Viva Pedro: The Almodovar Collection (Talk to Her/ Bad Education / All about My Mother / Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown / Live Flesh / Flower of My Secret / Matador / Law of Desire)

 

 

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don't love every film in this collection. Almodovar is too brave and experimental for every one of his films to appeal equally to all but the most devoted fans. If you like his early, wild, anything-to-break-convention work, you may find his later work too mild or conventional. If, like me, you find those later films deeply moving and appreciate their more mature tone, you may not be as thrilled by the early work, finding it full of guts, but lacking a bit of heart.

But having these films altogether is a wonderful look into the extremely diverse work of one of the bravest and most interesting film makers of our generation. Even the films I don't deeply love personally are full of unforgettable images, moments, pieces of acting or writing. In a world of film that often aims for the middle, Almodovar shoots for the stars, and that's worth seeing whether you personally think an individual film gets there or not.

Even now, out of print, and overpriced for the occasional used copy, this set is also a good deal. To get these 8 films seperately is going to cost you at least $80 or $90 with shipping, and some - like 'Live Flesh' - are currently out of print and overpriced themselves anyway.

Also, a couple of these discs - 'All About My Mother' and 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' are in upgraded form -- although there is some argument whether the upgrades are for the better. DVD Beaver, which I find the most in depth DVD review site concludes the versions in the set ARE superior, and provide side by side images for comparison.

While everyone will (and should) have very individual reactions to these complex, challenging (if often fun) films, here's my order of preference and my personal notes on the films;

All About My Mother (1999) - My favorite Almodovar film to date. He finally combines the best of his older, absurdist films, with his new found maturity and real emotion that began to emerge in 'Flower of My Secret' and 'Live Flesh'. A woman's son dies, while trying to get an autograph from a great actress, leaving his mother bereft, and trying to start a new life. I won't give away any details, but her journey is both funny and tragic, and leads to some terrifically unexpected and sometimes ironic places. Full of odd and wonderful characters, and some very strong acting. A bit cute or 'forced' in a few moments, but overall a moving, special and wonderful film. If you don't know Almodovar's work, this is an excellent place to start.

Talk to Her (2002) My second favorite Almodovar film. A moving and complex study of the relationship between two men, and their connection to women in comas. A few brilliantly funny moments, and some ultimately very creepy undertones keep it from being over-sentimental. Every character is more complex then they first appear, and the confusion between what is good and what is bad in both intent and effect is very rich. Some great camera work too. Gets slow in a few spots, and the sentiment still goes over the top in a few places, but still a terrific film about the similarities and differences between love and obsession.

Live Flesh (1997) A maturing Almodovar in a less absurd - if still melodramatic - mode than his early films. This time the tone is more film noir/mystery/character study. Unlike most of the early work, this is generally `serious', with just touches of his humor. Visually very striking and dark. Wonderful performances, including an early one by Javier Bardem. I appreciate how all the characters are grey, no one is `good' or bad'. Basically it's a love triangle with multiple angles, and a cop drama about violence and love. What it's missing (for me at least) , and keeps it a very good film, not a great one, is deeper levels of emotion. It's always interesting, but I didn't ultimately find it affecting. Also a couple of key plot contrivances are clunky - which the anarchic young Almodovar could get away with, since everything was absurd anyway. But when you're being more `real', forced twists feel more... well, forced. Still a highly enjoyable film well worth seeing, and another important step in the growth of a major filmmaker.

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1985) Great fun, as Almodovar's visual sophistication continues to expand from film to film, and his ability to create a subtle mix of the campy, the surreal, and real emotion grows ever stronger. Full of odd and silly twists and turns, and populated by absurd but still very human characters. It's also a film with a theme - the amazing strength and resilience of women. So why not a 5 star rating for a film a lot of smart people consider a flat-out masterpiece?. Maybe I need to re-see it a third time, but on recent round of working my way through all of Almodovar's films, it felt paper thin. I enjoyed it, but it didn't feel like a film that would stick with me, or effect me. In some ways, I found the far more flawed `Matador' has more unforgettable images, moments and challenging power. That said, this is still very worth your time. You'll smile a lot.

Bad Education (2004) Fascinatingly complex nourish mystery. A film-maker is reunited with a boyhood lover, who wants to tell a dark story from their Catholic school days. But is the story true? And who's story is it really? Gael Garcia Bernal is terrific in a complicated, multi faceted role, and all the acting is very good. Gorgeously shot, with a great score. I wish I felt more emotionally, but my mind was always completely absorbed, even if my heart stayed a little cool. Maybe that's the nature of a film where everyone is hustling and using each other.

(mild spoilers ahead)

A bit obvious and self-conscious in a few spots, and pederastic Catholic priests is a cliché the film only partially transcends (although the humanity given to the priest makes it far more interesting), and a couple of the climactic twists feel less motivated than what comes before. But worth it for the `Vertigo' like layers of reality that keep getting pulled back and forcing us to keep reassessing `good', `bad', `art' and `real.' Many critics consider this Almodovar's masterpiece - and I could see watching it a third time. This is the kind of film that grows on repeated viewings.

Matador (1987) Almodovar meets DePalma in this dark thriller with less `jokes' than most of his films, though black humor pervades the whole thing. All the characters are obsessed with death; a murderess who kills during sex, a teacher of matadors who lives to kill, and masturbates to snuff films, and a student who wishes he could kill but faints at the sight of blood. Some of the twists are silly, obvious and/or cop-outs, and the characters never feel `real', but there are some great, operatic disturbing and funny moments as well. Sort of a thinking person's, surrealist `Fatal Attraction'. Some of it is clunky, but the film sticks with me. Very good performances all around. Most critics I respect liked it even more than me, and I'll probably re-visit it down the line. As with many Almodovar films, it seems like the kind of film that could easily grow on a second viewing -- its flaws more forgivable, its strengths more powerful.

Flower of My Secret (1996) Sweet, and very well acted. This is much less wild and outrageous than earlier Almodovar, but compensates by having more real emotion. Still, this has two of his usual key elements -- dramatic use of intense color, and a melodramatic, almost soapy, story. It's clear he loves melodrama at the same time he gently pokes fun at it. But in 'Flower of My Secret' the soap has more underpinnings in humanity, with subtler behavior and humor. Technically he gets even better with this film. It's beautiful, shot in a more subdued style than his earlier work. Not a great movie, but a good, entertaining, human one that paves the way to his later fully 'real' and moving masterpieces like 'Talk to Her'. Lovely performances. There seem to be two distinct groups among Almodovar fans. Those who prefer his earlier, wilder, more genre busting work, and those who prefer his more recent, subtler films. I'm in the second group, but can completely understand those who feel differently. And where you fall on that scale is likely to have a big impact on your reaction to this film.

Law of Desire (1987) Clearly a technical step forward with some stunning visuals, and solid performances. But the melodramatic love/murder plot of a director obsessed with one man, while another is obsessed with him just got a little creaky and tiresome for me after a while. It's not absurd or campy enough to be funny, or real enough to raise strong emotions.

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