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).

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.

Aldomovar is one of the few male directors on the planet who is a true artist and painting a portrait with female emotions. Using garish sets, outrageous humor, and witty songs, Aldomovar expertly juxtaposes the absurdity of what we fleetingly but devoutly believe is truly important with eternal truths. If you speak Spanish, then you are privy to another layer of wry duality that really doesn't translate through the subtitles. Abril is remarkable as the returning mother finding things turned upside down and ultimately doing it one or two better. Highly recommended.

I have seen almost all Almodovar films, as he is a unique and eccentric director with vision. Eccentricity is not the case with this one. Humour is almost absent. Maybe you have by now figured out I prefer other, more humorous and provokative Almodovar films. Not that it's no good. It is, with tight acting and nice storyline. It didn't touch me though, as it was supposed to, and as a friend suggested. See also other Almodovar reviews by me to see what I mean.

For something completely different from this, see the next film of Almodovar, 1993, KIKA, as well as LABYRINTH OF PASSION, MATADOR. Blasphemous, humorous, explosive! Whatever the case, I should recommend this to people who saw other more exessive Almodovar films and didn't like it. This is much more serious, with firm storyline and great acting by everyone, as well as TALK TO HER.