De Salto Alto

Great stuff here from Mr Almodovar, with Victoria Abril in full effect. The result is a technicolour rollercoaster of a film. And they all break into song and dance too, way before Woody Allen tried it.

Strange that this film is so little shown, given the popularity both of the earlier "Women on the Verge..." and the recent "All About My Mother". If you can catch it at the cinema, all the better because the pace and colour is quite dazzling.

A girl's mother returns after fifteen years to find her daughter has married one of her (the mother's) old boyfriends. They try to mend their broken mother/daughter relationship and deal with their common lover.

Roger Ebert said that "Pedro Almodóvar's films are an acquired taste, and with High Heels I am at last beginning to acquire it." I can understand this. Some of his work I like an some I think is just alright. This film happens to be one I liked, combining the Almodovar use of color with some interesting plot and character twists.

I do not recall if I have seen Douglas Sirk's "Imitation of Life", which this film was in part inspired by. Either way, it makes me want to see it now because Sirk was one of the best of his generation and it is no wonder he has inspired so many (though mostly in Europe, it seems).

Released internationally as 'High Heels', the actual title of this Pedro Almodóvar comedy translates as 'Distant Heels', an idea of significance towards the end of the film as events take a sharp dramatic turn. Whatever the case, summing up what exactly this film is about is not easy as it is an unpredictable ride throughout (in the best sort of way) with lots of surprise revelations and plot twists and turns; the characters also often do what we least expect of them. In short, the film might be best thought of as Almodóvar's take on 'Autumn Sonata' - which even gets explicitly mentioned - as the plot focuses on a successful television news anchor and her resentment of her diva mother who traumatised her as a child. As the plot unfolds, we learn that she married one of her mother's former beaus. Did she do it for revenge or to humiliate her mother or was it simply a coincidence? As the plot thickens and something happens to her husband, even further questions arise with regards to her intentions, and it is perhaps best not to say more to avoid ruining a fresh experience of the film. While the narrative sometimes feels all over the place and not everything that occurs is especially credible (especially the jail that seems more like a summer camp!), the film has an undeniable charm to it. Miguel Bosé also has one surefire interesting character that raises questions about personal identity and role-playing, which is part of what the film is about: the two female protagonists coming to accept their roles of mother and daughter, career aspirations and other concerns aside.

Do you have one singular childhood memory that would seem insignificant to the rest of the world? Rebeca does and it has defined her life of trying to be somebody that her famous mother will notice.

Rebeca and Becky's final realization of each other's own self finally comes in the unselfish gesture that defines motherhood -- sacrifice.

Although this movie is listed as a drama, the madness surrounding most of Almodovar leading ladies is ever present. Raunchy and racy, as well as tender and sweet, this movie is well worth the look if you can find it.

Almodovar successful and overwrought melodrama about a love/hateful relationship with the ordinary rare characters , twisted situations and eccentric events. A girl's veteran mother (Marisa Paredes) go back after 15 years abroad to perform in Madrid and to find her estranged 27-year-old daughter (Victoria Abril) who left her as a child , the latter has married one of her old boyfriends. They attempt to mend their broken mother/daughter relationship and deal with their common lover (Feodor Atkine) . The reunion after fifteen years is difficult , not least because Rebecca has married her old boyfriend . Things go wrong when there happens a crime and a rare judge (Miguel Bose) starts investigating . A mother, a daughter, a lover. Relationships can be murder.

Agreeable film full of feeling , outlandish characters , haunting mood-pieces , Spanish Neo-realism , and sense of style but not totally satisfactory , including conventional pitfalls , profanities and a lot of sexual scenes . The picture deals with a veteran singer returns after 15 years abroad to perform in Madrid and finds her troublesome daughter , stablishing a physical and problematic relationship between them . It is sad and amusing , but like the rest of the movie mostly sad . This results to be an off-the-wall as well as semi-ironic melodrama , including familiar absurdities , dysfunctional roles and many other things ; featuring two feminist heroines of classical proportions . The picture is pretty well but turns out to be inferior to Almodovar's subsequent entries such as ¨The skin I live in¨, ¨Volver¨ , ¨The bad education¨ or ¨Talk to her¨. The result is undiluted scabrous drama , crazy strings of plots , sharp images , plenty of colorful images and marvellous songs from Luz Casal . Filmmaker piles up on the contrivances , turns and twisted events so that the picture to have success . It's a piquant look at a peculiar family involving strange and complicated situations during its half an hour runtime . And being influenced by American Romantic Dramas and especially by director Douglas Sirk . Nice interpretations by all cast , outstanding Marisa Paredes , Victoria abril and Miguel Bose. Furthermore , a notorious support cast such as : Anna Lizaran , Cristina Marco , Féodor Atkine ,Miriam Díaz-Aroca , Pedro Díez del Corral ,Bibiana Fernández , among others . Enjoyable musical score by Ryuichi Sakamoto ; adding some wonderful songs . Brilliant and luxurious cinematography by Alfredo Mayo.

The motion picture was realized in his peculiar style by Pedro Almodovar ; he often uses symbolism and metaphorical techniques to portray circular story lines , though here he directs a special melodrama , including his ordinary touches . Almodovar directs throughout with splendid zip and he usually portrays strong female characters and transsexuals and along his career getting some important international prizes . His first feature film, Pepi, Luci, Bom (1980), was made in 16 mm and blown-up to 35 mm for public release . In 1987, he and his brother Agustín Almodóvar established their own production company : El Deseo, S. A. The "Almodóvar phenomenon" has reached all over the world , making his films very popular in many countries . Oscar-winning Spanish director Pedro Almodovar who made successes such as Labyrinth of passions , Law of desire , Women on the verge of a nervous breakdown , Bad education , All about my mother , Talk to her , Broken embraces , The Skin I Live In and many others . The latest from acclaimed Spanish director , Pedro Almodovar's I'm So Excited (Los Amantes Pasajeros) competing for the inaugural best European comedy honor during the upcoming 26th edition of the European Film Awards . And his last hits as Julieta and Dolor y gloria with Antonio Banderas .