Julieta

Based on a collection of short stories entitled Runaway by Alice Munro, Julieta is the story of a woman who just found the whereabouts of her long-lost daughter as she reflects on her past and the events that would shape her life. Written for the screen and directed by Pedro Almodovar, the film is a drama where a woman is eager to reconnect with her estranged daughter as well as deal with the past as the titular character is played by Emma Suarez and Adriana Ugarte in their respective roles as the older and younger version of the character. Also starring Inma Cuesta, Dario Grandinetti, Daniel Grao, Michelle Jenner, and Rossy de Palma. Julieta is a ravishing yet chilling film from Pedro Almodovar.

The film follows the life of a woman who has been disconnected from her daughter for 13 years as an encounter with a friend of her daughter gives her news about her daughter’s whereabouts. This revelation would prompt Julieta to look back at her life from the moment she would meet the man who would be the father of their child to the tragedy that would shape everything. Pedro Almodovar’s screenplay would base itself on three different stories Alice Munro as it is largely told in a reflective manner by the older Julieta as she writes her story dating back to the 1980s where she was just a literature substitute teacher where she met Xoan (Daniel Grao) on a train to Madrid where Julieta encountered something horrible that would bring her and Xoan together. It’s among these series of intense moments that would affect Julieta as she would spend much of the first act with Xoan at his seaside home where he’s a fisherman while they would have a daughter in Antia with the help of a friend of his late wife in Ava (Inma Cuesta) and a longtime family maid in Marian (Rossy de Palma).

The second act isn’t just about the dysfunction in Julieta’s family life but also the events that would cause this slow rift between her and Antia (Priscilla Delgado) which would be set in Madrid for the film’s second half as Antia becomes close with her friend Beatriz (Sara Jimenez) whom she met at a summer camp. When Antia (Blanca Pares) gets older, things get more troubling as it would lead to Antia disconnecting herself from Julieta causing all sorts of things for the film’s third act. Especially when Julieta would find a new love in Lorenzo (Dario Grandinetti) as she tries to not think about Antia until her encounter with Beatriz (Michelle Jenner) that changes everything. All of which would play into not just the sense of guilt that looms throughout Julieta but also grief as she would lose a lot in her life where she becomes unsure if she wants to re-establish contact with Antia.

Almodovar’s direction is definitely exquisite as it features images and compositions that are gorgeous as well as capture so much into the frame. Shot partially on Madrid with other locations in Rias Altas, La Sierra in Huelva, Pantcosa, Fanlo, and the Pyrenees Mountains, Almodovar creates a film that is quite rich in not just the different locations in Spain but also a film that showcases the different lifestyles that Julieta would endure for much of her life. While the older Julieta is seen mainly in Madrid living in somewhat-posh apartments and later returning to the more quaint apartment she had years earlier when she was living with Antia. Almodovar’s usage of the wide shots play into some of the locations as well as a few scenes at some of the homes that Julieta would go including her family country home during a visit to her parents. Yet, Almodovar would favor more intimate shots with the usage of close-ups and medium shots as he would go into great detail for the former in some shots.

There are moments in the film that do contain some element of surrealism such as the scenes on the train where Julieta and Xoan watch a stag chasing the train while Almodovar would employ some tracking shots and intricate compositions in where to place the actors in a shot. There is something masterful in the compositions that Almodovar creates as it captures so much detail into a shot as well as shooting different scenes on a particular location to play into this idea of the past and the guilt that Julieta carries as she reflects on the mistakes she made in her life as well as tragedy. Even as Almodovar is willing to do something simple as well as keep things in the open as it’s all about what is next step in Julieta’s life. Overall, Almodovar crafts an intoxicating yet haunting film about a woman looking back at the tragedies that would affect her life and relationship with her daughter.

