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Matador Details

1986

60
from 4552 members

Starring	Assumpta Serna, Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura, Eva Cobo
Director	Pedro Almodovar
Genres	Drama, World Cinema

Matador

This twisted, brave, funny film from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar takes an unflinching look at the link between sex, death, and religion. Antonio Banderas stars as Angel, a sensitive student of matador Diego (Nacho Martinez), whose goring at the horns of a bull has left him obsessed with killing. In order to prove his manhood to Diego, the misguided Angel tries to rape his model girlfriend (Eva Cobo), and when that fails, he confesses to a string of murders he didn't commit. Maria (Assumpta Serna), a mysterious, attractive lawyer, takes his case but winds up falling for Diego, revealing some dark secrets of her own. The pair begin a beautifully doomed romance as a police inspector (Eusebio Poncela) begins to fathom who the real killer, or killers, may be. This was the fifth film from the talented Almodovar, and it reveals a true genius at work in his use of symbolic color, structure, metaphor, and homage to Hitchcock and Welles. MATADOR is fast-moving, disturbing, erotic, and undeniably brilliant in a way most American audiences may not be prepared for but should certainly seek out. Almodovar regulars Carmen Maura, Julietta Serano, Chus Lampreave, and Veronica Forque costar.

Starring	Assumpta Serna, Antonio Banderas, Carmen Maura, Eva Cobo, Vernica Forque, Nacho Martinez
Director	Pedro Almodovar
Studio	ELEVATION SALES
Run time	DVD: 1 hr 32 mins
Certificate
Genres	Drama, World Cinema
Language	DVD: Spanish
Subtitles	DVD: English
Released	Production year: 1986 To Rent: DVD: 09 Oct 2000

Critic's review of Matador
View all critics' reviews (3)
- "....Almodovar's directorial fluency and daring in MATADOR confirm him as the most interesting and exciting film-maker working in Spain today..."
- 8258
- - Sight and Sound
  - 11 Mar 2005 at 12:58
Most helpful member's review of Matador
View all members' reviews (33)
- - 22
  - 0
  Blood sacrifice
  
  If you want to understand how modern Spain looks forward yet brings the past along, this film is a great introduction. Slowly, Almodovar strips away the layers ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 306666
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - caballero
  - London
  - 20 Jul 2004 at 02:03
Most recent members' reviews of Matador
View all members' reviews (33)
- - 0
  - 0
  Superb finess, structure and flair.
  
  A rampant romp full of pouting, damaged dreamers. Sensual even when its not explicit, this sets new standards in smoldering and obsessive compulsive morbidity. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1090397
- - RichPickings
  - 128 reviews
  - Leicester
  - 09 Feb 2012 at 10:23
- - 0
  - 1
  Oh My G
  
  God this is awful. All I can say is if you liked Black Swan do watch this. Need I say more?
  
  Report this review
- 1036726
- - twyfry
  - 12 reviews
  - 04 Sep 2011 at 00:12
- - 0
  - 0
  A bit ated now but still worth seeing.
  
  Very strange film even by Almodovar's tandards. This film is about 25 years old and seems a bit dated but still worth seeing. Lots of blood and gore and ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1013874
- - GMcG
  - 11 reviews
  - Chalfont St Peter
  - 06 Jul 2011 at 16:47
View all members' reviews (33)
News and features
View all
The Best of Banderas
- 18 Aug 2011
Why do middle names sound so much grander in Spanish? Joe Anthony Bands doesn’t sound like a movie star to me, but Jose Antonio Dominguez Banderas? You can see where he gets that Puss in Boots swagger. Born in Malaga just over 51 years ago, Banderas was brought up in a conservative household. His father was in Franco’s Civil Guard, his mother was a schoolteacher. Both were practicing Catholics. Antonio rebelled and joined a theatre company as a teenager (apparently he was inspired... Read more
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Rating breakdown

4,552 Member ratings

100	274
90	255
80	723
70	873
60	1,071
50	507
40	373
30	196
20	199
10	81

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- Matador
  
  This twisted, brave, funny film from Spanish director Pedro Almodovar takes an unflinching look at the link between sex, death, and religion. Antonio Banderas stars as Angel, a sensitive student of matador Diego (Nacho Martinez), whose goring at the horns of a bull has left him obsessed with ...