Epitafios

This series was a surprise. Being shown now in this country by HBO Latino, it was one of the best received programs in South America last year. We watched in Argentina when it made its debut, but we couldn't resist in watching it again as HBO is running the serial. The talented Alberto Lecchi and Jorge Nisco directed with assurance and panache. "Epitafios" is perhaps one of the best things ever made of this genre. The series was written by Marcelo and Walter Slavich and it cries to be shown on American television.

"Epitafios" grabs the viewer from its powerful beginning. Viewers are advised there is a lot of gore, as the people in charge of the production don't spare anything, so beware. The story holds the viewers in suspense from the first installment to the end.

The powerful cast is wonderful. Julio Chavez, plays the former police detective that is drawn back to investigate who is the serial killer who has one of the sharpest minds and keeps eliminating people that are tied to an incident that happened a few years before. Mr. Chavez is perhaps the best excuse to watch "Epitafios". Paola Krum, Cecilia Roth, Antonio Berabent, Villanueva Cosse, Lito Cruz, are seen in supporting roles, yet everyone plays as an ensemble.

"Epitafios" will not disappoint lovers of this genre.

I'd never heard of this until last night when I decided to rent the first two DVD's at Blockbuster. So, the user's comment about wanting to see it on DVD can have his/her wish ... a total of 5 DVD's.

I have not finished watching all of the mini series yet, but am glad for this website. After watching the 2nd episode and loving it, I feared that this was some series leaving me with some annoying cliffhanger, so now I know I can finish watching this to the ending due to this site's user comments.

Having only watched 2 episodes so far, I'm definitely hooked. Everything from casting, acting, camera angles, music, lighting, etc., is outstanding. My only ditty of negativity is regarding the few areas of subtitles that flash too quickly to read such as when translating a newspaper headline or tombstone epitaph, but, hey, I got the DVD's, so I can hit the reverse and pause (not so for viewers seeing it on HBO in real time unless they got some special cable service). On the flip side, though, at least the subtitles are in large enough lettering I can read them on my non-widescreen older & ordinary fullscreen television (I saw a trailer on a DVD for a new foreign movie the other day and the subtitle print was so tiny I gave up trying and determined I wouldn't be renting that movie).

It took me a little while at first to get familiar with the characters ... and, trying to salt my food whilst reading subtitles I tended to miss a few things, but I simply couldn't stop watching it. The introduction art and music is stylish and very well done which helped me more with the 2nd episode viewing, but I already know I can't rely on being sure if these characters are going to be in the remaining episodes since a lead character got toasted in the first episode, which makes this miniseries have more anticipated twists than one would expect ... and is refreshing. Knocking off a character like this wasn't like watching one of Stephen King's movies where he needlessly and irritatingly knocks off just about everyone you think you care about (King's downfall I think).

My local Blockbuster (hope it's okay to mention here), had a lot of good new releases this week, but no one had touched renting this miniseries, so I am going to have lots of fun viewing this weekend. The clerks at the store had no idea what this series was, but they do now, and one of them said she was going to rent it. I am glad to see my local BB is finally starting to have more TV series!

My title comment of "refreshingly unique with flavor" definitely applies. As the various actors and actresses of the cast lit up their cigarettes I felt nostalgia of days past when movies had smokers ... real people type actors and no government activistic or politically influenced campaigned censorship to alter the flavor intended. It was just WONDERFUL!!! When the first actor lit up a smoke, my jaw almost dropped! Then, my lips started to form a smile ... and then a big grin ... I loved it! I felt giddish! This made them all more real, and the episodes I've seen aren't full of staccato forensic jargon streaming out of their mouths (I have a tough time watching Bones! I'll have to wait for that on DVD to fully appreciate it.). And, it is nice as well that the language content is kept clean of cuss words ... most refreshing and pleasant (got really sick of that with Deadwood! I've not watched past the 2nd episode of that series.). Don't get me wrong, cussing is acceptable and applicable, but in Deadwood it seemed even the actors couldn't say so many of them without seeming forced and unnatural.

Perhaps my 10 rating is premature, but after reading other users comments here, I feel confident I will not be disappointed in viewing the rest of the DVD's. I recommend this for anyone wishing to view something uniquely different and refreshing with a stylish new flavor(and doesn't mind reading subtitles).

Understanding only English and not liking subtitles, I was hesitant to watch this series when a friend of mine said it was fantastic. I saw there were 5 shows out of 13 in the series that were available for me to watch so I figured one wouldn't be bad. I was GLUED to the television for 250 minutes as I had to watch all 5 episodes back to back. My back was sore, my butt, I had to go to the bathroom 3 times and read the subtitles. This was THE best series I've ever seen. The music was absolutely fantastic at the opening and closing. I spent an hour just finding the soundtrack of the opening which runs 1:17. I would like to know if there indeed is the entire CD. The acting is great, the plot fantastic and this series should win an academy award. It is utterly unbelievable. Congrats to HBO for showing this series. Now, I need to locate the entire 13 episodes to buy for my library.

James Cram

I have to say that I am loving the series in terms of subject matter and the idea.....but I am disappointed that (probably to become an HBO production) they made the actors change their Argentinean accent to a generic accent thinking that people from other nationalities would understand and identify with the series better. I think that that was such a bad idea not only because the actors seem forced when trying to talk like the regular "Jose Perez," but also because it seems ridiculous to me that a series that clearly takes place in Buenos Aires pretends that people from there speak with another type of accent that they don't. That makes the series unreal. I find it unfortunate that HBO which is a Hollywood-independent, great production company wants to "Hollywicize" itself and make people think that all Latins talk alike, think alike, act alike and have the same accents!!!! Argentienans have made such great productions, movies, series, etc...they should not change their accents/ways just to please a bunch of Americans that don't understand the culture.

I got hooked on Epitafios from the get-go. English is my first language but I also speak, read and write Spanish (my parents were portenos from Buenos Aires). I read another comment complaining that although the series was filmed in Buenos Aires, the actors do not speak in the Argentine dialect. I noticed that right away, and I was a little disappointed because I enjoy hearing Argentinians speaking Spanish...the way my parents and other family members spoke. But I understand why...this series no doubt was aired throughout South America and the story line really has nothing to do with Buenos Aires or Argentina...it could be set anywhere. But I have enjoyed seeing location shots of the city (like Recoleta)...I was just in Buenos Aires this past October.

Epitafios is over the top to be sure, and melodramatic, just as are all the Spanish novelas. But there is just something fascinating about the series and I only wish that it would last longer that 13 episodes. I love the Sopranos (I was born in NYC and raised in NJ) but I think Epitafios is just as good. I can only hope that the producers of Epitafios will bring us more good stuff in the future.

NinaDulce Clearwater FL