lesbian who falls in love with Yolanda as she tries to help her as well as do whatever it takes to save her convent as it’s a pretty wild performance from the actress.

Entre tinieblas is a remarkable film from Pedro Almodovar that features brilliant performances from his group of regular actresses in Julietta Serrano, Marisa Parades, Chus Lampreave, and Carmen Maura. The film is definitely stylish in terms of its colorful imagery and set pieces as well as being provocative in the way it takes a few shots at religion and society. In the end, Entre tinieblas is a gorgeous and sensational film from Pedro Almodovar.

Pedro Almodovar Films: Pepi, Luci, Bom - Labyrinth of Passion - What Have I Done to Deserve This? - Matador - Law of Desire - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - The Flower of My Secret - Live Flesh - All About My Mother - Talk to Her - Bad Education - Volver - Broken Embraces - The Skin I Live In - I'm So Excited! - Julieta - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

The Auteurs #37: Pedro Almodovar Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2014

Pepi, Luci, Bom

Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, Pepi, Luci, Bom, y otras chicas del monton (Pepi, Luci, Bom, and Other Girls on the Heap) is the story about the friendship of three different women who live very different lives as they try to help each other. The film marks the feature-film debut of Pedro Almodovar as it is all told in a comedic style that would become a definitive trademark of Almodovar’s early work. Starring Carmen Maura, Eva Siva, and Olvido “Alaska” Gara. Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del monton is a weird yet exciting film from Pedro Almodovar.

The film explores the lives of three different women in Madrid during the post-Franco La Movida Madrilena period in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The three women come together as part of a revenge scheme against an abusive police officer as they would later be part of a new and exciting world in Madrid where they delve into drugs and all sorts of excitement. What makes the film so unique are the different personalities of the women in the story. Pepi (Carmen Maura) is an independent woman who wants to become an artist as she grows marijuana plants in her apartment. Luci (Eva Siva) is the masochistic housewife of a corrupt policeman who enjoys beatings as she is seeking an escape from her dreary home life. Bom (Olvido “Alaska” Gara) is a young punk singer eager to make it as she falls for Luci where the two have a strange relationship.

Pedro Almodovar’s script is very loose where there isn’t much plot other than Pepi wanting to seek revenge on Luci’s husband (Felix Rotaeta) for raping her over her marijuana plants. Bom would help Pepi in the revenge scheme but things don’t go well over a case of mistaken identity as Luci becomes involved where her relationship with Bom becomes this unconventional masochistic relationship. In the course of the film, a lot of partying as well as Pepi getting a job in advertisement, after her father cuts her finances, would play into the lives of these women finding themselves as women and as individuals.

Almodovar’s direction is pretty loose as it’s shot on 16mm film blown-up into 35mm where it does have a unique style that recalls the style of John Cassavetes as well as the colorful look of Federico Fellini. That approach to loose filmmaking where it feels like it’s shot entirely in the urban areas of Madrid and in the actual city where it has a verite style in some respects but also an element of camp to play into this this very lively post-Franco period of Spain. The campiness just doesn’t play into some of the ideas that Pepi would create in the commercials but also in some of the misadventures the three women encounter. There’s also elements of very bawdy behavior and gross-out moments that is obviously inspired by John Waters as it plays to the masochistic relationship between Luci and Bom which amps up the film’s humor. Overall, Almodovar creates a very flourishing and lively film about three women living in a new world in post-Franco Spain.

Cinematographer Paco Femenia does nice work with the film‘s colorful yet grainy 16mm look of the film for much of its daytime and nighttime exterior scenes. Editor Jose Salcedo does excellent work with the editing by emphasizing on style with some jump-cuts and a few inter-title cards to play into the film‘s structure. Costume designer Manuela Camacho does fantastic work with the lavish look of the film to play into the women and the new world they‘re in as opposed to the more conservative look of Luci‘s husband.

