La mujer sin piano - Javier Rebollo (2009)

There are films for everyone. There's an audience for everything. Those seems to be two of the most important laws in cinema.

There's a certain audience that likes the idea of "independent"* cinema.... meaning non-traditional, non-narrative, a bit pretentious too. This is a film for them.

We have a main character, she is very well played - the actress has a career as television comedian but here she manages to do very well in drama. It's not a performance problem. The film is about her.. the problem seems to be that we don't get to know a lot about her. Okay, she's fed up with her life, she wants something else... we don't know what or why. She just wanders around. She drinks cognac. There's nothing wrong with not telling everything. But you need to get the audience to empathise with her and really feel the way she is feeling and want to run away to. I think here is where it fails.

The photography/camera is very good. The lighting is very simple but very well done. Tidy. The movements are stylish, I'd call them meticulous to an immaculate level. 

Nice surprise** : the sound is also interesting. Lots of atmosphere sounds. Her character is mostly her heels. But she also comments she has a hearing problem... which isn't well used in the film. It could have been better. The music is well used... it represents her feelings, her drive, whatever it is that they are not telling us, the music gives us a hint. And it's used only for those moments. Good choice.

The ending... is the beginning of a new film, a more traditional film. Did I like La mujer sin piano? I didn't hate it but it isn't my kind of film. I like feeling together with the character, I wanted to cheer for her to do well. I didn't get involved in her story. You can do a non-narrative film an still convey emotions.


* I could start a rant about "independent" cinema, "independent" of what/whom... but I won't do it this time.
** Why should anyone be surprised to find good use of sound in a film?!

La mujer sin piano

The trailer. That's the film. That's all you get from it. 

La piel que habito - Pedro Almodóvar (2011)

Somehow I was expecting a much better film, a thriller, something darker. 

I was also expecting Antonio Banderas to act better... he wasn't a bad actor in his Spanish era. English was a barrier for him so I thought maybe now after many years without working with Almodóvar he'd be better. No, he wasn't. He also has a sort of strange dubbing... to make his performance more serious? It doesn't work. Perhaps because everyone is outshone by Elena Anaya. She's just perfect in her role, not a hair out of place, the perfect main character... nobody else could have been better.

The film is very stylish. The art and photography are as good as Anaya. But aren't all Almodóvar films like that? 

The big problem is the story. It is an adaptation, but very much adapted to Almodóvar's world: transgender characters, crazy people, kidnapping, loving mothers... it's just not all the way weird as most of his films are (if someone is going to kill someone else, they use a gun, not a ham now...). It's also predictable. It's not a story telling problem, it's a plot one. You just know what it's going to happen.

The music. Alberto Iglesias is a good composer. The score isn't bad, it's just too overused. If the suspense isn't in the film, the music won't help a lot. Especially if you use music as a dramatic resource all the time. 

It isn't a terrible film but it's not a great film either... which isn't good. See the look on his face? That's how the film leaves you.

La piel que habito

Los abrazos rotos - Pedro Almodóvar (2009)

There are weak things about this film. Mainly the fact that key dramatic moments aren't told cinematographically but in dialogues. There's a character who keeps a few secrets... and she tells them while having dinner at a restaurant. And there was one left for breakfast in the morning. Instead of using them narratively in one dialogues everything is revealed. Poor, to say the least.

Is this a love story? I'm not sure. Obsession maybe? Not entirely. That's another weakness. It's more about relationships and memories of Almodóvar himself.

The real strength of this film is the visual aspect. It's all very colourful, impeccable art, not a hair out of place on anyone. That and the fact that actors are well directed. Even Penélope Cruz can act with the right guidance (and without the language barrier). Perhaps she's used to being an object of obsession? Anyway, she's okay. She doesn't even annoy you.

The thing I liked the most was how Almodóvar manages to quote himself. Isn't everyone familiar with Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios ? I would say so. I enjoyed how he can make fun of himself quoting his own personal biggest comedy (and I film that still makes me laugh).

Broken Embraces could be better, but it's not a bad film. Almodóvar has always been praised as a director but I think it was with maturity that he could become more solid at it.


