La fièvre de l'ormeau

Here is one of these movies that tell you something about life, a sort of sociological documentary... Somewhere on an island in Chilli there is a waterplant that is so rare that it's only for some days allowed to get them out of the water for selling them. This is an unique opportunity for those who wanna go for some money, so our protagonists arrive with a fishingboat and the local inhabitants work for them (at least that's what they think as the money that they're paid with is false). You don't see that much happening in the movie, except for a bus with whores who travel from city to city to earn money (and guess who's having most at the end, them or the fishers). The story is quite original and good but the big problem with this movie is that all actors are uninteresting, they're just like some pieces from a background whose sole task is to tell some words. Not the baddest of the baddest but to say it's worth seeing?, no....

I recently watched "La fiebre del loco" and I must say it's not that bad. Actually, it's not bad at all. Sure, it is predictable and some performances could be way better, but you must recognize it beautiful photography and calmed storytelling. It's a meaningful and humble effort to make a quiet movie about simple people.

The story at the center of the film is the fishing for the "loco", the prized Chilean mollusk, similar to oysters that can only be extracted from the sea at certain times. Andres Wood, the director, has based his film in a group of people in the remote island where every year this event occurs, which brings most of the money this community needs to survive.

Canuto, a native of the island, is a petty criminal who associates himself with a Japanese character that wants to send most of the harvest to markets in that country, where it is a great delicacy. In order to do that, he goes to a friend from this area, now working in the capital and convinces him to go along.

The few days in the island show us a cross section of the population. There is the local priest, who is also the voice in the radio soap opera; he controls the fishing, but never realizes he is dealing with the criminal minds of Canuto and his partner. We get to see a group of prostitutes that arrive to the town and set their tent where a great deal of the locals go for relaxation.

There is a great scene at the end where the suffering wives claim the ill gotten money the prostitutes will take away from them and their families. This is a small film, but it keeps the viewer involved with what's going on up to the tragic ending. The ensemble cast plays very well.

Great all-around: good use of music, good story, works on many levels, corruption, love stories, etc. And I don't know how anyone could accuse the acting of being "wooden"- I thought it was uniformly excellent.

Great slice of life in Chile that shows the life of a small fishing community.

One of the films you could take just about anyone to, young or old.

Highly recommended.

In the winter of Chile, the government allows for a short period the harvesting of the valuable and aphrodisiac shellfish "el loco". Along these days, the seaside village of Puerto Gala lodges fishermen and prostitutes, all of them expecting to make money. The crook Canuto (Emilio Bardi), who loves the owner of a local bar Sonia (Loreto Moya), convinces his friend Jorge (Luis Dobó), the priest Luis (Luis Margani) and the whole community to sell the production to a Japanese agent. After the selling, people disclose a secret.

"El Fiebre del Loco" is a tragic tale of greed, sex and love, not necessarily in this sequence. The story is original and I found in Google that the scientific name of El Loco is "Concholepas concholepas", a typical shellfish of Peru and Chile coasts (http://www.google.com.br/search?hl=pt-BR&q=molusco+el+loco&meta=). Therefore, the event related on the movie is true. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Febre do Loco" ("The Loco's Fever")