The makeup work of Juan Farsac is wonderful as it plays into that lavish world the women are in. The sound work of Miguel Angel Polo is terrific for some of the sound effects that is created as well as some of the post-dubbing voices to play into its humor. The film’s music by Alaska y los Pegamoides is superb as it plays into that world of new wave and punk that often dominates the film along with some flamenco and classical music in the film.

The film’s cast would include and appearance from Almodovar as a host of a penis-erection contest along with other future Almodovar collaborators like Cecilia Roth as a commercial actress, Julietta Serrano as a theater actress dressed like Scarlett O’Hara, Kiti Manver as a singer/model the ladies meet late in the film, and Fabio McNamara as a transvestite named Roxy. Concha Gregori is terrific as Luci’s neighbor Charito who has feelings for Luci’s brother-in-law Juan whom she has never properly met while Felix Rotaeta is wonderfully slimy in a dual role as Luci’s very abusive husband and his very innocent twin brother.

Olvido “Alaska” Gara is excellent as the very abrasive yet determined punk singer Bom who falls for Luci while becoming unsure about the sadomasochistic relationship. Eva Siva is brilliant as the masochistic housewife Luci who finds pleasure in being beaten as she falls for Bom while being part of a new and vibrant world that she is unaware about. Finally, there’s Carmen Maura in a dazzling performance as Pepi as this very independent woman seeking to find herself in a new world she’s glad to be a part of while helping out her friends find their own direction as it’s truly a fun performance from Maura.

Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del monton is a stellar yet lively film from Pedro Almodovar. Thanks to its cast and campy presentation, it is a film that plays into that world of post-Franco Spain and the emergence of freedom that was emerging for all sorts of people. In the end, Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del monton is a dazzling film from Pedro Almodovar.

Pedro Almodovar Films: Labyrinth of Passion - Dark Habits - What Have I Done to Deserve This? - Matador - Law of Desire - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - The Flower of My Secret - Live Flesh - All About My Mother - Talk to Her - Bad Education - Volver - Broken Embraces - The Skin I Live In - I'm So Excited - Julieta - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

The Auteurs #37: Pedro Almodovar Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2014

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) is the story of an actress who has been dumped by her married lover as she goes into despair and tries to find him as she learns more about herself. The film is a comedy that explores a woman dealing with heartbreak as she finds herself in a strange situation and eventually finds reason for not needing a man. Starring Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, Rossy de Palma, and Maria Barranco. Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios is a wild yet sensational film from Pedro Almodovar.

After splitting up from her longtime lover Ivan (Fernando Guillen), Pepa (Carmen Maura) is in despair over the breakup as she receives a message from him asking her to pack his things in a suitcase that he’ll pick up later. Pepa is a TV actress who also does dubbing for English-language films as she is obsessed with needing to talk to Ivan but he’s never around. After waiting to get messages from him, all Pepa receives are frantic phone messages from her friend Candela (Maria Barranco) who later arrives to Pepa’s penthouse apartment revealing she’s in trouble. Also arriving shortly to the penthouse are a young couple in Carlos (Antonio Banderas) and his fiancée` Marisa (Rossy de Palma) who are interested in renting Pepa’s penthouse. Carlos is revealed to be Ivan’s son from a previous marriage as they learn who Pepa is while they save Candela from trying to kill herself.

After Candela revealed that she had an affair with a man who she learned is a Shiite terrorist, Marisa had drank some gazpacho that had been spiked with sleeping pills as she fell asleep. While Pepa had to do errands, Carlos stays at the apartment to fix the phone while helping out Candela with her situation where he makes a quick phone call to the police about what the Shiite terrorists are doing. Under Carlos’s suggestion to help Candela, Pepa sees the renowned feminist lawyer Paulina Morales (Kiti Manver) who acts strangely towards Pepa who returns home where she gets a call from Carlos’ mother Lucia (Julieta Serrano) who wants to talk to Pepa about Ivan as she plans to arrive to the apartment for a confrontation.

Overwhelmed by Ivan and all of his work, Pepa decides to get rid of the suitcase as she receives another message from as she, Carlos, and Candela listen where Pepa thinks something is going on. Later that night when Lucia arrives with two cops and a phone repairman, Pepa realizes how crazy Lucia is as well as who Ivan is going to Stockholm with.

