| Transcript |
live Flesh' twitches with sex, suspense
by STEPHEN R. UNDERWOOD
I can't help but expect the best of
the worst from Pedro .Almodovar. The
best meaning a twisted, comical, sensual screenplay hardly possible from
Hollywood: and the worst meaning the
loudest, gaudiest, and most outrageous clothing,
sets and color
schemas.
h e
i f 1 a m -
ibouyant
[Spanish
director's
new film
"Live Flesh" is
more best
■ than worst.
' That is a com-
>laint. by
the way.
Director Pedro Almodovar
but not a big one—well, at least not
one big enough to completely dish this
incredibly entertaining film. To put it
to a finer point, "Live Flesh" is a film
true to aAlmodovar's genius with the
gag factor turned way down; he harmonizes his trademark paradoxes
without the lime green halter-tops and
bright pink pumps.
But no Almodovar film would be an
Almodovar film without some contrast
between the social and economic
classes of 20th century Spain. For one
thing, most women in his films are
middle-class and sexually frustrated.
For another, his middle-class women
usually fall for a low-class protagonist—usually a pretty boy who is sexually capable. I like to call it the
"Pretty Woman" syndrome—only in
reverse.
True to form, "Live Flesh" has a
pretty boy protagonist who's low-
class. Meet Victor Plaza (Leverto
Rabat), the son of a hooker who is
born on a Madrid city bus. The birth
makes him famous for a while: the
mayor proclaims Victor a First Citizen
and he gets free bus fare for life from
the transit authority director. That's a
baby step up from being a bastard,
but, hey. that's a sliver of hope, right?
If it were not. it would have to be. for
the birthing ala Magdalene is on the
day Franco declared a State of
Exception in January 1970. That
decree suspended a broad array of
Sppnish civil liberties nationwide.
Victor grows up into a virile, young
Spaniard who crosses paths with
Elena (Francesca Neri), a drug hungry
rich girl who has sex with him in a
nightclub. It was his first time, and
he's fallen in love with her. But there's
a slight variation to .Mmodovar's norm
here: Victor is not quite yet sexually
capable.
In fact, Elena noles that the dalliance was pretty quick—so quick, she
didn't remember it. /\nd Elena didn't
remember agreeing to a subsequent
date, either. She tells Victor to buzz off
when he reminds her of the date over
the phone. Besides, Elena has better
Ihings to do—she's waiting for her
drug dealer.
But Victor won't take no for an
answer: he buzzes Elena's door, she
mistakes him for the dealer and Victor
comes right in. When a fight in the
apartment gets reported to the police,
two bickering cops, Sancho (Jose
Sancho) a drunk, and David (Javier
Bardem). a playboy, arrive on the
scene and see Victor and Elena
engaged in a struggle through a window. Sancho and David burst into the
apartment and in a strange turn of
events, Victor takes Elena hostage.
When David talks him into letting
her go, Sancho lunges for Victor when
he lowers his gun. A round goes off
during lhe struggle and David is hit
and paralyzed for life. But it's unclear
al first just who fired the round. Even
so, Victor goes to prison for seven
years. Elena marries David for saving
her life, and Sancho goes back home
to beat up his wife Clara (a%igela
Molina), whom he suspects is cheating
on him.
With all the machismo brewing in
modern day Spain, Almodovar likes to
turn the tables on sexual aggression.
Why can't women, Almodovar might
See FILM/ page 20
Gay film festival seek logo designs
.And just one more thing: Landmark Theaters is teaming up with the
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Diverse Works. Rice Media Center and
Southwest .Alternate Media Project (SAMP) lo present thc second annual
1998 Houston Gay And Lesbian Film Festival May 22 - June 14. The festival is in need of a logo and the communily is invited to submit contest
entries.
Interested persons should mail their designs to Southwest Alternate
Media Project, attn: G&LFF, 1519 West Main. Houston. TX 77006 by Feb.
28. A design fee will be awarded, and you can gel more Information from
SAMP at (713) 522-8592.