Cinematographer Jean-Claude Larrieu does amazing work with the film’s very colorful and lush cinematography that feature a lot of natural images for the daytime exterior scenes with some low-key lighting for some of the interiors and scenes set at night. Editor Jose Salcedo does excellent work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts in some parts of the film as well as some straightforward cutting to play into the drama. Production designer Antxon Gomez, with set decorator Federico Garcia Cambero and art director Carlos Bodelon, does brilliant work with the look of the different homes that Julieta had lived in throughout her life to the posh look of the apartment she shares with Lorenzo to the quaint apartment she lived in with Antia as well as the home near the sea. Costume designer Sonia Grande does fantastic work with the costumes from the clothes that Julieta wore during the 80s and 90s to a more reserved look once she is in her 40s and 50s as it help play into the evolution of her character.

Makeup designer Ana Lopez-Puigcerver does nice work with the makeup from way Julieta looked like early on her young life with the different hairstyles and such as well as the look of Marian. The special effects work of Kings Abbots and Eduardo Diaz do terrific work with some of the film’s minimal visual effects as it is mostly set-dressing for a few shots revolving around the sea. The sound work of Sergio Burmann is superb for its natural approach to the sound as well as some of the sound effects that play into some of the key moments of the film. The film’s music by Alberto Iglesias is incredible as it features a mixture of piano-based music and heavy orchestral music that help broaden the drama as well as some of the film’s darker moments as it is a major highlight of the film.

The casting by Eva Leira and Yolanda Serrano is wonderful as it feature some notable small roles from Mariam Bachir as the maid for Julieta’s parents, Priscilla Delgado as the young Antia, Sara Jimenez as the young Beatriz, Pilar Castro as Beatriz’s mother Claudia, Ramon Agirre as a landlord of the apartment that Julieta used to live with Antia, Nathalie Poza as the head of a spiritual retreat compound that Antia went to before she disappeared, Joaquin Notario as Julieta’s father, Susi Sanchez as Julieta’s Alzheimer-stricken mother Sara, and Blanca Pares as the 18-year old Antia who would go on a spiritual retreat and never return without explaining to anyone including her own mother. Rossy de Palma is fantastic as Marian as Xoan’s longtime family maid who watches over everything as well as keep some very dark secrets relating to Xoan as well as some things she would tell Antia. Michelle Jenner is superb as Antia’s longtime childhood friend Beatriz who would have an encounter with Julieta as she would eventually tell her some things about Antia and why they became estranged.

Dario Grandinetti is excellent as Julieta’s current lover in Lorenzo whom Julieta would meet in life through mutual means as he wonders why Julieta has suddenly changed their plans to move to Portugal. Inma Cuesta is brilliant as Ava as a friend of Xoan who was close to Xoan’s late wife as she would befriend Julieta as well as provide some information about what Marian told Antia later in the film. Daniel Grao is amazing as Xoan as a fisherman who would meet Julieta at a train as they fall in love and have a family as he’s this quiet man that loves to fish as he also keeps some secrets from Julieta. Finally, there’s Adriana Ugarte and Emma Suarez in phenomenal performances in their respective roles as the younger and older version of the titular character. Ugarte brings an anguish and melodrama to her approach as the young Julieta as a woman trying to find herself and be a working mother as well as cope with the tragedies in and around her life. Suarez’s performance as the older Julieta is more reserved as someone who has been through a lot yet there is a sequence that showcases the sense of hurt and anger as someone who felt betrayed and heartbroken.

Julieta is a spectacular film from Pedro Almodovar that features sensational performances from Emma Suarez and Adriana Ugarte in the titular role. Along with its gorgeous visuals, top-notch technical work, a sumptuous score by Alberto Iglesias, a great supporting cast, and an engaging take on grief and guilt. It’s a film that explores loss in a lot of ways as well as a woman dealing with the events in her life and wondering what she could’ve done to change them. In the end, Julieta is a tremendous 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 - 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! - Pain & Glory - (The Human Voice (2020 short film)) - (Parallel Mothers)

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

© thevoid99 2017

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!

Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, !Atame! (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!) is the story of a troubled man released from a psychiatric hospital who kidnaps an actress in the hopes that he would fall in love with her. The film is an exploration into the world of obsession as it plays into the world of Stockholm Syndrome with some dark humor and revelations about these events. Starring Antonio Banderas, Victoria Abril, Francisco Rabal, Loles Leon, Julietta Serrano, Maria Barranco, Rossy de Palma, Lola Cardona, Francisco Rabal, and Francisca Caballero. !Atame! is a strange but thrilling film from Pedro Almodovar.

The film explores the strange relationship between a troubled man who kidnaps a B-movie actress in the hopes that he would fall in love with her. It’s a film that explores the concept of Stockholm Syndrome where the victim would fall for its kidnapper as Pedro Almodovar infuses the story with some dark humor as well as revelations about humanity. Especially as this young man in Ricky (Antonio Banderas) has just been released from a psychiatrist hospital where he hopes to meet the actress Marina (Victoria Abril) as the two had met a year before at a nightclub where a one-night stand happen. Unfortunately, Marina doesn’t remember as she is a recovering drug addict who used to do porn films as she had become the obsession of her aging director Maximo Espejo (Francisco Rabal) who is helming his final film.

The film’s screenplay doesn’t have much of a plot as Almodovar focuses more on motivations and what is happening in this kidnapping scenario where there’s some obvious schematics that will happen. Yet, Almodovar makes it so much more as Ricky is a man driven by loneliness and abandon as he thinks Marina can give him some hope. Marina is a woman still recovering from her own addiction as a toothache becomes part of her problems as well as the advances of her director who is confined in a wheelchair because of a stroke. Once Ricky gets into Marina’s apartment and takes her as his hostage, he takes his time to win her over though it becomes a struggle at first. Adding to the complications is the fact that Marina has been asked by a neighbor to water his plants as her sister Lola (Loles Leon) would end up doing as she becomes frustrated working as an assistant director to Espejo.

Almodovar’s direction is truly mesmerizing in the way he doesn’t just create this unique mix of suspense, black comedy, and romance but also a film where it plays into the possibility into whether this woman will fall for her kidnapper. Some of the humor is very offbeat where it can be very quirky at times but also there’s some darker moments where it adds to this mix of discomfort yet it is also oddly funny. Almodovar’s direction is truly wondrous in the way he creates compositions from his approach to close-ups and using wide lenses to capture the beauty of a film set or an apartment. There’s also an element of artistry in the way Almodovar would put his actors into a frame or how he would create sexual images that play into the desires of Ricky and Marina. The sense of shock value is also prevalent in how far Ricky will go where he would also encounter seedy people to get what he wants. There is also an element of desire since Marina is this object of desire for men as she is trying to figure out what she wants and what Ricky will offer her. Overall, Almodovar creates a very sensational yet provocative film about a strange relationship between a woman and her kidnapper.

Cinematographer Jose Luis Alcine does brilliant work with the film‘s ravishing cinematography from not just the nighttime exteriors and interiors of the locations and sets but also in the way some of the rooms are lit to capture the gorgeous colors of the apartments and sets. Editor Jose Salcedo does fantastic work with the editing with its stylistic approach to jump-cuts and rhythmic cuts as it plays to the air of suspense and drama that occurs in the film. Production designer Esther Garcia, with set decorator Pepon Sigler and art director Ferran Sanchez, does amazing work with the set design from the gorgeous apartment of Marina‘s neighbor to the some of the sets in the film that she is making.

Costume designer Jose Maria de Cossio does excellent work with costumes where it adds to the film‘s colorful look from the dresses some of the women wear to the shirts and jeans that Ricky wears. The sound work of Ricardo Steinberg is terrific for the way it adds to the suspense and drama in how sparse it is at times while going for more ominous effects in some of the exterior scenes. The film’s music by Ennio Morricone is just phenomenal where Morricone does take some cues from Bernard Herrmann in terms of its eerie orchestral arrangements for the suspense while adding his own operatic touches to some of the music to play into the romance and drama as it’s one of his finest works. The film’s soundtrack features a mixture of boleros and pop songs that are played in the film to showcase the two worlds coming together for Ricky.

