Pedro Almodovar is probably Spain’s most well known and internationally successful film maker, with a distinctive style and always original story lines. I wasn’t sure how his dark humour would go down with the film club members, but the reaction was very positive. The comments I heard from the exiting audience were ‘unusual’ and ‘not what I expected’. It didn’t attract our usual numbers, but I don’t think anyone regretted making the effort despite the sub-titles (which do deter many people).
Volver is a typical Almodovar film – shot in his usual primary colours, with his constant themes of female solidarity, mother-daughter relationships, life in rural Spain, death and continuity and, as always, a quirky and totally original (as far as I can tell) plot. The presence of a Hollywood star (Penelope Cruz) hinted at a more mainstream target, and it has been more successful internationally than many of his films. Despite its star attraction, it was still an ensemble piece, and, I hope, a good example to encourage a more adventurous approach to foreign language films next season.
Just one film left in our current season: Walk the Line in April. Now that’s more predictable, and we know for sure the music will be great.
