Sunday, September 21, 2014

Pedro Almodóvar: Los abrazos rotos / Broken Embraces (2009)

Pedro Almodóvar's Los abrazos rotos / Broken Embraces (2009): stars Penélope Cruz and is set partly in Madrid and partly on the spectacular Canary Islands / Islas Canarias, off the northwest coast of Africa. 
In this film, Almodóvar uses flashbacks and the present, bits of a documentary about another movie that is like but not exactly Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios / Women on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), and that film itself, as if Mujeres was re-shot in a parallel universe and now called Chicas y maletas
Broken Embraces: Lena (Cruz) and her obsessive, bad-tempered sugar daddy (a Howard Hughes type) about to exchange words -- among other things. 
Lena prepares soon-to-be-spiked gazpacho for Ivan during a scene made for Chicas y maletas -- a sight as colorful and sharp as the full arc of the rest of the story.  

Today's Rune: Movement.  

4 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

Interesting stylistics in these still scenes.

Luma Rosa said...

Hi, Erik!
Not watched the movie, but I know the work of Almodovar and Penelope! His stories for more disheveled, just fit. Here I am imagining the actress :D I'll look to watch this weekend!
Beijus,

the walking man said...

Eric that's why you have your PhD. and I don't. My tastes in movies are far less message oriented. Ymi Espaniol is bueno no.

jodi said...

Erik-what is it with Pedro and Penelope? A match made in heaven?