De Salto Alto

I like the films made by director Pedro Almodóvar and 'Tacones Lejanos' ('High Heels') is no exception. Even his lesser film ('Kika') have something to enjoy, most of all because they are so very different from other films you have seen. Like a Tarantino-film, an Almodóvar-film is sort of like a genre on itself. Although Almodóvar reached greatness with 'Todo Sobre Mi Madre' and especially 'Hable Con Ella', his earlier films like 'Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios' and this one are a lot of fun. He mixes so many genres here, uses symbolism in such an effective way, the least thing it does is being original. I guess there is nothing wrong with that.

The story involves a daughter Rebeca (Victoria Abril), her famous mother Becky (Marisa Paredes) who returns to Spain after fifteen tears, a murder that could have been committed by Rebeca, Becky and a third suspect, Judge Domínguez (Miguel Bosé) who is on the case, and a lot of colorful supporting characters. I could tell you more but the plot is not really the issue here. Although this films sounds like a drama, maybe a detective or a thriller even, it is closer to a comedy because of the way Almodóvar handles the absurd situations. There is a scene where Rebeca, an anchorwoman, tells something about the murder where she herself is one of the suspects. Next to her sits a woman who does the news in sign language. The whole scene, which is dramatic in what it tells us, is one of the best moments of comedy I have seen.

Of course the themes here are really dramatic. Not only we have the murder, we also have Rebeca who has wanted to impress her mother her entire life. It is just that Almodóvar creates a world that reminds you of a soap opera that can bring comedy out of every dramatic event. That his film is more serious than you might think is proved by the symbolism he uses. Scenes where Rebeca is temporarily in prison show her in a symbolic way how she feels. In another beautiful scene we see Rebeca driving her car, but it is the wall on the background that draws her attention. It is like her entire life is written on the wall. Almodóvar who loves to use bright colors finds an effective way here to use them, representing the state the character is in. It is not only effective it is quite beautiful to look at as well.

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.

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.

In our Spanish Cinema class we have watched many Spanish movies. Most of these movies were boring and had horrible endings, but Tacones Lejanos wasn't bad. Pedro Almodovar is a good director and both High Heels and Women on the Board of a Nervous Breakdown held our class' interest, and did not disappoint us too badly with their endings.

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.