The film’s cast includes some noteworthy small performances from Francisca Caballero as Marina’s mother, Lola Cardona as the psychiatric hospital director who had a close relationship with Ricky, Maria Barranco as a doctor friend of Marina whom Ricky would meet to get some prescriptions, and Rossy de Palma in a fantastic role as a drug dealer who rides a Vespa who doesn’t like to be fucked with. Julietta Serrano is excellent in a small yet crucial role as Espejo’s wife who would watch her husband seeking to regain his sex drive while being the one person who is willing to listen to Lola as she is aware of her husband’s obsessions. Francisco Rabal is amazing as Maximo Espejo as this director trying to make his final film as he desires Marina while also flirting with Lola despite the fact that he’s in a wheelchair. Loles Leon is great as Marina’s sister Lola as she tries to deal with Espejo’s obsession and antics while wondering where Marina is as it’s a role that adds a lot of humor to the film.

Victoria Abril is brilliant as Marina as this B-movie actress who becomes a kidnapping victim as she deals with her own situation while is also someone who is troubled by her own recovery from drugs and sexual satisfaction. Antonio Banderas is remarkable as Ricky as this troubled 23-year old who had just been released from a psychiatric hospital as he hopes to get Marina to fall in love with. Banderas and Abril have this very unique chemistry in the way they deal with each other as Banderas brings some humor to the role with Abril being a bit more aggressive as they are major highlights of the film.

!Atame! is a spectacular and exhilarating film from Pedro Almodovar. Armed with a great cast led by Antonio Banderas and Victoria Abril along with beautiful cinematography and art direction as well as Ennio Morricone’s sublime score. The film is definitely one of Almodovar’s finest films as well as his most provocative in the way it explores kidnapping and the concept of Stockholm Syndrome. In the end, !Atame! is a tremendously wild and vivacious 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 - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - 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

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

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

The Flower of My Secret

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 7/24/08.

After his international breakthrough with 1988's Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), Pedro Almodovar became the leading Spanish filmmaker of his generation. Then as he entered the 1990s, his follow-up films !Atame! (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!), Tacones Lejanos (High Heels), and Kika that all starred Victoria Abril received mixed reviews with critics complaining for its sense of extravagance and sensationalism. Yet, the films Almodovar made in the early 90s along with some of his early work in the 80s were what audiences thought they expected from Almodovar. Yet, the openly-gay Spanish auteur felt it was time to move forward as he made a film that was considered semi-biographical about his struggles as an artist for 1995's La Flor de mi Secreto (The Flowers of My Secret).

Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, La Flor de mi Secreto tells the story of a very successful romance novelist who reaches a crossroads in both her professional and personal life. Unhappy in her marriage to a military officer and compromised by publishers who wants her to write more sentimental-driven, happy-ending romances. The writer starts to take on darker themes through her writing as she also begins to question her life choices. A far more personal film than Almodovar's previous affairs, the film would mark a transition for the director that would lead to some of more recent, latter day dramas that would give him international prestige. Starring Almodovar regulars Marisa Paredes, Rossy de Palma, and Chus Lampreave along with Juan Echanove and Joaquin Cortes. La Flor de mi Secreto is an engrossing yet studious film from Pedro Almodovar.

For 20 years, the novels of Amanda Gris have been very popular as they're known for their sentimental, happy endings, and idealization of romance. Yet, the identity of Amanda Gris has been unknown except to publishers and a few people as the true identity of the famed novelist is Leo Macias (Marisa Paredes). Macias' life however, is reflecting nothing like her novels or her love life. Instead, she’s alone as her husband Paco (Imanol Arias) is currently working for NATO on a peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. Macias' writing has become darker to reflect her mood as she is also tiring of writing the novels of Amanda Gris. Turning to her best friend Betty (Carmen Elias), Betty suggests to write for a newspaper under the supervision of a colleague named Angel (Juan Echanove).