The film is the story of two crazy days in the life of a heartbroken woman who is lost over her break-up while learning that her lover is leaving on a trip. Meanwhile, a few people such as a troubled friend and a young couple arrive to the penthouse for different reasons as they later become part of this woman’s messy life where they all help each other throughout this chaos involving Shiite terrorists, spiked gazpacho, a burned bed, a suitcase, and all sorts of things. Adding to the chaos is this mentally ill woman who is the wife of this woman’s lover as she just got out of the hospital and wants to kill her husband for all of the bad things that happened to her. All of it leads to a huge confrontation that is over-the-top while this heartbroken woman also has something she wants to tell to her lover.

Pedro Almodovar’s screenplay definitely explores the world of heartbreak as well as the role women play in a relationship. With the exception of Carlos, the Mambo cab driver (Guillermo Montesinos), and few other minor characters, men are portrayed as those who don’t treat women very well and are always lying. Carlos is the big exception as he’s just a very sensitive person who is engaged to a snobby woman as he has a hard time dealing with his mentally ill mother and a father he barely knows. In Pepa, Carlos finds someone who is like a mother that treats him well while he becomes one of the few men in the lives of these women who is very dependable and knows how to treat someone. Even as someone as troubled and naïve as Candela whom he falls for as she knows she’s a mess as she clings on to Carlos because he is honest and is willing to listen.

Still, the film is about Pepa and her tribulations over her break-up as she feels angry over what Ivan has done to her as she feels like she’s done a lot in the relationship. Still, she has something to tell as she does whatever to just talk to him yet he is never around or is always trying to reach her. While Candela and Carlos help her out as they would often converse over Ivan, there are still people that Pepa has to deal with that would cause trouble. The first is Carlos’ mother Lucia who has just learned that her husband has been unfaithful even though she hadn’t seen him in years. The other is a feminist lawyer named Paulina who is supposed to help Pepa about Candela’s tryst with a terrorist yet she acts rudely to Pepa that adds to the confusion. Eventually, it would comedown to a confrontation between Pepa and Lucia that involves a chase and two guns.

Almodovar’s direction is just intoxicating to watch in the way he presents the film not just as a genre-bending feminist film of sorts but something much more. There’s melodrama, there’s slapstick comedy, there’s a bit of action, a bit of suspense, and romance. Yet, Almodovar manages to infuse all of these genres into a film that has something for everyone yet makes it about a woman’s journey to get over her lover and find something for herself. Through his unique approach to framing as well as staging, it’s a film that is a mixture of freewheeling European cinema with a dash of old-school Hollywood as the scenes inside Pepa’s apartment features a backdrop of Madrid. It plays to a world that is Pepa where it is surrounded by extravagance including ducks, rabbits, and chickens who live outside on her balcony.

While Pepa’s apartment might seem like a world that is artificial though it features reminders of her reality, the world outside of that in downtown Madrid is much different. It’s crueler but also offbeat courtesy of this Mambo-loving taxi driver who always have something for his passengers. Pepa would find a way to deal with her situation that does include this confrontation between herself and Lucia. The confrontation definitely plays to the idea of a western where it doesn’t just involve guns but something else. It is a very strange approach to the showdown but it’s done with a degree of style as it alludes to a similar showdown in Nicholas Ray’s Johnny Guitar that is referenced earlier in a scene where Ivan is dubbing dialogue as Sterling Hayden’s character. It is all part of Almodovar’s extravagant presentation that leads to a chase and a climax that is quite big in a comical way. Overall, Almodovar creates a dazzling and fun film about heartbreak and independence.

Cinematographer Jose Luis Alcaine does great work with the film‘s lush and colorful cinematography with the look of the gorgeous locations in Madrid in day and night to the look of Pepa‘s apartment that is filled with lots of color. Editor Jose Salcedo does brilliant work with the editing from the way he plays with the rhythms of the humor and drama to the effective use of cutting in some of the film‘s suspenseful moments including the climatic chase scene. Set decorators Emilio Canuelo and Felix Murcia do amazing work with the look of Pepa’s apartment that is filled with all sorts of colors including an inspired use of the backdrop outside of her apartment.

