Victor, a young man from humble beginnings, falls in love with the daughter of a diplomat, with whom he shares his first sexual experience. Events become confused when Victor tries to see her again. Spanish dialogue with English subtitles. Read more
| Starring | Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri, Liberto Rabal, Angela Molina |
|---|---|
| Director | Pedro Almodovar |
| Genres | Thriller, World Cinema |
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Victor, a young man from humble beginnings, falls in love with the daughter of a diplomat, with whom he shares his first sexual experience. Events become confused when Victor tries to see her again. Spanish dialogue with English subtitles.
| Starring | Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri, Liberto Rabal, Angela Molina, Jose Sancho |
|---|---|
| Director | Pedro Almodovar |
| Studio | PATHE DISTRIBUTION |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 37 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Thriller, World Cinema |
| Language | DVD: Spanish |
| Subtitles | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 05 Aug 2004 Production year: 1997 |
| Format | DVD |
Excruciatingly funny, fearlessly frank and gloriously ironic, Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar's engaging take on the Ruth Rendell thriller is a deliciously twisted tale of destiny, desire and death. Using the central concept of how a single bullet fired during a botched police investigation causes a ricochet effect through the lives of five different characters, the camp iconoclast serves up a pulse-quickening cocktail of subversion and sexual tension where truth and humanity are used as clever red herrings. Featuring amazing performances from Javier Bardem and Angela Molina, this crime of passion is a must-see and easily Almodóvar's best film since Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.
"...LIVE FLESH is a fully realised work...It is a complex and moving film that is beautiful to look at. You'll want to see it again..."
Spain, 1997
U.S. Release Date: 2/13/98 (limited)
Running Length: 1:40
MPAA Classification: R (Sex, profanity, nudity, drugs)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Liberto Rabal, Francesca Neri, Javier Bardem, Angela Molina, Jose Sancho, Penelope Cruz
Director: Pedro Almodovar
Producer: Agust?n Almodovar
Screenplay: Pedro Almodovar, Jorge Guerricaechevarria, Ray Loriga based on the novel by Ruth Rendell
Cinematography: Affonso Beato
Music: Alberto Iglesias
U.S. Distributor: Goldwyn Pictures
In Spanish with subtitles
Summary of movie from James Berardinelli:
'The five principals come together on one fateful night in 1992 Madrid. Victor (Liberto Rabal) has fallen for a woman, Elena (Francesca Neri), whom he had sex with a week ago. Elena, however, wants nothing more to do with Victor, and, when he shows up at her apartment, she uses a gun to scare him away. A shot is fired and the cops are called. Arriving at Elena's apartment are two partners, David (Javier Bardem) and Sancho (Jose Sancho), who are in the midst of a crisis in their friendship. Sancho, a chronic, abusive drunk, believes that his wife, Clara (Angela Molina), is having an affair, and he suspects David of being Clara's lover. What happens when the police break down the door to Elena's apartment sets off a chain of events that reverberate through time to a period four years later, when circumstances bring the characters together once again, albeit in a vastly different situation.'
Movie is typical Almodovar, excellent to watch from beginning to end, with firmly 'fleshed' out characters and wonderful cinamotography.
It's hard to avoid the clichés while talking about this film, because it's absolutely brilliant, a work of pure genius, a masterpiece and so forth.
If you want an unconventional drama that at the end turns out to have the same effect as the best feel-good films (like Ferris Bueller's day of or Fast times at Ridgemont High, or Swingers) but with much more depth to it. And you know, depth is always a good thing, even if you happen to be at the bottom of a well. Or, perhaps than depth is bad. Alright, depth is good most of the times, especially in this film. This film is breathtaking! Watch it, and if you don't like it, I don't understand you, no I don't.
There are not that many amazing Spanish directors at the moment. I mean, there is not precisely anyone out there to beat Bunuel on his fingers. No, there will never be another Bunuel, but wait! Hold on! There is Julio Medem! Cheers for him! And cheers for Almovodar! And cheers for Live Flesh! A stunning work of art! I told you before, the clichés are very difficult not to use.
So in one word: ace!
Perhaps the most famous Spanish director of his time, Pedro Almodóvar’s passion for cinematic representation began in the early 1980s. Experimenting with themes of desire and identity, Almodóvar’s work is largely expressive in both content and style. Penélope Cruz’s involvement in his 1997 film Live Flesh marked a significant turning point for Almodóvar, who went onto re-cast her in three more of his films. We chatted to the star about his latest project, Broken Embraces and... Read more