Carmen

If you start thinking about the set up in which this film is inserted, you will want to see it. At least i did it: This is an adaptation of a novel, by a french writer (immortalized in an opera by a french composer). The writer, Mérimée, was as well an historian-archaeologist-translator; meaning this, someone who cared for "exotism", in a time in which Spanish or Portuguese rural worlds were still considered exotic to the English and the french. That novel established the clichés and preconceptions regarding Spanish culture still considered these days (and efficiently exploited by the tourism industry). Bizet also helped establish other clichés, musical to that matter. But this film is Spanish, in production, creative minds and people involved. So this was a brilliant opportunity for a view into a distinct edge of Spanish culture described by a french and commented on by the Spanish. That was the motivation for me.

They started off quite well, and at least i think they gave a thought at what i mentioned. That's why they place Mérimée himself as a character, observing Andaluzia as a foreigner, and taking note of what he sees, even sharing space and scenes with Carmen and José. That was good, and i appreciated the audacity of crossing the line of the facts (if there ever was a real Carmen, Mérimée never got to know her).

But the problem is, they never step out of the very clichés Mérimée established. The film is visually as lush as the opera is musically. The sets are brilliantly baroque, the (excellent) production emphasizes passioned environments (operatic, as well), an orange/yellow deviating sexual mood. But they also emphasize the temperament of the characters a little too much, deviating the thing from what could have been better explored, something that could matter and that is in fact noted:

The drama is built around Carmen, and the inability for José to play the game according to her rules. Those rules are defined by cultural background, and that is where the frictions lie. Carmen comes from a branch of the Spanish culture, that transcends Spain. Gypsies, a group of nomads, a people that wouldn't, or couldn't adapt to the established norms the roman derived catholic based culture (that self and forced rejection still lasts today in most of the places). José is Basque, but that is little seen, he could be from Madrid, that in this case it would be the same, he is a cliché as well. So, it is those cultural differences that matter. This is, i mentioned, noted, but not made the center of the thing. They prefer remarking on the sensuality as the engine for the plot and sex as the motivation for the characters, that's why we have Paz Vega here, who had been in the brilliant sex-centered 'Lucía y el sexo' just 2 years before. Well she does deliver what they intended, and she is sensual for my contemporary and contextualized eyes. So it's not a matter of what they did here, but what they could have done.

Side note: one could also take Carmen as an early symbol for a female emancipation that would only really happen decades later. Is this something Mérimée observed, or something he included as part of his french more cosmopolitan way of thinking?

My opinion: 3/5

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Vicente Aranda is one of the craftsmen of the Spanish cinema. And that is a guaranty. Even if the plot of the movie is not very original, you can count on finding something worth seeing in his movies.

Take Carmen as an example: we've been told this story a thousand times before, but introducing some interesting variations (like the fact that Merimée himself becomes a character) he makes you see the story from an other side. Moreover, I found some really fascinating images in the picture, specially those in which Paz Vega shows her original talent.

Screen-wise, the story of 'Carmen' has lent itself to more than two dozen outings: the plot, with its core elements of jealous lovers, femme fatales and outlaws, being powerful (indeed, simplistic) enough to embrace several contemporary stylings, such as 1954's all-black Carmen Jones, 2001's 'Carmen: A Hip Hopera', and Jean-Luc Godard's 1983 film First Name: Carmen.

Similarly, while it's a popular misconception that 'Carmen' first flowed from composer Bizet's pen, the crowd-pleasing opera is just one of numerous interpretations, including dance and theatre productions, of Prosper Mérimée's 1847 source text.

Though a crowd-pleaser now, and a terrific enlivener of many a 'Classical Lite' compilation CD, opera-goers attending the 1875 premiere performance actually thought it less than the Bizet's knees, owing to its interminable chunks of dialogue, later expunged or set to music. It's those glorious songs we most associate Carmen with these days: and, tellingly, this version - a straight, self-important retelling of the novella - feels infinitely poorer for their exclusion.

As if anticipating the loss, director Aranda attempts to hold the interest during almost two hours of screen time, through full-frontal nudity, judicious smatterings of gore, and authentically course dialogue.

It's in this attention to earthy period detail that the filmmakers have really succeeded: the costumes, lighting and production design are uniformly excellent. For such a purist take, however, occasional liberties have been taken - some good, some indifferent. In a canny nod to the political climate of the age, the French soldier José has become Basque, although the use of flashbacks and the inclusion of Mérimée as a character in his own story doesn't add a great deal.

Most damagingly, the marked lack of eroticism, or sexual chemistry between Vega and Sbaraglia, is frankly baffling, while hysterical, near-burlesque turns are the order of the day. As the titular seductress, Vega resembles nothing as much as a nose-powdered catwalk model flouncing about with a broken heel.

Even for the non-opera loving public the name CARMEN is immediately recognized as an opera by Bizet about a gypsy girl whose capricious loves destroy men. But as much as the opera is now considered a staple in every opera house repertoire, the real story of the wild gypsy lass as created by Prosper Mérimée in 1845 has never been told as well as in this cinematic version by the abundantly gifted Spanish director Vicente Aranda ('Juana la Loca AKA Mad Love','Amantes', 'If they tell you I fell', etc.). Incorporating the author of the novel as a main character seeking the story of Carmen from one of her lovers - José - provides just the right vantage for the story of this famous gypsy wild lady to be told.