Costume designer Jose Maria De Cossio does wonderful work with the costumes from the stylish clothes of Pepa to the more youthful clothing of Candela. The sound work of Gilles Ortion is terrific for the intimacy that is created in the scenes at the apartment along with the scenes in Madrid. The film’s music by Bernardo Bonezzi is excellent for its mixture of suspenseful-driven music as well as more low-key dramatic pieces and other themes to play up the humor while the soundtrack features mambo music from the cab driver and songs by Lola Beltran that serves as an important piece to play up Pepa’s emotions.

The film’s incredible ensemble cast features some noteworthy performances from Almodovar regular Chus Lampreave as an apartment porter who is a Jehovah’s witness, Ana Leza as Pepa’s young neighbor Ana, Loles Leon as a secretary where Pepa works at, Angel de Andres Lopez and Jose Antonio Navarro as the policemen who arrive with Lucia late in the film, and Guillermo Montesinos as the Mambo taxi driver who is a fan of Pepa’s TV work. Kiti Manver is good as the bitchy lawyer Paulina Morales who is rude to Pepa while Rossy de Palma is very funny as Carlos’ snobby fiancée Marisa. Fernando Guillen is wonderful as Ivan who is always sly and trying to win over whoever with his voice and charm.

Julieta Serrano is amazing as the very troubled Lucia who is angry over her husband’s infidelity as she is eager to confront Pepa. Maria Barranco is great as the naïve Candela who finds herself in trouble with Shiite terrorists whom she had been wooed by as she seeks help from Pepa and later Carlos. Antonio Banderas is superb as the sensitive Carlos as a man who exudes all of the good qualities of a man as he becomes the one person that Pepa and Candela can count on. Finally, there’s Carmen Maura in a marvelous performance as Pepa as she displays an energy to her role as a woman upset over her heartbreak as well as someone who realizes how far she’s gone because of a man where she later finds out what she really needs.

Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios is an incredible film from Pedro Almodovar. Featuring an exhilarating performance from Carmen Maura along with wonderful supporting work from Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano, and Maria Barranco. The film is definitely one of Almodovar’s finest films as well as a great starting to point to those new to the filmmaker. In the end, Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios is a phenomenal film from Pedro Almodovar.

Pedro Almodovar Films: Pepi, Luci, Bom - Labyrinth of Passion - Dark Habits - What Have I Done to Deserve This? - Matador - Law of Desire - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - The Flower of My Secret - Live Flesh - All About My Mother - Talk to Her - Bad Education - Volver - Broken Embraces - The Skin I Live In - I’m So Excited! - Julieta - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

The Auteurs #37: Pedro Almodovar Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2013

Volver

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 6/11/07 w/ Additional Edits.

While 2004's La Mala Educacion (Bad Education) wasn't another runaway hit like previous films that Pedro Almodovar did for 1999's Todo Sobre mi Madre (All About My Mother) and 2002's Habla con Ella (Talk to Her). Almodovar still received the same worldwide acclaim that his other films did. In 2006, Almodovar reunited with not just regular Penelope Cruz but also the star of his early films in Carmen Maura for a new film that marked a return of sorts to comedy but also melodrama. First released in Spain and later around the world, Volver (To Return) marked another turning point for the director where in the U.S., a two-week national retrospective celebrating his films was widely received as everyone anticipated the release of Volver.

Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, Volver tells the story of two sisters, and a daughter living in the city where after the sisters' mother supposedly reappears as a ghost. The two sisters try to respond with the help of an aunt and a neighbor from the village that they were born from. A film about death and family, Almodovar explores the relationship between different generation of women while reaching back to his roots in small villages. Starring Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Duenos, Chus Lampreave, Yohana Cobo, and Blanca Portillo. Volver is an exhilarating, provocative masterpiece from Pedro Almodovar.

