Labyrinth of Passion
1982
In Labyrinth of Passion, Celia Roth portrays Sexi, a nymphomaniac punk rocker whose gynecologist father (Fernando Vivanco) specializes in artificial insemination. Spanish heartthrob Imanol Arias is Riza Niro, the gay son of the Emperor of Tehran, who has fled his father's island to have some fun in Madrid. The two meet and .. Read more
| Starring | Antonio Banderas, Cecilia Roth, Imanol Arias, Helga Line |
|---|---|
| Director | Pedro Almodovar |
| Genres | Gay/Lesbian, World Cinema |
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Labyrinth of Passion
In Labyrinth of Passion, Celia Roth portrays Sexi, a nymphomaniac punk rocker whose gynecologist father (Fernando Vivanco) specializes in artificial insemination. Spanish heartthrob Imanol Arias is Riza Niro, the gay son of the Emperor of Tehran, who has fled his father's island to have some fun in Madrid. The two meet and eventually fall in love, but that's just the tip of the iceberg in this whirlwind comedy. A very young Antonio Banderas plays one of Riza's lovers and Almodóvar himself appears as a lead singer of a band in one of the film's hilarious concert scenes, singing "Grang Ganga" and "Suck it to Me."
| Starring | Antonio Banderas, Cecilia Roth, Imanol Arias, Helga Line, Marta Fernandez Muro, Ofelia Angelica |
|---|---|
| Director | Pedro Almodovar |
| Studio | PALISADES TARTAN |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 34 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Gay/Lesbian, World Cinema |
| Language | DVD: Spanish |
| Subtitles | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 25 Jun 2007 Production year: 1982 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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This was the second full-length internationally-released feature from Spanish cult director Pedro Almodóvar, and it marked the first appearance of future Hollywood superstar Antonio Banderas. A freewheeling, pop culture screwball comedy, the frenetic action revolves around numerous love affairs between nymphomaniacs, analysts, visiting royalty and Islamic extremists in bohemian Madrid. It's much the same uneven gay/bisexual mix Almódovar camp followers expect and adore, only this time with the added attraction of numerous themes that continue to recur in the director's work, especially the torch-singer mother, terrorists and a traumatic childhood.
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The Spanish equivalent of an Andy Warhol movie: a delirious farrago of sex and psychobabble intended to shock and amuse.
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Most helpful member's review
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10 out of 10 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
An absolute riot
Almodovar's second feature is, if anything, even more of a studied V-sign to the old guard in Spain, a thorough-going, free-wheeling assault on good taste and decency, featuring Madrid as a city populated almost exclusively by all the nymphmaniacs, gays, incestuous rapists and generally f****d-up that you could ever wish to see. It set the standard for the writer-director's labyrinthine, interconnected plots, it has an early appearance from Antonio Banderas as a gay, Muslim terrorist, a 'biogynaecologist' who doesn't himself like sex and so has set about creating a perfect form of artificial insemination, and a woman who wants to sleep with as many men as possible (at the same time). Simply terrific
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Most recent members' review
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
MATTER of TASTE
From; SILVER HARP Edinburgh
LABYRINTH of PASSION (Pedro Almodovar 1982 Spain)
More theoretically, rather than actually, funny; unless that is you have the good fortune to speak fluent Spanish and have a forgivable nature where casting directors are concerned. The former because of the sheer speed of subtitling in places and the latter, the not so sure footed ability to deliver comic scenarios.
Theoretically, walking up to a group of people in Madrid’s, busy, central station and asking; “Are you the Muslims?”, especially given Spain’s history, ought to be funny. As you’d expect the forerunning lines; “How do you know they are the Muslims?” … “Because they’re brown”. But somehow the delivery is more distracting than supportive.
To its credit the film produced a line that the universe has been waiting for. Or at least those of us who have toiled to find a response to double-glazers, kitchen-fitters and dodgy insurers; “I have to hang-up now, my laxative is taking effect”.
The fanciful story-line, involving deposed royalty, terrorist plots, romance and the like, easily explains the disappearance of reject bins from the offices of Mills and Boon. And all against a backdrop of a Madrid populated by every breed of sex maniac but especially camp gay men; any one of whom could give Graham Norton a run for his money.
The Pope would not approve, your grandmother would not approve and Franco never saw it coming …. so not a total waste of time after all ! -
News and features
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Vote for Pedro!
Almodovar’s Brilliant Career- 25 Aug 2009
The name of Pedro Almodóvar’s production company is El Deseo: Desire films. It’s a quality much in evidence in the vividly carnal, erotic, outrageous and anguished melodramas in which he specializes. Desire – a word that contains lust, love, venality, revenge and ambition – propels his characters as they careen from crisis to crisis, which must be why Almodovar’s heroes and (more often) heroines are almost always in a state of heightened agitation. If we had an... Read more
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In Labyrinth of Passion, Celia Roth portrays Sexi, a nymphomaniac punk rocker whose gynecologist father (Fernando Vivanco) specializes in artificial insemination. Spanish heartthrob Imanol Arias is ... -