Amanece, que no es poco

"Unique" is an adjective that is too often employed to describe many things. In most cases, that is undeserved, but not in the case of Amanece, que no es poco. A tribute/parody of 60s Spanish comedy films, Amanece remains a truly peerless and funny movie experience.

Amanece, que no es poco subverts many tropes common in comedies from Francoist Spain in a very surrealistic and amusing way. Structured in vignettes, the film shows the peculiar lives of the inhabitants of a fictitious town in rural Spain. The people shown are involved in situations that are hilarious because no attempt whatsoever is made to give them a realistic feel.

The film is very recommendable to anyone who knows well enough Spanish culture. The only problem with this film is perhaps what I just mentioned, for someone not very familiar with Spanish culture, this may come off as a very bizarre and probably unfunny film.

Absolutely loved it. Great. Absurd humour at its best.

Absurde , choral and upsetting story dealing with Professor Teodoro (Antonio Resines) of Oklahoma University who along with his father (Luis Ciges) are traveling around Europa on a motorcycle with sidecar when they arrive in a village where happens fantastic happenings . As the priest (Cassen) carries out a particular mass , the Mayor (Rafael Alonso) has problems with neighbours who want to share his woman (Fedra Lorente) , people knows the William Faulkner's novels , while a Corporal (Jose Sazatoril ¨Saza¨) of Guardia Civil has to face strange events . Then there appears some students from American Euton University , Belgian meteorologists and many others things.

A numerous cast plays a lot of characters and forty protagonists , at least . Screenwriter , Director Jose Luis Cuerda tells his special humor in which blends life , death , religion sex and songs . This rural comedy relies on repetitive situations , silly scenes and absurd deeds . Strange happenings occur on the village and surroundings , as men grow on lands , raining rice , a chore of the Russian Army singing and dancing in the church , Mayor's hanging , rare levitation , among others . This highly valuable tale results to be a surrealist comedy with an excellent Spanish-all-star cast as Antonio Resines , Jose Sazatornil, Rafael Alonso , Aurora Bautista , Gabino Diego and a notorious secondary cast as Fernando Valverde , Pastora Vega , Luis Ciges , Fedra Lorente , Ovidio Montllor , Rosalia dans , Manuel Alexandre , Guillermo Montesino , Rosalia Dans , Violeta Cela and many others . The actors say rare and embarrassing dialogs in utter seriousness.

It is a disconcerting flick by Jose Luis Cuerda who also efficiently wrote/produced/directed and resulted to get an acceptable success at Spanish Box office . Cuerda is a veteran professional , being his film debut ¨Pares and Nones¨ a typical Madrid comedy . He subsequently directed ¨El Bosque Animado¨ also with script by notorious Rafael Azcona and based on Wenceslao Fernandez Florez's novel . He followed directing failures as a drama titled ¨Viuda De Capitan Contreras¨ and more comedies as ¨La Marrana¨ and ¨Tocando Fondo¨ . His greatest success corresponds as producer , as he produced hits for Alejandro Amenabar as ¨Tesis¨ and ¨Abre Los Ojos¨, among others . His highly-acclaimed and successful movie was ¨Lengua De Mariposas¨ , it has a rating as better than average and is a beautiful and powerful film . His most personal movies were two comedies with a peculiar and surrealist sense of humor , this ¨Amanece Que no Es Poco¨ and the following titled ¨Asi en el Cielo Como en Tierra¨ but in anti-religion tendency .

This movie is one of the funniest movies I have seen. Of course, it is in Spanish so if you do not speak Spanish it won't be as funny. But the whole premise behind it and the creativity of the writers is terrific. Everything from a policeman who is always drunk, to farmers who cultivate people. A must see if you're in the mood for a good laugh.

I can repeat this for hundred of paragraphs, but I think that with only once is enough...