La caccia

Intense psychological drama, obviously intended as a political allegory, relentlessly exposes its protagonists' toxic masculinity, suitably staged in stark black-and-white and a overheated barren landscape, entrenched in a whirlpool of absurd moments and violence (the hunting scenes are quite hard to take).

Although I own practically half of his filmography, I have only watched three Carlos Saura (whom I saw in the flesh at the 2012 European Film Awards which were held over here in Malta!) movies so far – WEEPING FOR A BANDIT (1964; featuring a cameo from Luis Buñuel), ANTONIETA (1982; co-written by Jean-Claude Carrière) and BUÑUEL AND KING SOLOMON'S TABLE (2001); however, being aware that it was going to be Saura's 82nd birthday presently, I decided it was high time I watched a handful more. The film under review – a slow-burning but powerful anti-Fascist allegory that is all the more remarkable for being made under Spanish dictator Franco's regime! – is the one which made his name, having won him (among others) the Best Director prize at that year's Berlin Film Festival.

The plot deals with three Spanish Civil War veterans who return – after many years and with a younger relative – to their old battleground (a skeleton of one Loyalist is proudly exhibited in a nearby shed) ostensibly to hunt rabbits but, during the course of the hot, tedious day spent in alcoholic consumption and hidden agendas, old wounds and prejudices are fatally rekindled. Acting as their trapper and cook are the crippled poacher (of the landowner in the group) and his adolescent niece: their 'disdainful' status is reflected in the disease that is already decimating the rabbit population and the landowner taking on a much younger mistress after his wife left him. From the small, uniformly fine cast, award-winning Jose' Maria Prado (a familiar face from several Art-house and Euro-Cult movies) – playing the envious, trigger-happy, Sci-Fi nut of the group is a particular stand-out.

Being an animal lover, I was wary that the obligatory hunting and trapping sequences were going to be the whole show here: luckily, it was not the case but when these do come on (gleefully participated in by the landowner's black dog and ironically set to light-headed Spanish pop ditties blasting from a portable radio), they are certainly harrowing to watch: a ferret violently taunts a cowering rabbit in his hole out into the open where the hunters lie in wait for it; the same dutiful ferret is soon deliberately dispatched by the self-made businessman of the group; and, most memorably, a rabbit defiantly stops its flight for a few seconds amid a hail of bullets before being blasted off in a cloud of fur and dust.

Full review on my blog max4movies: La Caza (international title: The Hunt) is a drama about three aging friends reuniting for hunting rabbits. The heat and talking about past mistakes make the men increasingly aggressive, until a catastrophe happens. The characters' backstories are told in an unconventional way and because of the wonderful cinematography the movie succeeds in presenting believable characters on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Although the hunt sequences overtly depict violence against animals and could have easily been toned down, the dramatic escalation is well-written, and the conflict between the men feels authentic.

Interesting and thought-provoking look about a rabbit hunting excursion through a hot , long day . Well directed film by Carlos Saura who tried to create a sort of Spanish Neo-Realism by tackling a hunt starred by four former friends (Alfredo Mayo , Jose Maria Prada , Luis Merlo and Emilio Gutierrez Caba) that becomes a violent confrontation . Both of them find their friendships extended to the breaking point in which emerges violence and vengeance , turning the characters over the edge of breakdown .

This sour picture is well set in Spain of the 60s , when four friends set out a planned hunting and as minor events and disputes led toward more frequent and angrier facing off . This film was notorious in the years of the Franco dictatorship including provoking and polemic issues and played by known and prestigious actors . His style is pretty much sour , dry and realistic as well in the atmosphere as in the fresh dialog . ¨La Caza¨ is one of Saura's undisputed masterpieces and fundamental in his filmography where shows the miseries of some amoral characters and shot at the height of his creativity, in a period cultural difficult, where the enormous censorship of the political regime exacerbated the ingenuity and imagination of the scriptwriters . Splendid photography with juicy atmosphere by Luis Cuadrado who along with Teo Escamilla are considered to be two of the best Spanish cameramen , both of whom worked for Saura . Being splendidly filmed on location in Aranjuez, Madrid, Esquivias, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha and Seseña, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain . Atmospheric musical score by Luis De Pablo who composes a thrilling soundtrack plenty of drums and piano sounds . The picture deservedly won Silver Bear in the Berlin Festival for ¨ La Caza or The Chase¨ (1966) his most successful film .

The motion picture perfectly produced by magnificent producer Elias Querejeta was stunningly directed by Carlos Saura , a good Spanish movies director. He began working in cinema in 1959 when he filmed ¨Los Golfos ¨(1962) dealing with juvenile delinquency from a sociological point of view . Saura is a well recognized filmmaker both nationally and internationally, and in proof of it he won many prizes among which there are the following ones: Silver Bear in Festival of Berlin for Peppermint Frappé (1967). Special Jury Awards in Cannes for La Prima Angélica (1974), in 1973, and for Cría Cuervos (1976), in 1975. Also, the film Mamá Cumple Cien Años (1979) got an Oscar nomination in 1979 as the best foreign film, and it also won the Special Jury Award at the San Sebastian Festival. He subsequently made ¨Deprisa , Deprisa¨ based on facts about juvenile delinquency in Spain since the 80s , as he tried to take a position in favour of outcast people and he got to make a both lyric and documentary-style cinema . In 1990, he won two Goya , The Spanish Oscar , as best adapted screenplay writer and best director . Saura became an expert on Iberian musical adaptations as ¨Carmen , Amor Brujo , Bodas De Sangre , Sevillanas ,Iberia , Salome, Fado, Flamenco ¨ and even recently Opera as ¨Io , Don Giovanni¨

Anyone who enjoyed Lord of the Flies or the Blair Witch Project should admire this chilling Spanish psychodrama, which is better than either. A few men are gathered for a day's rabbit hunting; it becomes apparent that they are well-to-do veterans of the Spanish Civil War. The place looks as desolate and barren as it is possible to imagine, and the heat is obviously intense. The men have memories of this godforsaken gulch, since it was a battlefield in the Civil War. As the day goes on, the scorching sun frays the men's nerves and sends them toward delirium, bringing out their inner weaknesses and their personal conflicts, normally concealed beneath a veneer of politeness. The end comes suddenly.

There allusions to the apocalypse (Luis is a poetical spirit who likes quoting Revelations, as well as science fiction). The setting is reminiscent of Ezekiel's valley of dry bones; Saura is wise enough to draw this analogy visually, without openly stating it. These men have great burdens on their consciences, which they are loath to admit, and they will pay dearly. A younger man invited along points up the contrast; he wasn't involved in the Civil War, or shady business dealings, so he is naïve and open.

One thing that makes this movie superior to the stuff we normally see is the lack of superfluous dialogue; there are long patches where subtle gestures or metaphorical images are allowed to speak for themselves. Even the music is restricted to a few muffled drumbeats or chimes, and these are used sparingly. This is a low-budget masterpiece which deserves comparison in style to The Isle (2000).

My only criticism is that the beginning is a bit slow; but you'll certainly get into it if you sit through the first ten minutes.