El cadáver de Anna Fritz

Some movies have big spoilers in their own titles, basic plots or trailers. There, you have clues of what production team want you to know. I'll try not to go further.

We are introduced in the very beginning (by journalists' fragmented threads on voice-over) to Anna Fritz persona and we are get to know that she is a worshiped celebrity. Her death is where it all begins.

Then we are taken to the point of view of three curious guys that want to see her for the first and last time. What I can say it's not a good idea.

This movie have some violent scenes. If you are more or less sensible to 'moral terror', despite the comments of the toughest viewers, I think you will suffer.

From one specific moment, the story they are about to tell us, could perfectly fit in horror genre, but it clearly follows the way to a claustrophobic crime flick.

The cast is good, especially for the pretty Alba Ribas who plays Anna Fritz (in some shots she looks a little like Chloë Sevigny). The characters are made for the plot, so don't expect a great character developing (runtime being 76', it's not possible in an action centered movie). The pace is fast, and it works. No place for being bored. Give it a chance!

So from now on, it seems we have more reasons to be afraid of dying!

One of the things I really love about this film is how precisely its told. At no point did I feel that the film was dragging on, nor that it was showing me something that was unnecessary to the plot. I also loved how quickly it dealt with its exposition in the beginning of the film. A lot of directors would have spent 15 minutes or more following Anna Fritz on the red carpet, showing her fans cheering at her, and then cut to her being found dead. This film deals with all exposition within the first two minutes, leaving the viewer to only have to focus on the films tension. The Corpse of Anna Fritz really shows how you get a lot out of a small budget, and is a great example of "less is more".

This film is incredibly tense, and had me on the edge of my seat throughout most of the film. This is due to a very good score, great pacing, as well as all actors performing really well, especially Alba Ribas.

The visual style is really good. I really like way its lit, and the hand-held camera increased the tension, drawing me into the film.

One of the most tense indie-thrillers I've seen in a long time.

A famous actress, Anna Fritz, has died and a young man working at the hospital morgue impresses his two buddies with her fresh corpse. On a dare, the boys decide to have a little fun with the sexy but cold body. Bad choices in life go south rather quickly as trouble is ahead and trouble behind in this adventure. The lead actress makes for a fine dead body but the three guys are not exactly A list actors. The movie is mildly amusing and is only an hour and sixteen minutes. Dive in at your own risk.

Let's be clear: it is not just about beauty here, but about celebrity and what that makes people think. We have three male characters here, which all do drugs. Now that alone may be enough for some to judge them. But if you are not too close minded, you will let that one slip (no pun intended). When it comes to discovering the body of Anna Fritz and what occurs then ... that is completely different and despicable to say the least.

Now one of the three has some common sense. Not just some, but enough for all 3 of them and therefor can be excused to a degree. The things that happen do make sense. Even the really abhorent acts in it. Some are tough to watch to say the least. I know some will have the same excuse as the two characters, but if you look inside yourself you should know it is just plain wrong.

Having said that, the movie develops quite the tension and quite the suspense that does carry through to the end. Spanish thrillers have really found a niche and place for themselves and this is just another one of those. Very well made to say the least

For some reason it seems the only foreign films I ever end up watching are gruesome and disturbing horror films that put me off ever going to the country they're based in again. 'The Human Centipede' and 'A Serbian Film' are the first two that come to mind and while 'The Corpse of Anna Fritz' never lives up to the vile things I witnessed in either of those movies, it still deals with a sickening subject matter and is an uncomfortable watch at times.

I wasn't exactly sure where they were going to go with the film after everything promised in the synopsis had happened in the first 10 minutes. Then along came a very disturbing and well directed scene (which I won't spoil for you) that changed everything. From there it becomes a pretty tense and effective little thriller where you are never quite sure what is going to happen next. I would describe it as a lonely film, there aren't a lot of characters or even extras at any stage. The acting I would have to say was quite impressive from all involved and all in all I'd describe it as a very watchable little flick. Give it a look if you happen upon a copy of it.