Angel is a self-professed fan of Amanda Gris as Leo shows him a work-in-progress novel as she is hired. Only surrounded by her maid Blanca (Manuela Vargas), Leo's life is also troubled by a bickering relationship between her sister Rosa (Rossy de Palma) and mother (Chus Lampreave) as the mother wants to return to the village of La Mancha. Things get worse when Leo meets with her publishers Tomas (Juan Jose Otegui) and Alicia (Gloria Munoz) who remind Leo of her contract to continue to write "pink" novels in the style of Amanda Gris as they rejected the draft of her dark story. Despite her loneliness and feeling compromised in her work, she finds satisfaction in taking another pseudonym in working for Angel's paper about her own criticisms of Amanda Gris with Angel, under a pseudonym revealing why he loves Gris.

Then one day as she visits Betty, she gets a call from Paco who is set to return only for 24 hours. Leo is very excited as Blanca's son Antonio (Joaquin Cortes) visits wanting to talk to his mother about a project that he’s trying to produce. Blanca and Antonio leave as Leo waits for Paco to arrive. Paco does but with news that leaves Leo in a huge, melodramatic state. Distraught, she receives a message from her mother who has decided to leave Madrid for good after another fight with Rosa. Leo has hit rock bottom where during a protest, she runs into Angel as she reveals her secret. Tired, Angel accompanies Leo and her mother to La Mancha as Leo needs a break. With Angel deciding to help out, Leo comes to term with her professional life and her failing marriage while trying to figure out how her dark story is now becoming a film.

The film in many ways, in comparison to what Almodovar was doing prior to this film, is a transitional film not just figuratively but also literally. It's a film about a novelist tired of writing "pink" novels to try and write stories that are extremely different to reflect her own life that's practically in trouble. Around the same time, her husband, who had been a muse of sorts, refuses to be with her as their marriage falls apart as Leo is feeling like she isn't just losing her husband but her muse. In response, she writes a dark story whose plot is similar to another story that Almodovar would eventually tell in his 2006 film Volver. Almodovar also uses literary references where during the scene between Leo and Paco breaking up, he uses a storyline that is similar yet a homage to Dorothy Parker's The Lovely Leave.

The script that Almodovar creates begins with a meeting between a mother (Kiti Manver) and two doctors (Jordi Molla & Nancho Novo) that at first seems like part of the movie when really, it's a video watched on a seminar performed by three actors. Yet, its melodramatic tone would set the stage for Leo's own melodramatic downward spiral as she copes with betrayal, loss, and feeling trapped in her own success. The film is largely semi-biographical in some ways because Almodovar is making a film that's really about himself in transition. Here is a director who has been known for creating colorful, high-octane melodrama, grand humor, and moments of decadence. Yet, at the stage when he made this film, he feels tired of making these kinds of films.

Almodovar's direction is still colorful yet becomes more intimate and stagy. At the same time, he's challenging his audience. Almodovar definitely takes more risk in his direction in not just the technical work but also allow himself to open up more. While the melodrama might be overbearing for some, Almodovar is telling the audience to be patient as they watch the drama unfold. Particularly little scenes that involves Antonio's visits with his mother, the dialogue with references to classic Hollywood films, and Leo's relationship with her family and friend Betty. Though the audience probably have an idea of what's coming, Almodovar is smart enough to know they know will happen yet how he stages it through his script and momentum-building direction. Though the film isn't perfect, what Almodovar achieves through the film is a director taking the right step into mature territory that would follow through in the next series of films to come.

Cinematographer Affonso Beato creates some wonderful, color scenes for some of the film's interior settings while exterior shots of daytime and nighttime Madrid are excellent with great compositions created by Almodovar's direction. Beato's work is truly exquisite in capturing a vibrancy as well as a mood for some of the film's nighttime interior scenes to reflect the state of mind of Leo. Almodovar's longtime editor Jose Salcedo does excellent work in the use of transitions and fade-outs to convey the sense of emotion and drama that unfolds. Art directors Wolfgang Burmann and Miguel Lopez Pelegrin do great work in the look of the apartments from Leo and Betty's posh apartment looks to the more comfort, old-world look that Leo's mother lives in her Madrid apartment and the village home that she lives in.

