Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón

'Pepi, Luci, Bom (1980)' is Pedro Almodóvar's first commercially released film. Shot on a shoestring budget equivalent to about only 3000 euros, this transgressive affair took around a year-and-a-half of weekend work from a volunteer crew to come to life. Concerned principally with being as taboo as possible, the piece is still boundary pushing even when viewed through a modern lens; just imagine how shocking it would have been when it first released a mere handful of years after Spain's infamous dictator Francisco Franco finally kicked the bucket and the country could (at least attempt to) progress past his fascist rule. It serves as a reminder that the people it depicts, with all their socially unacceptable appearances, desires and otherwise unexpected kinks, have always existed even when those that despise them seek to stamp them out. The plot-light picture may have its flaws, but at its best it's a celebration of sex and freedom and a disregard for restrictive tradition that sizzles with a punky energy and is already a strong indicator for what sort of stories interest its director the most. Indeed, it's pretty fully formed in terms of being unmistakably Almodóvar, even if it is rough around the edges and doesn't even come close to the heights of later entries in his repertoire. It's a shocking, trashy feature by design, but its need to be shocking and trashy often outweighs its aspirations of being cohesive and compelling. Some of it is rather off-putting in its flippancy, with sexual assault and domestic violence being portrayed in a way that just feels a bit poorly handled. That the characters don't react to these things the way we expect them to doesn't mean the movie is condoning them, but it doesn't do enough to condemn them either. Ultimately, though, this is the sort of transgressive experience that appeals to a specific sensibility and primarily serves as an act of rebellion. It's dodgy at times and it isn't massively compelling overall, but it's also relatively entertaining and admirably disinterested in so-called good taste. If you know what you're getting into, you might just have a good time.

Actually this is my favorite Almodóvar film because he wasn't trying to please or appease anyone with this movie, he just says what he wants to say and does it in a very original and (at the time) provocative way. A bit dated now but still a brilliant deconstruction of Spanish culture with zany characters taken straight out of a John Waters movie. It's also the only one of his movies where Almodóvar (looking VERY young) makes an appearance himself (as the judge of a penis size competition no less).

Considering that this movie was made in less than a week with a budget of around $5,000, it's actually quite well done. The cinematography is probably the weak point but the story is great and the characters a parody of everything good and bad about Spain in the 80's. It is full of in-your-face-irreverent kind of humor as well as great little cultural bits and references that only native Spanish speakers or people familiar with Spanish culture will get. One of my favorites is the song "Murciana Marrana" that Alaska and her punk rock band sing as an ode to her new found lesbian lover and repressed house wife - hilarious lyrics and pure 80s punk rock at its best. The movie itself is really genius and despite some technical shortcomings, it's a real gem.

"However, you begin to disappoint with the first dialog (silly and absurd, no provocative), and it's better if we don't talk about the papers and acting (what happened to great Carmen Maura?!!)." I totally disagree with that, this movie is great, full of references to other great directors,which I guess the person who wrote this comment failed to see.

The actors are simply great, and act in the most purely Almodovar-John Waters way, making all the dialogs hilarious, playing with language (changing register in the same sentence from the highest to the lowest, making absurd speeches, from the point of view of the linguistics) and intonation, which I think is the greatest tool used by almodovar in his films.

Again, he rises daily life and common problems to the absurdity, by magnifying them, making us laugh at our own problems.

One of his greatest movies, in his purest style, which he greatly used again in his latest film "volver".

The first feature film from Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar is controversial and shocking, especially the time it was made (although not that shocking in Spain), but also very funny. Basically it is a movie about nothing, although it shows a pop-culture that Almodóvar inhabited.

We see how Pepi (Carmen Maura) is raped by a policeman (Félix Rotaeta) after she offers sex, although tries to back out, so he would not report her illegal cannabis plants. Pepi seeks revenge and she lets her friends beat the guy up. It seems they have beaten his twin brother so Pepi must come up with another plan. She tries this through the policeman's wife named Luci (Eva Siva) who turns out to be a masochist, perfect for Pepi's friend Bom (Olvido Gara) who likes to disparage her.

A film about nothing really, like I said. There are some nice little jokes here, sometimes because they are quite unexpected and therefore shocking. When Luci turns out to be what she is it is Bom who pees all over her; Luci likes it a lot. May be it is shocking, it is pretty funny too. There are more gags like this. One of the best moments is when Pepi has to make her own money, her father has cut her off, and she has an idea of producing menstruating dolls.

Filled with things like this, a sloppy editing and a cinematography that is as good as any amateur would do it can not prevent that this film is simply entertaining. It is not too long and therefore we can finish it. Still, I would start with another Almodóvar film, then see this only as an interesting debut.

Pepi, Luci and Bom (1980) is a twisted sexually perverse comedy from Pedro Almodovar. The story revolves around three working class women living in Madrid, Spain. Carmen Maura (an Almodovar regular) is the star of this very low budget film. A meek house wife is slowly seduced by her lesbian next door neighbor ( part of a plot to get revenge on her abusive husband) is one of the many strange events that occur in this farce.

The seduction techniques are very "unique" and creative to say the least. The director flows the exploits of the three friends as they hang out in the emerging seedy underground of Spain.

A n interesting movie from rising film-maker Pedro Almodovar. You also get a first hand look at life after the dictatorial reign of one Franco. A lot of sexual repression and tension was released in the streets after he left power. How much can the average viewer take? Well since this is an Almodovar film, it's only for die-hard fans or if you like some of John Waters earlier work. Others stay, don't say I didn't warn you.

Recommended for viewers of esoteric foreign films.

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