Almodovar Festival delivers zany director's classic films
by STEPHEN R. UNDERWOOD
If "Live Flesh" isn't enough
Almodovar for you. Landmark
Theaters is resurrecting four of
Pedro's classic films that are sure to
please fans old and new alike.
The Almodovar Film Festival will
run at the Greenway 3. and Landmark
plans some entertaining asides: get
ready for chocolate heartsand licorice
whips this weekend, a "nervous
breakdown" contest Feb, 21. a zany
Kika fashion show Feb. 28. and a high
heel contest March 7.
You can get two-for-one entry for
any midnight Almodovar film with
your 'Live Flesh" ticket stub. And
interested persons can contact the
Greenway 3 at (713)626-0402 for
more information.
Here's a brief look at the Greenway's
great lineup:
"Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!"
■Ah, Antonio! This film perhaps more
than any other launched the career of
Antonio Banderas in the United
Slates. Banderas is Ricky, a psycho
released from a psychiatric ward who
escaped several times and managed to
sleep once with Marina (Victoria
Abril). a porn star goddess. Ricky
dreams of a picket fence life with the
sex queen, but she can't remember
who he is. Determined to have her one
way or another. Ricky kidnaps Marina
and holds her hostage in a loving and
affectionate manner. Maximo.
Marina's director, and her sister Lola
(Loles Leon) get suspicious and a wild
goose chase leaves Marina wondering
if she really wants to be untied at all.
Sat.. Feb. 14 and 21.
M
r*minBi
L> ONTHCVEKEOf
UT A NERVOUS
1 BREAKDOWN
"Women on the Verge of
a Nervous Breakdown
Ivan (Fernando Guillen) abruptly
breaks up with his actress girlfriend
Pepa [Carmen Maura) and the shocking news wrecks her. But Pepa has
one up on him: she's pregnant. While
she waits for Ivan to pick up his bags.
Pepa gets close to neurosis when her
apartment fills up with freaks:
Candela (Maria Barranco) is a girlfriend (unsuspectingly) of a Shiite terrorist and Lucia (Julieta Seranno) is
Ivan's mistress of twenty years and
mother of their son. Carlos (.Antonio
Banderas). The police come looking for
Candela, Lucia threatens to kill Pepa.
and Carlos wants to rent the apart
ment. All the while, Ivan jets into the
sunset with his new mistress (Kiti
Manver), a lawyer whom Pepa had
consulted about Candela's problem.
Sat.. Feb. 2J and 28.
"Kika"
Kika (Veronica Forque) lives a lust-
less life with a photographer named
Ramon (Alex Casanovas) who is
haunted by his mother's suicide. Her
best friend Amparo (Anabel Alonso) is
a back slabber and she has a mortal
enemy in Andrea Scarface (Victoria
Abril). the host of a "tabloid reality
show." Ramon's mother left half of the
house to Nicholas Pierce (Peter Coyte).
a drifter who shows up lo claim half of
the inheritance. Later. Nicholas Initiates a sexual relationship wilh Kika.
but Juana (Rossy de Palma). Kika s
maid, also has the hots for her. The
complications escalate when Juana's
brother Pablo (Santiago Lajusticia)
visits fresh out of prison and later
decides lo steal Ramon's cameras. But
Kika rises above all the trouble while
others fall to the wayside. Sat, Feb. 28
and March 7.
"High Heels"
Manuel finds himself in the middle
ofa strange love triangle: he is married
to Rebecca (Victoria Abril) whom he
later finds oul it is the daughter of one
of his past mistresses, a has-been pop
star named Becky Del Paramo (Marisa
Paredes). Becky attempts to reconnect
with Rebecca after neglecting her in
order lo advance her entertainment
career. But like her mother's career.
Rebecca's marriage is a failure—and
her mother eventually gives In to her
passions for Manuel. Bul Manuel is
found murdered and three different
women are suspect. When she Is sent
to cover the murder for the television
station she works for, Rebecca con
fesses to the crime and is sent to
prison. The murder means differenl
things for Becky and Rebecca as each
mourns Manuel's Inss, but the tragedy
reunites them m the end. Sat. March 7.
R U
|