Costume designers Max Mara, Hugo Mezcua, and Ermeneglido Zegna create some excellent work in the look of the clothes that often acts as film references or to convey a sense of emotion of where the characters are. The sound work of Bernardo Menz with recordist Antonio Illan is excellent for its location settings and the sound of flamenco steps for one of the film's theatrical moments. The music of Alberto Iglesias, another Almodovar collaborator, is great for its mix of symphonic melodrama as well as traditional, flamenco-style music for a subplot that involves Antonio's desire to create a play with his mother.

The cast is definitely superb with notable small performances from Kiti Manver, Jordi Molla, and Nancho Novo as actors in a video seminar, Gloria Munoz and Juan Jose Otegui as Leo's publishers, and Imanol Arias as Paco, Leo's estranged husband who feels trapped in his marriage as he could no longer stand to be with her. Manuela Vargas is great as Blanca, Leo's longtime yet loyal maid who is trying to deal with her son Antonio while unsure if she wants to do theater again. Joaquin Cortes is excellent as Antonio, Blanca's son who wonders why his mother is loyal to Leo as he does things that he's not proud of in order to fund his project yet a meeting he would have with Leo prove that he's a complex individual.

Almodovar regular Chus Lampreave is great as Leo's mother who is dealing with her increasing blindness as well as her cantankerous daughter Rosa whom she calls "crabface". Rossy de Palma, another Almodovar regular, is also great as Rosa, Leo's tired, insulting sister who is dealing with her mother while trying not to accept money from Leo as she some scene-stealing moments. Carmen Elias is excellent as Leo's best friend Betty who tries to help her deal with her marital issues while trying to deal with her own professional problems as she plays both psychiatrist and friend. Juan Echanove is brilliant as the charming, lively Angel, a man who doesn't have great physical features but his love for Amanda Gris' writing and classic Hollywood films manages to win over Leo. Echanove's performance is definitely a standout as he provides both a comedic charm and dramatic sensitivity as his scenes with Paredes are fun to watch.

Marisa Paredes, a frequent collaborator of Almodovar, is amazing in her role as Leo. In today's more youth-oriented world of Hollywood, there's not many roles for actresses over 40 which is why Pedro Almodovar is here in the world of cinema. For Paredes, she takes on a lead role where she gets the chance to carry a film as she brings a lot of drama, experience, and struggle to a character who is dealing with a failing marriage and ambitions that don't live up to its promises. Though her character is melodramatic and Paredes can do that, her performance keeps it from being overbearing despite the film's tone as she creates a sympathetic character who is trying to figure out the next phase in her life. It's a brilliant performance from the veteran Spanish actress.

When it was released in 1995, the film received mixed reviews from critics. Yet, many were aware that the film was Almodovar in transition. Particularly in his approach into creating character-driven drama that would later follow two years later with Carne Tremula (Live Flesh). An adaptation of a Ruth Rendell novel that showed Almodovar delving into broader, darker material that finally culminated with 1999's Todo Sobre Mi Madre (All About My Mother) that would give him huge international acclaim. Since the release of La Flor de mi Secreto, the film has been considered by Almodovar fans as one of his finest.

Though not a perfect film nor as good as some of his recent, latter-day masterpieces like Todo Sobre Mi Madre, Hable con Ella, and Volver, La Flor de mi Secreto is still an excellent film by Pedro Almodovar. Thanks to the brilliant performance of Marisa Paredes and a great supporting that includes Almodovar regulars Rossy de Palma and Chus Lampreave along with Juan Echanove. It's a film that is full of life and melodrama while showing the struggles of what a writer goes through when being compromised. While its considered as one of Almodovar's finest films, it's a film that has to be seen after his latter-day masterpieces to understand how he got into the dramatic territory that's been giving him international acclaim. In the end, La Flor de mi Secreto is an excellent, engrossing drama 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 - Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown - Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! - High Heels - Kika - 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 2011

Kika

Originally Written & Posted at Epinions.com on 6/14/07 w/ Additional Edits.