Carmen (the amazingly beautiful and talented Paz Vega) works in a cigar factory in Seville, a factory adjoining the military station where the very proper José (Leonardo Sbaraglia) is stationed. Carmen is tempestuous and in a fight instigated by a fellow factory worker bringing attention to the fact that Carmen is a gypsy, Carmen murders the co-worker and is arrested. José is physically attracted to the voluptuous Carmen and when Carmen flirts with him he consents to allow her to escape - his payback is the promise for a night of passion with Carmen. Carmen keeps her pact, providing José with his first sexual encounter, and José is doomed. His lack of military discipline results in his losing his rank and being imprisoned for a while, but at his release José encounters Carmen again, kills a fellow officer, and in fear runs off to the hills to live with the smugglers and gypsies that are Carmen's people. Many incidents occur to try the passionate bond between the lovers, but when Carmen's real husband is released from prison, destructive behaviors take over, behavior's that include Carmen's infatuation and affair with a bullfighter and the passion of Carmen and José comes to a tragic end.

One factor that makes the story (as adapted for the screen by director Aranda and Joaquim Jordà move so well is the role that Prosper Mérimée (Jay Benedict) plays: his questioning of José completes the story that Bizet's opera only outlines. The acting is superb, the cinematography by Paco Femenia and the excellent musical score by José Nieto contribute enormously to the success of this very fine film. This is a must for lovers of the opera Carmen, and a splendid action drama for those viewers who admire historical pieces. Highly recommended. Grady Harp

Based on the melodramatic novel by writer Prosper Merimee, Carmen is the classic tale of forbidden passion between a young man , sergeant named Jose (Leonardo Sbaraglia) and a spoken-for woman, Carmen (Paz Vega). A beautiful but amoral gypsy , marvellous Paz Vega, falls in turbulent love for a soldier , ever-so-handsome Leonardo , but things go wrong when his superior , becomes involved into the twisted affaire. It is told in flashback as the young soldier, stripped of his decorations, explains all in a prison cell to writer Prosper Merimee (Jay Benedict). José tells of the love he had for Carmen and how it proved to be destructive. As Carmen is victim and protagonist of a fatalist chain of events , passional romance and tragedies . Aranda splendidly casts the Spanish main actress of the moment , Paz Vega (The Spirit , Spanglish, Lucia y el sexo) , to play the immortal figure of Carmen in the kind of steamy role she revels in , with one of the most important players in Latin American Cinema today, Leonardo Sbaraglia (Intacto, Utopia) playing the character of José. To want her was Torture.. to love her meant death ! A story of beauty and savagery.. love and hate.. splendor and shame...

This romantic costume adventure strikes some strong sparks and uncontrollable passions . It is a decent movie , though corny and extremely erotic at times , but still entertaining to see sparks fly between Carmen/Paz Vega as the wonderful vixen and an always angry and jealous José/Leonardo Sbaraglia . Paz Vega in her real splendor plays an immoral gypsy hussy who ruins life of a young Spanish officer. The free, enigmatic nature of a woman called Carmen , her southern beauty , she's the complete and gorgeous starring displaying jealousy , bloodshed and doom . Paz Vega looks brilliant and stunning as the tempestuous gypsy , but also Leonardo Sbaraglia as a Spanish dragoon is pretty well , playing a passionate, impulsive character turning into into the victim . Support cast is pretty good , such as : Jay Benedict as Merimee who on a journey through Spain is forced by fate to be the witness of a story of passion , Antonio Dechent as the jealous bandit , Joan Crosas, Ismael Martínez, Ginés García Millán, Maria Botto, Josep Linuesa , Susi Sánchez, Paula Echevarria, Julio Vélez , among others . And Georges Bizet music might have helped a bit, rather than the rousing soundtrack provided by José Nieto. Adding a glamorous and picturesque cinematography by Paco Femina. The motion picture was well directed by Vicente Aranda .

There are several versions based on Prospero Merimee tale : First silent retelling ¨Carmen¨ 1915 by Cecil B De Mille with Geraldine Farrar, Pedro de Córdoba, Wallace Reid. ¨The Loves of Carmen¨ 1943 by Charles Vidor with Rita Hayworth , Glenn Ford , Ron Randell. ¨The loves of Carmen¨ with Dolores Del Río, Don Alvarado. ¨Carmen¨ 1944 with Vivían Romance , Jean Marais. ¨The Devil made a woman¨ 1959 by Tulio Demicheli with Sara Montiel, German Cobos , Amadeo Nazzarí. ¨Man, Pride and vengeance¨ 1967 by Luigi Bazzoni with Franco Nero, Tina Aumont, Klaus Kinski. ¨Carmen Jones¨ by Otto Preminger with Harry Belafonte , Dorothy Dandridge . ¨Carmen¨ 1983 by Carlos Saura with Laura del Sol, Antonio Gades .¨Carmen de Bizet¨ 1984 by Francesco Rosi with Julia Migenes , Placido Domingo, Ruggiero Raimondi . And this ¨Carmen¨ 2003 by Vicente Aranda with Paz Vega , Leonardo Sbaraglia, Antonio Dechent . Rating : 6.5/10 . Better than average . Worthwhile watching.