It's a windy day in the land of La Mancha as two sisters Raimunda (Penelope Cruz) and Sole (Lola Duenos) along with Raimunda's daughter Paula (Yohana Cobo) are cleaning the gravestone of Paula's grandparents that included grandmother Irene (Carmen Maura). The couple died in a fire mysteriously which no one had known. After the cleaning, the three women visit their friend Agustina (Blanca Portillo) whose own mother had disappeared mysteriously around the same time Irene had died. Later that day in the villages of La Mancha, they go across from the house to visit their aging Aunt Paula (Chus Lampreave). After eating dinner with their Aunt, the trio return to their separate homes in Madrid. Raimunda and Paula live with Raimunda's husband Paco (Antonio de la Torre), who has become restless lately in losing a job and such.

Then one day, Sole gets a call that Aunt Paula has died. Sole goes to La Mancha while Raimunda and Paula tend to other issues concerning Paco. Sole visits Agustina where claims of Irene's ghost had appeared and while going to the home of Aunt Paula, Sole sees the ghost of her mother. When Raimunda returns home to help sell a restaurant by its owner Emilio (Carlos Blanco), who is going out of town, Raimunda finds Paco dead as he was killed by Paula after a molestation attempt. The death revealed claims that Paco was never Paula's father. Paula and Raimunda decide to hide the body and later, Raimunda would hide him in a freezer at the restaurant.

Upon Sole's return to La Mancha, she hears a knock from the trunk of her car which revealed to be none other than her mother. Sole, who runs a private salon business, asks her mother why she is appearing to her. Irene plans to reveal what is going on as she decides to help out Sole with her business by pretending to be a Russian immigrant. With Raimunda still trying to figure out what to do with Paco's body, a film crew is shooting nearby and looking for a restaurant to have food during filming. Raimunda decides to use the restaurant for its last days to make money with help from a few people from town. The venture becomes a success as Raimunda often gets frequent visits from Sole and vice versa. Raimunda and Paula are unaware that Irene is around. Sole later gets a call from Agustina where Agustina is falling ill from cancer. Raimunda reluctantly visits her Agustina from the hospital.

Agustina wants to know about her own mother's supposed death and some dark secrets in relation to Irene's death. Raimunda isn't sure what's going on as her concerns become about Paco. Leaving Paula to stay with her aunt Sole, Paula learns about Irene herself. When Raimunda and Sole learn that Agustina is forced to reveal secrets on TV, things start to go wrong as Raimunda finally sees Irene where the secrets about the family is revealed. With Agustina now dying, Irene, her daughters, and granddaughter decide to find a way to unveil their own faults and help out a friend.

Given the theme of death that surrounds Volver, writer/director Pedro Almodovar clearly discusses its theme and how it relates personally to a landscape like La Mancha. Yet, that isn't what the film is entirely about. It's really more about family and sisterhood. Death drives the film's complex, layered plot as Raimunda and Sole still try to figure out how their mother died or how Agustina is dealing with the fact that her mother might be dead. The film plays up to a momentum in which, the secrets are unveiled with shocking surprises and such. Through Almodovar's eerie, observant yet colorful direction, the film moves with a pacing where he lets the audience try to figure out things for themselves while see the strength of the women in the film.

It's clear that Volver is a very personal film since Almodovar was raised by a lot of women in his family, in which, they all come from La Mancha. Whereas his previous film, La Mala Educacion was another personal yet darker film about his own childhood. Volver is more optimistic since it's about the generations of women and how they deal with death and tragedy. The film is also funnier than some of Almodovar's previous films. Particularly during a scene in which, it involves something as universally funny as a fart joke. The scene reveals something that audiences can relate to in such a funny way, it could be done in any language. The fart joke.

It's Almodovar's script and his entrancing direction that gives the film a unique tone and momentum. The surprises keep on coming yet by the film's end, there's no more surprises as the audience are still in shock over what has happened. Yet, the shock is worn off over its aftermath. The film ends abruptly but it's only because there's nothing to tell that the audience already knows. Still, it works since the film and the characters allow themselves closure. Overall, it's all Almodovar and his unique approach to storytelling.

