Die Waffen einer Frau

I like the films made by director Pedro Almodóvar and 'Tacones Lejanos' ('High Heels') is no exception. Even his lesser film ('Kika') have something to enjoy, most of all because they are so very different from other films you have seen. Like a Tarantino-film, an Almodóvar-film is sort of like a genre on itself. Although Almodóvar reached greatness with 'Todo Sobre Mi Madre' and especially 'Hable Con Ella', his earlier films like 'Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios' and this one are a lot of fun. He mixes so many genres here, uses symbolism in such an effective way, the least thing it does is being original. I guess there is nothing wrong with that.

The story involves a daughter Rebeca (Victoria Abril), her famous mother Becky (Marisa Paredes) who returns to Spain after fifteen tears, a murder that could have been committed by Rebeca, Becky and a third suspect, Judge Domínguez (Miguel Bosé) who is on the case, and a lot of colorful supporting characters. I could tell you more but the plot is not really the issue here. Although this films sounds like a drama, maybe a detective or a thriller even, it is closer to a comedy because of the way Almodóvar handles the absurd situations. There is a scene where Rebeca, an anchorwoman, tells something about the murder where she herself is one of the suspects. Next to her sits a woman who does the news in sign language. The whole scene, which is dramatic in what it tells us, is one of the best moments of comedy I have seen.

Of course the themes here are really dramatic. Not only we have the murder, we also have Rebeca who has wanted to impress her mother her entire life. It is just that Almodóvar creates a world that reminds you of a soap opera that can bring comedy out of every dramatic event. That his film is more serious than you might think is proved by the symbolism he uses. Scenes where Rebeca is temporarily in prison show her in a symbolic way how she feels. In another beautiful scene we see Rebeca driving her car, but it is the wall on the background that draws her attention. It is like her entire life is written on the wall. Almodóvar who loves to use bright colors finds an effective way here to use them, representing the state the character is in. It is not only effective it is quite beautiful to look at as well.

Great stuff here from Mr Almodovar, with Victoria Abril in full effect. The result is a technicolour rollercoaster of a film. And they all break into song and dance too, way before Woody Allen tried it.

Strange that this film is so little shown, given the popularity both of the earlier "Women on the Verge..." and the recent "All About My Mother". If you can catch it at the cinema, all the better because the pace and colour is quite dazzling.

Aldomovar is one of the few male directors on the planet who is a true artist and painting a portrait with female emotions. Using garish sets, outrageous humor, and witty songs, Aldomovar expertly juxtaposes the absurdity of what we fleetingly but devoutly believe is truly important with eternal truths. If you speak Spanish, then you are privy to another layer of wry duality that really doesn't translate through the subtitles. Abril is remarkable as the returning mother finding things turned upside down and ultimately doing it one or two better. Highly recommended.

Almodovar successful and overwrought melodrama about a love/hateful relationship with the ordinary rare characters , twisted situations and eccentric events. A girl's veteran mother (Marisa Paredes) go back after 15 years abroad to perform in Madrid and to find her estranged 27-year-old daughter (Victoria Abril) who left her as a child , the latter has married one of her old boyfriends. They attempt to mend their broken mother/daughter relationship and deal with their common lover (Feodor Atkine) . The reunion after fifteen years is difficult , not least because Rebecca has married her old boyfriend . Things go wrong when there happens a crime and a rare judge (Miguel Bose) starts investigating . A mother, a daughter, a lover. Relationships can be murder.

Agreeable film full of feeling , outlandish characters , haunting mood-pieces , Spanish Neo-realism , and sense of style but not totally satisfactory , including conventional pitfalls , profanities and a lot of sexual scenes . The picture deals with a veteran singer returns after 15 years abroad to perform in Madrid and finds her troublesome daughter , stablishing a physical and problematic relationship between them . It is sad and amusing , but like the rest of the movie mostly sad . This results to be an off-the-wall as well as semi-ironic melodrama , including familiar absurdities , dysfunctional roles and many other things ; featuring two feminist heroines of classical proportions . The picture is pretty well but turns out to be inferior to Almodovar's subsequent entries such as ¨The skin I live in¨, ¨Volver¨ , ¨The bad education¨ or ¨Talk to her¨. The result is undiluted scabrous drama , crazy strings of plots , sharp images , plenty of colorful images and marvellous songs from Luz Casal . Filmmaker piles up on the contrivances , turns and twisted events so that the picture to have success . It's a piquant look at a peculiar family involving strange and complicated situations during its half an hour runtime . And being influenced by American Romantic Dramas and especially by director Douglas Sirk . Nice interpretations by all cast , outstanding Marisa Paredes , Victoria abril and Miguel Bose. Furthermore , a notorious support cast such as : Anna Lizaran , Cristina Marco , Féodor Atkine ,Miriam Díaz-Aroca , Pedro Díez del Corral ,Bibiana Fernández , among others . Enjoyable musical score by Ryuichi Sakamoto ; adding some wonderful songs . Brilliant and luxurious cinematography by Alfredo Mayo.

The motion picture was realized in his peculiar style by Pedro Almodovar ; he often uses symbolism and metaphorical techniques to portray circular story lines , though here he directs a special melodrama , including his ordinary touches . Almodovar directs throughout with splendid zip and he usually portrays strong female characters and transsexuals and along his career getting some important international prizes . His first feature film, Pepi, Luci, Bom (1980), was made in 16 mm and blown-up to 35 mm for public release . In 1987, he and his brother Agustín Almodóvar established their own production company : El Deseo, S. A. The "Almodóvar phenomenon" has reached all over the world , making his films very popular in many countries . Oscar-winning Spanish director Pedro Almodovar who made successes such as Labyrinth of passions , Law of desire , Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown , Bad education , All about my mother , Talk to her , Broken embraces , The Skin I Live In and many others . The latest from acclaimed Spanish director , Pedro Almodovar's I'm So Excited (Los Amantes Pasajeros) competing for the inaugural best European comedy honor during the upcoming 26th edition of the European Film Awards . And his last hits as Julieta and Dolor y gloria with Antonio Banderas .

A girl's mother returns after fifteen years to find her daughter has married one of her (the mother's) old boyfriends. They try to mend their broken mother/daughter relationship and deal with their common lover.

Roger Ebert said that "Pedro Almodóvar's films are an acquired taste, and with High Heels I am at last beginning to acquire it." I can understand this. Some of his work I like an some I think is just alright. This film happens to be one I liked, combining the Almodovar use of color with some interesting plot and character twists.

I do not recall if I have seen Douglas Sirk's "Imitation of Life", which this film was in part inspired by. Either way, it makes me want to see it now because Sirk was one of the best of his generation and it is no wonder he has inspired so many (though mostly in Europe, it seems).