Los abrazos rotos

El Sur - Víctor Erice (1983)

Víctor Erice hasn't made a lot of films. But he is one of the Spanish directors with best reputation. The Spirit of the Beehive is an amazing film, I have often read that it's the most beautiful film in Spanish cinema. I am not sure about that, but it is indeed beautiful and it is the mother of all the Spanish films that came after it.

El Sur is a nice film. It's beautifully filmed, nicely paced, softly narrated. It's got characters with feelings. It's well directed in every way. The actors are very good and the choice of camera is always interesting. The photography is cold and it does transmit that northern cold feeling the film is talking about.

The sounds. It's got Terence Davies moments... still camera and moving sounds, creates atmosphere, works poetically. The use of environmental sound and music are good. Yet... there's the dubbing. It doesn't completely ruin the film, but almost. The mother is good, the father and the child (who have the main roles) are so badly dubbed it's a shame. I was getting a bit annoyed at his lack of southern accent too, but another character explains it "he's a gentleman" so he speak properly.

There's a story about the making of this film. Both director and producer (Elías Querejeta, important producer in Spanish cinema) had agreed in 81 days of shooting. But after over 40 days they didn't have the rest of the funding, so the producer decided to stop the filming as there could be a film with half the story. They were going to film the second part when they had the money. But the film went to festivals and there really wasn't any need to make the second part... producer claims it worked, director claims it's incomplete. So the second part never existed. Of course the producer is the bad one of this story. But is he, really? I mean the half of the film that was indeed beautifully made was due to his production. Does it work as a film? Yes! Do we need further explanations? No? There relationship father-daughter is complete.

The second part was supposed to be in the south and was never filmed.There is a very interesting interview here where Erice explains his side of the story and tells us what the other part was about. You can imagine through his voice what it would be like*... but films that were never filmed are never films.

*Actually, I was surprised how the way he talks is so much like the way he films. As if his voice is exactly the tone and pace the camera uses to tell the story.

El Sur

Balada triste de trompeta - Álex de la Iglesia (2010)

The title of this film explains what the thing is about: Spain, from the Civil War to the times just before the end of Franco. It takes the title from a very popular song from a very popular singer/actor. I think this film is full of such references that are often missed. But that's what I liked the most about it. You could put them together with Distant Voices... in terms on how well they are true to their own social environment, even without trying.

It is a bold film. It's violent at times, over the top at others.. but again, he fiction characters are fiction... the context is real and that's the scariest thing of all.

Visually it's quite an impressive film. The art department did a great job, everything is very stylish. The sound is okay. Right now I can't remember the dubbing ruining everything, but I might have forgotten.

If dubbing is the tragic flaw of Spanish cinema, certainly actors are its strength. A film that has surreal moments needs to engage with the human side and most actor capture that from their characters. Santiago Segura is in the film for not more than 20 minutes and you would say he stays in it for the rest of the film.

The first scene was my favourite. A circus show is interrupted by the war. A child is left alone on stage while a lion walks in from the darkness. It's such an eerie moment, the atmosphere is so expressive... it's also a metaphor of what's going to happen.

Balada triste de trompeta

Camino - Javier Fesser (2008)

This film talks about religion... and it's quite anti-religious.

It claims to be inspired by a true story of a girl who's in process of beatification. But it doesn't adjust to the fact. Does it matter? No. It works as a film in itself.

Visually it's very beautiful, I enjoyed the camera work a lot. It's also well performed. Still it's not a great film. The screenplay and the name games were too easy. The sound... isn't bad but it isn't creative either. Though the dubbing Spanish people seem to be obsessed with ruins everything. It would ruin anything.

It's a strange film. I found it a little disturbing. But perhaps it was because I could think of a few ultra-religious people I know and that's what disturbs me the most.

Camino

¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto!! - P. Almodóvar (1984)

When I say I like small films I'm not sure if I mean films with no complications or extravagance or films about common ordinary people. This is probably the latter and I would call it a small film but it is mildly flaboyant. Well it's Almodóvar after all (though in this film it isn't over the top).