After 1988's international breakthrough for Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), Spanish auteur Pedro Almodovar has finally achieved the international attention he had sought for. After the film's success, Almodovar moved forward where he fell-out with longtime collaborator and actress Carmen Maura and worked with another up-and-coming young actress in Victoria Abril. Their first collaboration was 1990's highly controversial !Atame! (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!) that also starred Antonio Banderas in his last collaboration with the director for more than 20 years. The film received mixed reviews as his 1991 follow-up Tacones Lejanos (High Heels) with Abril that showed Almodovar experimenting with genres. In 1993, Almodovar teamed Abril again for their third and final collaboration with a media satire entitled Kika.

Written and directed by Almodovar, Kika tells the story of a makeup artist whose misadventures are followed by a TV news reporter for sensationalism. One of those misadventures involves the young woman's relationship with an expatriated American writer and his step-son as controversy arises. A critique over media sensationalism and such, Almodovar reveals his unique brand of humor and satire. Also starring Peter Coyote, Alex Casanovas, Rossy de Palma, Almodovar's mother Francisca Caballero, and Veronica Forque as the title character. Kika is a funny, whimsical comedy from Pedro Almodovar.

Ramon (Alex Casanovas) is a lingerie photographer who is moody at times, while would have near-fatal heart attacks in moments of shock. Upon returning home, Ramon has learned his mother (Charo Lopez) has killed herself with his American stepfather Nicholas (Peter Coyote) wounded by a gunshot in his arm. A year later, despondent over his mother's death, Ramon dies as Nicholas calls an aloof, naive make-up artist named Kika to help with the makeup on Ramon. All of a sudden, Ramon is woken up as he falls for Kika. Two years later, Ramon and Kika are officially a couple as Ramon hopes to sell his late mother's home with the help of Nicholas who had just arrived from a trip. Living with Kika's maid Juana (Rossy de Palma), Nicholas lived upstairs in the apartment building that the two live while Ramon moves downstairs with Kika.

Ramon's former psychiatrist Andrea (Victoria Abril) is now a TV host for a sensational show on violence and other acts while she wears extravagant clothing by Jean-Paul Gaultier. One of the reports involved a porno star named Paul Bazzo (Santiago Lajusticia), who is mentally ill and has just escaped from jail. Learning that Ramon is learning is selling his mother's home, Andrea talks to Nicholas about renting it for her show as Ramon learns of Andrea's appearance and is upset about it. Andrea sets Nicholas up on a date with a Mexican woman (Bibi Andersen) while he's having a secret affair with Kika and her friend Amparo (Anabel Alonso). Though Kika loves Ramon, she is struggling with the failing affair with Nicholas. Even as suspicion arises over the death of his wife and such. Nicholas' blind date hasn't gone well as Andrea wonders what happened.

Juana, who watches Andreas' show, receives an unlikely visit from Paul Bazzo who is hoping to steal things from Kika's home. After tying up Juana and knocking her unconscious, he finds Kika asleep. Suddenly, a rape ensues as it's caught by a voyeur who calls a couple of clumsy policemen. The policemen don't really help things out as they try to pull Paul away from Kika. Arriving onto the scene wearing her camera-costume is Andrea as all hell breaks loose. Andrea wants to do an interview with Kika over what happened as she is publicly humiliated. Even when Andrea shows footage of the rape from the anonymous voyeur. Ramon learned what happened as more revelations over the incident happened. Angry over Ramon's lack of usefulness and Nicholas' philandering, Kika and Juana leave the apartment.

Andrea meanwhile, wants to contact Nicholas as she learns something about him with footage uncovered from his date with the Mexican woman. Truths come out in which, Kika finds herself in the middle of mystery gone horribly wrong.