Longtime cinematographer Jose Luis Alcaine brings a lot of vibrancy and color to the film's look where the exteriors sequences in Madrid, notably a scene where a dinner for the film crew is exquisite. The scenes in La Mancha are more intimate not just in the exterior settings in the villages but also in the interior scenes. Production designer Salvador Parra and set decorator Mara Matey also plays to the film’s colorful look with great set designs on the apartments filled with wonderful colors and material. Costume designer Sabine Daigeler adds a unique touch to the film’s colorful costumes that have a casual look that audiences can enjoy while being very stylish. Longtime editor Jose Salcedo does great work in the film's editing where he uses the film's plot-momentum to build suspense with slow pacing style that works to build up the momentum. Sound recorders Jose Antonio Bermudez and Miguel Rejas do great work in capturing the differing atmospheres of La Mancha and Madrid.

Longtime score composer Alberto Iglesias brings a wonderful orchestral score along with elements of Spanish pop music including a song lip-synced by Penelope Cruz that is one of the film's great highlights. The film's music shows the diversity of Spain ranging from traditional to classical.

The film's cast is wonderful that features notably small performances from Carlos Blanco and Antonio de la Torre as the only male characters in the film. Other memorable small roles from Maria Isabel Diaz and Neus Sanz as a couple of women who help Raimunda run the restaurant. Chus Lampreave is great in her small but memorable role as Aunt Paula who is trying to remember about her late sister and her nieces when they're young. Blanco Portillo is wonderful as the dying Agustina who is haunted by the possibility of the ghost of Irene while trying to figure out about her mother's own disappearance. Yohana Cobo is really good as Raimunda's daughter who tries to deal with the idea of the death of her father and the possibility that the man isn't her father. Cobo's performance is wonderfully natural as a young woman trying to understand her own identity.

Lola Duenos is excellent as Sole, the sister who first discovers the possible spirit of Irene as she is dealing with her own loneliness. When Sole re-establishes a relationship with her mother, she tries to figure out her own flaws as her character becomes fuller as Duenas does an amazing job in playing the other sister. In her first collaboration with Almodovar since 1988's Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), Carmen Maura gives an exhilirating performance as Irene. Maura brings a kind of maternal energy and comfort that is needed while secretly carrying her own guilt as she tries to hide the fact on why she is here. Maura’s performance is a real standout as she proves herself that she is one of Spain’s great actresses.

Penelope Cruz gives the kind of performance that isn't seen much in her American work. Instead, it's probably her best as a woman dealing with the death of her husband, running a restaurant, concealing her own secrets, and taking care of her daughter. Cruz gets to be sensual but also engaging in her performance as a woman who is trying to find good while dealing with a lot of cynicism and such. It's really Cruz at her peak as she looks comfortable in her role while proving that she a top-notch international actress.

The film was released in Spain in early 2006 to rave reviews and box office which is often expected from Almodovar. A few months later at Cannes, the film was a hit where it won the top screenplay prize for Almodovar while the film's main female ensemble shared the Best Actress prize. Released later that year in the U.S., Volver was another modest hit for Almodovar while Penelope Cruz received Best Actress nominations from both the Golden Globes and the Academy Awards.

Anyone who loves the films of Pedro Almodovar will no doubt find Volver to be amongst as one of his essential films. Fans of films about sisterhood will no doubt find something that women can relate to, even through their different generations and age groups. In the end, Volver is a funny, sad, heartfelt film that crosses all barriers from the unique vision of Pedro Almodovar.

Pedro Almodovar Films: Pepi, Luci, Bom - Labyrinth of Passion - Dark Habits - What Have I Done to Deserve This? - Matador - Law of Desire - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - The Flower of My Secret - Live Flesh - All About My Mother - Talk to Her - Bad Education - Broken Embraces - The Skin I Live In - I'm So Excited! - Julieta - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

The Auteurs #37: Pedro Almodovar Pt. 1 - Pt. 2

© thevoid99 2011