Pedro Almodóvar

Contemporary Film Directors

by Marvin D'Lugo

Perhaps the best-known Spanish filmmaker to international audiences, Pedro Almodóvar gained the widespread attention of English-speaking critics and fans with the Oscar-nominated Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and the celebrated dark comedy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! . Marvin D'Lugo offers a concise, informed, and insightful commentary on a preeminent force in modern cinema. D'Lugo follows Almodóvar's career chronologically, tracing the director's works and their increasing complexity in terms of theme and the Spanish film tradition. Drawing on a wide range of critical sources, D'Lugo explores Almodóvar's use of melodrama and Hollywood genre film, his self-invention as a filmmaker, and his on-screen sexual politics. D'Lugo also discusses what he calls "geocultural positioning," that is, Almodóvar's paradoxical ability to use his marginal positions—in terms of his class, geographical origin, and identity—to develop an expressive language that is emotionally recognizable by audiences worldwide. Two fascinating interviews with the director round out the volume. An exciting consideration of an arthouse giant, Pedro Almodóvar mixes original interpretations into an analysis sure to reward film students and specialists alike.

Genres: Film

192 pages, Paperback

First published May 18, 2006

Reviews

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently watched the whole of Almodóvar corpus of films, and used this book to provide some contexts for those movies. It was an excellent companion to the film, providing relevant historical information about Spain and presenting the opinions of film scholars in language that was rich and accessible for the non-scholar. It covers Almodóvar's film through Bad Education (2004).

[arafat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for those who love Almodovar's movies. I randomly picked it up from the New Arrivals at the public library and speed-read through most of it today in one sitting. And while reading I realized a number of things, namely: 1) I still haven't seen more than half of his films; 2) I've forgotten much about the ones I've seen; and, 3) I should watch again the ones I've already seen, because it looks like I can notice/appreciate a lot of things I didn't do so before.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource for understanding all of Almodovar's films, and recognizing thematic patterns across his entire body of work. Also contains some interesting quotes and interviews from Pedro Almodovar himself. Very much recommended if you're interested in his films or want to know more about his inspiration.