Given the idea of media sensationalism in the early 90s, Almodovar definitely revealed a lot of the exploitive nature of sensationalism from the hand-held cameras that show incidents and such in order to gain ratings. Yet, that's not what the film is about. What Almodovar is saying is that the film is about a woman who finds herself in the middle of sensational world of media whether it's TV in the form of Andrea or literature in the form of Nicholas. There's these two people in Andrea and Nicholas who are willing to do anything to create some attention whether to gain ratings or sell books, respectively. There's definitely a cynicism and anger Almodovar has towards these types of media while the person who is always the victim is the one who is used for any type of creativity.

While Almodovar's script and direction is filled with a lot of humor and whimsical scenes, even the rape scene is done with a lot of humor. Yet, shock is what Almodovar goes for. What doesn't work is that the script does feel uneven in its bending of genres whether it's comedy, drama, or mystery. The film, towards the end, even goes to the point where it acts like a crime film. The script plus, Almodovar's direction kind of fails in what type of film it wants to be. Still, it's humor and shock does make it the type of film that is expected from Almodovar.

Cinematographer Alfredo Mayo creates some wonderfully, colorful images in the film. Especially on the location of Madrid and parts of Spain while the video-camera work is pretty grainy to emphasis the look of sensationalism. Set decorators Alain Bainee and Javier Fernandez create wonderful look to the film's colorful sets like the apartment of Ramon and some of the night sets of Madrid. Costume designer Jose Maria De Cossio creates some wonderful, elaborate costumes for some of the film's cast that includes some additional work from the late Gianni Versace. One of the greatest highlights of the costumes are the clothes Jean-Paul Gaultier made for Victoria Abril that are extravagant and over-the-top. Longtime editor Jose Salcedo does some fine editing although it falters at first in the film's first act due to pacing issues.

Sound editor Jean-Paul Miguel does great work on the film's sound to create the suspense and such. The film's soundtrack features a wide mix of pop music and a lot of score music from Bernard Herrmann to create the suspense of mystery along with its dashes of humor. Along with a cut by Kurt Weill, the film's soundtrack is memorable for its whimsical tone.

The cast features some memorable small performances from Bibi Andersen, Charo Lopez, Anabel Alonso, and Pedro Almodovar's mother Francisca Caballero as a TV host whose failed eyesight causes problems during an interview with Nicholas. Jesus Bonilla and Karra Elejade are good as the clumsy, lazy policeman who find themselves a bit overwhelmed during an act of crime. Santiago Lajusticia is excellent as the mentally-ill, porno star Paul Bazzo who hides a secret while committing an act of rape due to his time in jail. Rossy de Palma is good as Kika's loyal maid Juana who hides her own secrets and reasons into why she's a lesbian. Alex Casanovas is wonderful as the melancholic Ramon, who still mourns the death of his mother, while having a strange thing for photographing himself and Kika having sex. It's a fine performance from the young actor.

American actor Peter Coyote is good in his role as Nicholas though his voice is largely dubbed by another Spanish actor. Coyote definitely brings a complex, shady performance as a writer who finds himself short on money and having to do TV writing work for Andrea. It's a fine yet flawed performance from the actor. Victoria Abril gives a hilarious performance as Andrea Scarface, a TV reporter who is willing to go into any lengths to get her story. Even if she has to wear a robotic-like equipment with lights for a bra and a camera on her head. It's a hilarious performance from the Spanish superstar. Veronica Forque is pretty funny as the naive, aloof titular character of Kika. Forque's performance is winning with a charming, kooky personality that is a joy to watch though she is dumb. Yet, Forque makes the audience care for her in the struggles she goes through.

While it's nowhere near the brilliance of earlier films like Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios or recent classics like Todo Sobre Mi Madre, Hable con Ella, and 2006's Volver. Kika is still an entertaining and fun film from Pedro Almodovar. Despite a wonderful cast, colorful images and sets, flashy costumes, and a great soundtrack. It's a film that represents Almodovar in style over substance. Fans of the director will might consider this as minor work though it does have it's moment. The film is still Almodovar in his extravagance. In the end, Kika despite its flaws is a joy to watch.

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 - 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 2011