topics
tools
Expatica countries
editor's choice

Top 8 places to visit in Moscow

Tips for travelling in Russia Part 1

Tax: a practical guide

Tragic history lurks in Sochi's ski slopes

Tips for travelling in Russia Part 2

Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2087.15 0.29
DAX 6327.93 0.30
IBEX 30 6600 0.95
CAC 40 3022.26 0.34
FTSE 100 5307.59 -0.58
AEX 290.73 0.17
DJIA 12442.49 -1.24
Nasdaq 2813.69 -2.10
FTSE MIB 13266.85 1.36
TSX Composite 11330.68 0.04
ASX 4098.8 -2.61
Hang seng 18951.85 -1.30
Straits Times 2779.1 -1.54
ISEQ 20 488.05 -0.26
You are here: Home Leisure Cinema review Cinema review: Skin, deep

Cinema review

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


25/08/2011Cinema review: Skin, deep

Cinema review: Skin, deep Picturenose's James Drew marvels at the latest from everyone's cinema darling, Pedro Almodóvar.

La piel que habito (The Skin I Live In) (2011)

It was simply a pleasure to discover Pedro Almodóvar's latest, La Piel Habito (The Skin I Live In) (2011) which, as an adaptation of the novel Tarantula by French author Thierry Jonquet, is perhaps the very first film made by the great Spaniard to truly to break the mould of his previous work.

Instead of subtly blending genres and genre references, the film places itself squarely into the work of Alfred Hitchcock - in look and feel, in its seamless blend of drama, thriller and, yes, horror, it is probably even closer to Psycho (1960) than it is to what might be considered as its most obvious Hitch comparison piece, namely Vertigo (1958).


However, in its staging, virtuosity and beautifully perverse examination of places in the human psyche that you really *don't* want to go, it is in fact closest to Georges Franju's sublime Les yeux sans visage (Eyes Without a Face) (1960).

What's more, La Piel Habito sees the very welcome return of Antonio Banderas to ‘serious' acting, following his somewhat lengthy sojourn as the voice of, ahem, ‘Puss in Boots' or messing around with his chum, hack horror director Robert Rodriguez.

Banderas plays plastic surgeon Robert Ledgard, who, obsessed with making amends for the tragedy that befell his wife (she was hideously burned) wants to fashion a synthetic, impervious skin. But the mysterious, beautiful Vera (Elena Anaya), who seems only too willing to be Ledgard's guinea pig, has more than a few secrets of her own. Dear God, the ending...

So, let's see - how many emotional rollercoasters can be crammed into one film? Well, we have Stockholm syndrome, ‘Mother is...not herself today', and sexual change and trauma, just for starters - but La Piel Habito shows Almodóvar to be not only a master of melodrama, but of the thriller and horror genres likewise.

It is a marvel - blackly humorous, erotic, sick and sometimes surreal, La Piel Habito emerges as a flamboyant film noir, a fever dream and a gem. Enough said.

117 mins.
James Drew


 Please check local listings before travelling. For more reviews, check out  www.picturenose.com. Expatica's weekly cinema-review section is brought to you incollaboration with Picturenose.com. About our reviewers: Putting you in the picture. 

Check out the latest on our What's on calendar and even add your own event.
BE What's on calendar...
NL What's on calendar...

 


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating



0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Community Noticeboard Russia

New Sound Logic

Community Noticeboard Russia

IFAs / FSIs / Country Managers / Confidential Introducers

Discuss Moscow Culture

EUR 25 for your 10 minutes: Expatica Survey 2011

Community Noticeboard Russia

EUR 25 for your 10 minutes: Expatica Survey 2011

Community Noticeboard Russia

Russian-related gift ideas

participate in the forums

Leisure essentials
Leisure expert Q&A
ask your question
Inside Expatica
Groups and clubs in Moscow

Groups and clubs in Moscow

Here’s a list of some of the groups and clubs that you can join while staying in Moscow.

Women's groups and clubs in Moscow

Women's groups and clubs in Moscow

Here are some of the many women's groups and clubs in the city.

Editor's Guide: Lifestyle in Moscow

Editor's Guide: Lifestyle in Moscow

Here's an introduction to our Lifestyle section for Moscow, from dating in the age of social media to shopping and gardening.

Editor's Guide: Getting Started in Moscow

Editor's Guide: Getting Started in Moscow

Here's a brief guide to Getting Started in Moscow, from where to go for visa and banking info to handling Russian business culture and managing a Moscow culture shock.