Spanish living legend Pedro Almodóvar is known as a world great director but he's also a world great writer. He won a well-deserved Oscar in February 2003 for his screnplay to Talk to Her. Subsequent efforts Bad Education (2004) and Volver (2006) haven't won as many statues but their screenplays are terrifically layered; filled with both abundant dark humor and character detail.
Here's the 8th line of dialogue spoken in...Volver
"Burned to death! That's the worst way to die"
-Sole (Lola Dueñas)
-Sole (Lola Dueñas)
Many movies trip all over themselves as they screech to a halt for exposition. Not the films of Almodóvar. Volver collects exposition like bees collect pollen, buzzing quickly from gorgeous flower to gorgeous flower. It's doing a lot of work all the time but it plays beautifully --like you're eavesdropping on casual if stylized conversations. Until, that is, you watch the films a second or third time. It's then you realize how much you already knew but didn't know you knew as the new chapters unfurl. That cemetery sequence in Volver is just great, great stuff.
The 8th line of dialogue in Bad Education isn't as emphatic or expressive, just a quick exchange in a doorway but how about that title sequence that precedes it? It's nearly as enthralling as Volver's end credits... those delicious florals. Here's the 8th cleverly illustrated title card in the previous film.
Almodóvar sure does love the hot mess trannies. If you haven't seen either of these fine pictures, time is a wastin'. Get on that, will you? Before you know it it'll be a year from now and everyone will be talking about the reunion of most of the Volver cast for Los Abrazos Rotos (2009).
previously on "o8th"
Costumes in Marie Antoinette, Descriptof for Elizabeth, Carrie's hands, murders in No Country For Old Men, Magic in Harry Potter and more....
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The 8th line of dialogue in Bad Education isn't as emphatic or expressive, just a quick exchange in a doorway but how about that title sequence that precedes it? It's nearly as enthralling as Volver's end credits... those delicious florals. Here's the 8th cleverly illustrated title card in the previous film.
Almodóvar sure does love the hot mess trannies. If you haven't seen either of these fine pictures, time is a wastin'. Get on that, will you? Before you know it it'll be a year from now and everyone will be talking about the reunion of most of the Volver cast for Los Abrazos Rotos (2009).
previously on "o8th"
Costumes in Marie Antoinette, Descriptof for Elizabeth, Carrie's hands, murders in No Country For Old Men, Magic in Harry Potter and more....
*