You could say this film is related to El Cochecito and El pisito in the dark comedy/ satire of Spanish cinema. It's also a film of its time... if the others were the late 50s/early 60s this is definitely an 80s film.

Almodóvar is known for exaggeration in everything (colours, performances, sets, situations). What I like about this film is that it's absurd and strange but still very measured. It does keep a healthy simple portrait of everyday people.. who are a little crazy, yes, but that's how it is.

Carmen Maura is always great. I'm never sure if she plays only one character, but it certainly is a very human one, with strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly one you empathise with and understand despite everything. Chus Lampreave, who was also in Ferreri's films, is definitely an Esperpento character.

What Have I Done to Deserve This? isn't a comedy. But it isn't a drama either. It's something in between both. A good something.

¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto!!

El pisito - M. Ferreri / I. Ferry (1959)

This is also a nice little comedy. I have to say I prefered El Cochecito.Both films were written by Rafael Azcona. I discovered I've seen so many of the films he wrote! Not all of them are comedies and most of them are interesting. He is very good at writting characters you sympathise with.

His comedies have what Habemus Papam lacked. People are simple, they are human and they have something that makes them likeable. Also, there's a strong sense of criticism of society, real society, of real people not stereotypes. A screenwriter who knows what he's talking about ad who is in touch with his contemporaries. You don't know if things happened like that but they make sense, they could have happened... that thing called verisimilitude that's so important in films. 


My favourite of his films probably is ¡Ay, Carmela! , but it's also by Saura so it has an advantage (La lengua de las mariposas was also very good). They also made a film based on a screenplay by him that was out recently. It looks very much like these 60s comedies, filmed old style too, so I'm looking forward to seeing it soon. 

Los muertos no se tocan, nene. // Trailer Oficial // from GONA on Vimeo.



El pisito

Rafael Azcona

El Cochecito - Marco Ferreri (1960)

Small comedies. How difficult is it to find one? This one is so funny and small that it's a little jewel. I've seen quite a few Spanish comedies... I now understand where some (or most) of them are coming from.

Most comedies tend to be about nothing serious, just a bit of fun.. which isn't too bad sometimes. This film disguises in humour a very sharp criticism of the worst things of society: greed, lack of solidarity, selfishness, snobbery... also the treatment old and /or disabled people get.

The sound is a shame. The bad dubbing is the worst thing about it.

Don Anselmo is just adorable. He plays such a childish old man that you love him immediately and empathise with his cause, no matter how crazy it is. There are so many films thatjust lack that and fail to engage you.


El Cochecito

El mal ajeno - Oskar Santos (2010)

If you take a look at this blog you can possibly guess I like French and Russian films. And British. But if there's one country you could say I have seen a lot from, that is Spain. I have since most of the ones released in the 90s, and many from the 80s and 00s.

Eduardo Noriega isn't just a handsome actor, he can be a very  good actor too. He can play characters that are different from each other. In this film... he's ok. He does the best he can with the script he's got. It bothers me a lot how they tried to aged him more and it just doesn't work. This doctor is about his age, but simply doesn't look as old and worn out as he should.

So what is this film? Is it a thriller? Is it a drama? Is it a tragedy? Is it a fantasy film?! It certainly has elements of everything. It begins as a drama and slowly develops to a thriller with fantasy elements... and you could say the ending is a bit in the Greek tragedy area: will he choose his life and the life of his patients OR the life of all of his loved ones? But it doesn't really choose a genre and develops it efficiently. It's not an author film either! Perhaps it's trying to copy an Amenábar sort of style.

All the technical aspects are very good. The photography is great, stylish, nice to watch. The art is clean and stylish...again (except for how bad it tries to make a young looking actor look old and how healthy most patients look!). The sound is correct, nothing espectacular in terms of design but still well done. The music is meassured, not overused.

Still. How can a film that has everything for one to like it a lot.. still  leaves you feeling so... unimpressed? I think the screenplay might have something to do with it. If only something had engaged us during most of the film we would have been more excited at the end. It's not a bad film, it just lacks a soul.

El mal ajeno